# What's your opinion on electrical muscle stimulation devices?



## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

Do these help in recovery? If so, what type of devices are best?

Apparently there are serveral different clases of these machines: there's the TENS, then there's the regular/tradiitonal muscle stimulation machine, and then the Russian muscle stimulation unit.

I'm looking to get something to help me in recovery and right now I'm thinking Russian is what I need. Need some inputs please.


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## Bridgestone (Sep 6, 2007)

aclinjury said:


> Do these help in recovery? If so, what type of devices are best?
> 
> Apparently there are serveral different clases of these machines: there's the TENS, then there's the regular/tradiitonal muscle stimulation machine, and then the Russian muscle stimulation unit.
> 
> I'm looking to get something to help me in recovery and right now I'm thinking Russian is what I need. Need some inputs please.


My wife loves hers


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

Seriously, I used one when I had an impinged nerve in my shoulder many years ago. Basically it re-trained my muscles to not pinch off that nerve. The tech hooked me up, flipped the switch, and then walked away. Slowly the current got the the point that I wanted to throw up and was turning gray. A doctor walked in, took one look at me, saw what it was set at, turned it off, and then laid into the tech. It wasn't supposed to be that high for that muscle group. Not pleasant.









Later visits were much easier, and after about 10 or so I stopped going because it was no longer an issue and PT was working. It was kinda weird watching the muscles contract and relax without my input.

Would I consider it a training tool? With the right program, _*maybe*_, but I could also see it doing some damage without an educated and attentive tech (see above). I'd rather do it the old fashioned way.


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

aclinjury said:


> Do these help in recovery? If so, what type of devices are best?
> 
> Apparently there are serveral different clases of these machines: there's the TENS, then there's the regular/tradiitonal muscle stimulation machine, and then the Russian muscle stimulation unit.
> 
> I'm looking to get something to help me in recovery and right now I'm thinking Russian is what I need. Need some inputs please.


This is an area I conduct research so I know a little bit about electrical stimulation. My assessment is there really isn't any good reason to use it if you have an intact functioning central nervous system. Certainly not for strengthening and I suspect probably not any better then just regular light aerobic exercise, assuming the latter does indeed improve recovery.

It would take a lot to explain it, but basically TENS is just low current that only provokes a sensory response, if the machine can be turned up enough to deliver adequate current then TENS becomes muscle stimulation. "Russian" is just a particular pattern of electrical current that as an anecdotal report was suppose to be capable of producing very high forces. It's been shown that "Russian" is nothing special and probably is actually sub-optimal for producing high forces but it still retains this "magical" place for historical reasons.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

Thanks for the replies.

I'm more interested in using such device for muscle recovery, not muscle bulking or strength training. The idea is that if muscles get more blood flow through them, then they'll recover faster. So stimulating them would enable higher blood flow and therefore quicker recovery. So in this context, does such device work? And if so, is it worth the money? these devices can go anywhere from $80-$180 each. 

If the recovery is insignificant compared to a light or low/no resistance spin cycle on a gym spinner, then I can just use a spinner at the gym. I wonder how does 1 hr of electrical stimulation compare to a 30 minute of no-resistance spin?

My other wondering is, does using such device long-term have a negative long-term effect on the muscles or physiology of the body? Would the muscles become dependent on external electrical stimulation and somehow become desensitized to the body's own innervation therehold??? And would the body cells break down under such continual use of electrical stimulation. The human body didn't evolve with electrodes stuck to them, so I just wanna make sure I'm not risk damaging any organ inside in the long run.


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

"In Soviet Russia, machine exercises you!"


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## UrbanPrimitive (Jun 14, 2009)

aclinjury said:


> I wonder how does 1 hr of electrical stimulation compare to a 30 minute of no-resistance spin?


When I was getting physical therapy I was hooked up to one of these. Honestly I didn't experience any significant benefit. Furthermore, I was never hooked up for more than fifteen minutes. I suspect that in seventy years we'll look back at these devices in the same light as radio-active underwear to increase fertility.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

my chiropractor uses them along with a heat pad before/after adjustments (how he spreads his load among 3 patiences at a time)


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Thinking it through*



aclinjury said:


> I'm more interested in using such device for muscle recovery, not muscle bulking or strength training. The idea is that if muscles get more blood flow through them, then they'll recover faster. So stimulating them would enable higher blood flow and therefore quicker recovery. So in this context, does such device work? And if so, is it worth the money? these devices can go anywhere from $80-$180 each.


You might contemplate the fact that when you exercise a muscle, your body's unbelievably complex neuromuscular system is involve, stimulating that muscle, your heart, capillaries, etc. in a symphony of activity. With the elctrostimulation machine, not so much.

Could it be better than doing nothing? Maybe. Is it as good as a light spin at low effort level? Not very likely.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Kerry Irons said:


> ?...
> 
> Could it be better than doing nothing? Maybe. Is it as good as a light spin at low effort level? Not very likely.


I agree. I wanted to get one of these (advertising works too well on me) but never found any real evidence or studies to support the claims advertised.
If it worked at all, you would hear/read about pros using them routinely. You don't. 
Even at the local level, I know of no one using these things.


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

tednugent said:


> my chiropractor uses them


That right there tells me it's most likely a load of pseudoscience bunkum, like what most chiros preach.


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

MerlinAma said:


> I agree. I wanted to get one of these (advertising works too well on me) but never found any real evidence or studies to support the claims advertised.
> If it worked at all, you would hear/read about pros using them routinely. You don't.
> Even at the local level, I know of no one using these things.


Stick to the evidence.

Even what Pros do/don't do is often just paid celebrity endorsement.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

tednugent said:


> my chiropractor ... (how he spreads his load among 3 patiences at a time)


ehm that's not a chiropractor


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

Alex_Simmons/RST said:


> Stick to the evidence.
> 
> Even what Pros do/don't do is often just paid celebrity endorsement.


People always think pros "know" what they are doing vs. happen to have good genetics, good developmental situation, timing was right, etc.

Pros are just as susceptible to the psychological trip-ups that allow any old snake-oil product to sell.


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