Electrical Passive Exercising. Can you really have gain from no pain?

Posted on May 31st, 2009 in Exercise, Treatment

abs4 There has been a recent increase in commercials for products that tone your body without you having to do any work. According to the adverts 20mins using Slendertone is the equivalent to 120 abdominal crunches. It uses Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) to create strong deep muscle contractions to tone the body by switching on nerves that control your muscles causing them to contract. The EMS technology has been used for years in hospitals and I personally have successfully used Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) machine for pain relief so I was accepting that the technology works.

As I have mentioned before, I have recently injured my knee and through physiotherapy and exercises I am trying to rebuild the muscles and strength in my leg. My local beauty salon offers a range of electrical body treatments but I was interested in the Electrical Muscle Stimulation described as a passive form of exercise where specific areas are stimulated, improving muscle tone and condition. As someone who enjoys an active life passive exercise isn’t normally my thing but I thought it could be a way to stimulate the muscles in my leg without putting strain on my ligaments. The added bonus was that 12 pads are used over your body so I also got to tone my stomach, arms and chest.

As I had used a TENS machine before I wasn’t nervous about using the machines, the sensation is just unusual and different not uncomfortable. The pulsing current causes your muscles to contract, mimicking the bodies natural movements. The intensity goes up to level 12 and I only managed level 3 on my leg before I got serious contractions and any higher was unpleasant. My arms managed level 7 and my abs which are protected by a good layer of fat was around 5. My technician suggested that I shouldn’t push myself too far on my first visit and said that the layer of fat around my stomach was probably absorbing the current to my abs allowing me to tolerate the higher intensity and as my arms are more toned and defined their muscles need even more stimulation to make them contract.

After 20mins of stimulation, increasing slightly as my tolerance improves, my passive exercise was over. I was warned I would feel like I had done a hard work out and, but in fact I felt the complete opposite, I feeling like I had just been to bed. No part of me ached or felt like it had been trained. Perhaps I should have pushed myself to a higher intensity and a regular course maybe needed but I am now sceptical about using a product such as Slendertone. The adverts suggest that its for someone who is already enjoying a healthy diet and active lifestyle but just needs some extra help toning their abs. From my experience in the salon you do need a fairly low fat level covering your abs to cause contraction of your muscles so it may have good effects on such an lean person. However it claims only 20mins is needed to have the same effect as 120 crunches. I think I could do 120 crunches by the time I could get the product out the box and on to me, as I imagine could many active people. Therefore I wonder who the product is aimed at. Lean, active people who can’t spare 2 minutes to do 120 crunches?

As I mentioned before, I have only experienced EMS in a salon and haven’t used a Slendertone itself. Nevertheless, combining my salon experience and the info on their website I think I may save my money and get up 2 minutes early each day to get my 120 crunches in. However, there is also version to be worn as a pair of shorts, to tone your bottom and thighs. Could this work to strengthen and rehabilitate the muscles in my upper leg?

Have you used EMS to tone your body? Did you experience good results? Have you found it useful for rehabilitation? Let us know your experiences.