Amazon Product Review

Does Electric Muscle Stimulation Actually Work? Pro athletes endorse them and diehard gym rats swear by them. But should you bother with those pricey electric muscle stimulation machines you see popping up everywhere from Instagram to sporting goods stores? Before you stick a set of electrodes on and crank up the dial, it’s worth understanding how electric muscle stimulation (EMS), a.k.a. neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES), actually works. When attached to the skin, th...e typical EMS unit delivers an electrical impulse to the body’s motor nerves that causes rapid muscle contractions, hence all the twitches and spasms. Makers of these devices claim that the contractions can help speed up recovery time, relieve pain, increase muscle strength, and even improve performance. RELATED STORY Active vs. Passive Recovery Which Is Better: Active or Passive Recovery? To a certain extent, those assertions are accurate. C. Shanté Cofield, D.P.T., founder of The Movement Maestro and host of the Maestro on the Mic podcast, explains that muscle contraction is one of the most effective ways to reduce swelling and inflammation, two things that any runner is bound to encounter at some point during their training. EMS can be a great way to help with recovery, particularly in runners, because the muscle pumping activity can help with circulation and decrease swelling in the lower limbs without requiring additional impact or exercise, she says. The last thing you want to do after a 20-mile run is calf raises or ankle pumps. This provides a nice way to allow for recovery without additional activity. And the faster you can recover, the sooner you can get back to your training schedule.