Ems physical exercise, is it really effective to lose weight?

Recently, many gyms have started to offer the latest technology called electrical muscle stimulation (EMS). He said that EMS physical exercise only needs to be done for a few minutes, but it can be effective enough to eradicate the fat that has accumulated under the skin. Is it true?

What is EMS physical training?

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is a device that uses electricity to stimulate your muscles to be more effective. Usually when you do EMS physical training, the device will be attached to a special garment. This particular outfit that you will then wear during the physical exercise is done. So, you keep doing a variety of simple exercise movements, while the tool is working on your body.

In fact, the electricity present in an EMS works the same way as the electricity to the nervous system. The electric current in EMS will stimulate the nerve muscles to work and eventually move more effectively.

The duration of EMS physical training is only about 20 minutes, unlike cardio or other strength training exercises that require a minimum of 45-60 minutes. However, many say that during the 20 minutes duration, the feeling of tiredness and fatigue is the same as regular regular exercise.

What are the health benefits of EMS physical training?

The United States food and drug control agency states that EMS can be used to help treat several health problems such as:

1. Prevent muscle atrophy

Muscle atrophy is a condition in which muscle mass decreases or decreases due to certain health conditions. EMS is used to keep muscles active and stimulated again, so they don't get smaller.

2. Osteorthritis

Osteoarthritis, which is usually experienced by elderly people, can be treated with EMS treatment. In the journal Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, it is known that this therapy is effective in helping the elderly to return to activity after undergoing osteoarthritis treatment.

Most EMS uses are aimed at restoring muscle function that has been lost or impaired due to certain health conditions. To find out whether you really need this special therapy or not, you should consult your doctor.

Will exercise with EMS lose weight faster?

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), until now EMS is good for strengthening and building muscle, but it can only be effective for a short time. Yes, unfortunately there is no scientific evidence that states that using an EMS tool can be effective in losing weight quickly.

Experts reveal that this tool only makes blood flow more smoothly to the muscles of the body, so that the muscles become stronger to perform various movements. Therefore, the actual use of EMS is more focused on fixing problems that occur in the muscles, but it is less reliable for building muscle strength and losing weight.

This small-scale study, from The American Council for Exercise, found no changes in body weight, muscle mass, and percent body fat in participants who had undergone physical exercise with EMS for 8 consecutive weeks.

So, don't get your hopes up with this tool that is said to make your weight drop dramatically. Moreover, if you do not have a healthy diet and lifestyle, it will be difficult to lose weight just by relying on this EMS tool. However, if you really want to try it, you should first talk to your doctor and personal trainer who already understand how this tool works.

Are there any risks involved in doing EMS physical training?

Using EMS without expert supervision can lead to problems such as:

1. Interferes with the work of other medical devices

If you are using a medical device, such as a device that supports your heart health, then you should not immediately use this tool. Consult your doctor first, the reason is that EMS electricity can interfere with the work of the medical device you are using.

2. Experiencing skin problems

The skin problem that usually occurs as a result of using EMS is skin irritation due to a reaction from the electric current being applied. Usually this condition does not last long, but if it does not heal, immediately consult a doctor.

3. Muscle injury

Although it is rare, using EMS can cause muscle injury as a result of being stimulated by the electric current. The muscles will become constantly active and eventually become exhausted, resulting in injury.

Therefore, before you do EMS physical exercise, make sure that you have discussed it with your doctor first, especially if you have a certain medical condition.