Electrical muscle stimulation, also known as EMS, is a physical therapy modality that uses electrical pulses of low intensity to cause muscle contractions and trigger the muscles’ natural mechanism for repairing itself. When EMS stimulates the injured tissue over a long period, the body has an increased blood supply to the area, leading to increased healing. Therefore, EMS is most often used in cases where an injury or surgery has caused an imbalance in the body.
What can ESM help with?
EMS can be used effectively for both acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries. It can also improve motor function in patients with neurological conditions like stroke, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy.
The following are the most common uses of EMS:
- Treatment of acute injuries such as sprains, strains, fractures, and dislocations.
- Treatment of chronic injuries such as tendonitis or arthritis.
- Rehabilitation after surgery or a fracture/sprain operation (ACL reconstruction surgery, total knee replacement surgery)
Health Benefits of Electrical Muscle Stimulation
Here are some of the health benefits of electrical muscle stimulation:
Pain relief
Patients with chronic pain or injuries often use EMS to relieve muscle spasms and reduce inflammation. It does this by sending electrical pulses through electrodes placed on the skin over the injured area. The pulses cause muscles to contract and relax repeatedly, which increases blood flow and helps speed up healing time.
Improves range of motion and flexibility
Electrical muscle stimulation is an effective way to improve range of motion and flexibility. It works by sending a small electrical current through the muscle, which causes the muscle to contract. The contraction is mild, but it can be enough to increase your range of motion.
Increases blood flow to tissues
Electrical muscle stimulation also increases blood flow to tissues, and this is important because injured muscles often have poor circulation due to swelling or inflammation. By increasing circulation, electrical muscle stimulation can help reduce some of the swelling and inflammation in injured muscles, speeding up recovery time and decreasing pain at the site of injury.
Increases muscle strength and endurance
Electrical stimulation can be used to increase the strength of muscles that have been weakened by injury or surgery. Electrical stimulation may also be used after a stroke or other neurological injury to help improve muscle control and coordination.
Reduces joint stiffness
Physical therapists use electrical stimulation to decrease joint stiffness and increase the range of motion in patients with arthritis. This occurs because the electrical stimulation causes the muscles around the joint to contract, increasing blood flow through those muscles and their flexibility.
Types of Electric Muscle Stimulation Treatments
There are several different types of electric muscle stimulation treatments, such as:
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
The TENS unit is a small device placed on the skin over the area of the pain. The TENS unit sends electrical impulses through the skin to the nerves in that area. These impulses are thought to block pain signals from reaching your brain. The TENS unit may be used alone or with another therapy such as ultrasound or heat therapy.
Electric Muscle stimulation (EMS)
EMS uses electrical stimulation pulses to make your muscles contract and relax, causing them to warm up and work better. Most people feel some tingling in their muscles during this treatment, but it shouldn’t cause any pain. EMS is often used by athletes or people who want to improve their muscle tone and strength.
Electric Stimulation for Tissue Repair (ESTR)
ESTR uses low-energy electric currents similar to those used in TENS units, but they are applied directly to injured tissue instead of overlying muscle groups. The intent is to promote healing by increasing blood flow and stimulating collagen production in damaged areas such as tendon injuries or scars resulting from surgery or burns.
Neuromuscular Electrical Muscles Stimulation (NEMS)
NEMS works by sending a mild electrical current through the nerves in your muscles. This stimulates your muscles to contract, which helps them heal more quickly after an injury. NEMS can be used to treat many injuries, including tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Conclusion
The use of EMS is a great supplement in the treatment of auto accident injuries as it helps provide relief in a unique way. At The Brooks Clinic, we utilize EMS along with other types of auto injury therapies to help patients recover faster without reliance of medication. We’d love to set up an appointment at one of our four locations for you to come and see one of our board-certified doctors and discuss treatment further. Give us a call or use our online appointment request form below.
