Experts warn against whole body electronic stimulation

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This was published 7 years ago

Experts warn against whole body electronic stimulation

By Mary Ward
Updated

A group of doctors have warned against using whole body electrical muscular stimulation (EMS) in physical training, claiming it can cause muscle damage.

In a letter published in the BMJ this week, doctors from Israel's Kaplan Medical Centre warned against use of the method, which promises to intensify a person's workout through electrodes worn all over the body, which contract the muscles as a person performs strength and cardio exercises.

The use of electrical muscular stimulation equipment in gyms is largely unregulated.

The use of electrical muscular stimulation equipment in gyms is largely unregulated.Credit: Getty

"On 4 August 2015, a 20-year-old man presented to our hospital with severe muscle pain shortly after a session of gym-based whole body ES exercise supervised by a fitness professional. Rhabdomyolysis was diagnosed, and he was treated with intravenous 0.9% saline for five days," the letter read.

Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle tissue, resulting in the release of muscle fibre into the blood, potentially damaging the kidneys.

After a television program drawing attention to the potential dangers of ES aired in Israel in December, the doctors said several more people came forward with symptoms, and two more cases of rhabdomyolysis were diagnosed.

"We suspect that the true number of people injured by this form of exercise may be much higher but they are undiagnosed."

The Israeli health ministry issued an official safety warning against EMS devices in January.

However, according to personal trainer Roland Safar, co-owner of Perth's SpeedFit EMS centre, the risks detailed by the doctors in the letter are extreme and can be easily managed by responsible use of the technology.

Safar, who started SpeedFit as Australia's first EMS personal training centre in 2013, said that while he agreed the consequences of training described by the doctors were "possible", he disagreed that they were indicative of a person's typical experience with EMS.

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"It is possible to cause such damage if the intensity of the muscle stimulation is abnormally high," he said, adding that "you can see quite clearly" if a muscle is being overstimulated.

"[To do damage] you basically need to have a person who has a very high pain tolerance, and a trainer who is being very irresponsible."

Safar said various safety procedures at SpeedFit – such as limiting sessions to 20 minutes, and having a minimum resting period of two days between sessions – assist in keeping people using the equipment safe.

EMS gained popularity in the Soviet Union in the 1960s, where it was used by sports scientists to train athletes.

Since then, it has been used to amplify the effect of workouts, with devices claiming to provide four times the amount of muscle exertion than traditional exercise. The technology is rumoured to have been favoured by actor Bruce Lee during his training.

Its popularity in Europe has exploded over the past 10 years, with the sale of personal devices for use both when relaxing ("fat blaster"-style devices) and while exercising. Certain devices are certified by the US Food and Drug Administration.

The technology's use in Australia is gaining momentum (Safar is opening three more studios in Perth this year), but, like most aspects of the fitness industry, it is largely unregulated, meaning it is up to the individual studio to decide what limitations to place on using the equipment.

Safar expressed particular concern regarding some other studios which combine EMS training with weights.

"If you are adding weights you would need to reduce the intensity of the current significantly," he said.

In the absence of other regulation, the trainers at SpeedFit use directions from Bodytec, the German manufacturers of their equipment.

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