EMS Research Summary
How EMS can positively impact physical fitness in Postmenopausal Women
Research Title
Effects of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation on Physical Fitness in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors
lvaro Pano-Rodriguez, Jose Vicente Beltran-Garrido, Vicenç Hernandez-Gonzalez
Link
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/5/1482
Introduction
Whole-body electromyostiulation (WB-EMS) has experienced a boom in recent years. A sedentary lifestyle is deeply rooted in the European population, especially in the elderly.
This experimental study analysed the impact of WB-EMS on the physical fitness of postmenopausal women.
Thirty-four healthy sedentary women between 55 and 69 years conducted a ten-week aerobic and strength training program.
Summary
The aim of this research was to compare the effects of EMS on improving the physical fitness of postmenopausal women compared to an aerobic and strength training program.
The researchers assigned 34 postmenopausal women to either EMS training or an aerobic and strength training program .
They amazingly found at the end of the 10 weeks that the patients doing 20 minutes EMS 2 times per week vs non-EMS treatment showed at least the same if not more improvement in their fitness.
Even more interesting the EMS groups were the only ones that showed improvement in their cardiovascular endurance.
Objective
The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of EMS on the physical fitness of postmenopausal women compared to aerobic and strength training program.
Method
Participants were randomly distributed in 2 groups: EMS training and the control group. The EMS group conducted a resistance strength training program with EMS suits, while the control group performed only resistance strength training. Both groups did 2 sessions per week per 10 weeks
Results
Significant improvements were observed in upper and lower body strength, agility, speed, and cardiovascular endurance. The EMS group scored better agility than the control.
The EMS was the only group that improved cardiovascular endurance.
What did the participants do each week?
Both groups trained with a frequency of 2 weekly sessions during a total of a 10 weeks program.
Both groups performed the same program consisting of endurance tasks and resistance strength exercises. Participants were asked not to make physical efforts outside the training program.
Training protocol: Both group did the same training protocol. Each sessions lasted 40 min. Participants performed a 10-min warm-up by walking on a treadmill at a moderate speed, followed by the resistance training protocol and 10 minutes stretching at the end.
EMS group: During the strength exercises a frequency of 55 Hz was applied and the stimulation wan on for 4 seconds and off for 4 seconds. During cardiovascular training on the treadmill, the frequency applied was 7 Hz (metabolic program).
Conclusion
The main findings were the improvements in both groups in the variables of leg strength, arm strength, agility, and speed but with higher improvements EMS group.
In addition, only the EMS group obtained improvements in cardiovascular endurance.
In conclusion EMS could be suitable for postmenopausal women who find it difficult to carry out continuous physical exercise.
It would be aa great way to develop their aerobic resistance, as well as its functional capacity.
In this way, due to this physical fitness enhancement, they would reduce their risk of falls, their cardiovascular deterioration, and their dependence, which would improve their quality of life.
