The Impact of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation on Body Posture and Trunk Muscle Strength in Untrained Persons

Abstract

Muscular imbalances of the trunk muscles are held responsible for changes in body posture. At the same time, whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) has been established as a new training method that enables simultaneous stimulation of many muscle groups. This study was aiming to analyze if a 10 weeks WB-EMS training changes posture-relevant parameters and/or improves isometric strength of the trunk extensors and flexors, and if there are differences based on stimulation at 20 Hz and 85 Hz. Fifty eight untrained adult test persons were divided into three groups (control, CON; training with 20 Hz stimulation, TR20; training with 85 Hz, TR85). Anthropometric parameters, trunk extension and flexion forces and torques, and posture parameters were determined before ( n = 58) and after ( n = 53: CON: n = 15, TR20: n = 19, TR85: n = 19) a 10 weeks WB-EMS training program (15 applications, 9 exercises). Differences between the groups were calculated for pre- and post-tests using univariate ANOVA and between the test times using repeated (2 × 3) ANOVA. Comparisons of pairs were calculated post hoc based on Fisher (LSD). No differences between the groups were found for the posture parameters. The post hoc analysis of both trunk flexion and trunk extension forces and torques showed a significant difference between the groups TR85 and CON but no difference between the other group pairs. A 10 weeks whole-body electrostimulation training with a stimulation frequency of 85 Hz in contrast to training with a stimulation frequency of 20 Hz improves the trunk muscle strength of an untrained group but does not significantly change posture parameters.

Efficacy of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) on Body Composition and Muscle Strength in Non-athletic Adults. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using Q and I 2 statistics (low: 0-39%, moderate: 40-59%, substantial: >60% [Higgins and Green, 2011]). We divided the control group into smaller groups in cases where there was more than one intervention group (Jee, 2019;Ludwig et al, 2019). To explore potential small-study biases and asymmetry, we inspected funnel plots.…”

“…Authors of trials that were potentially eligible were contacted by e-mail for any missing data (e.g., mean change of BMD or SD) or for clarification of the study design, intervention, or study outcomes. Five out of seven authors responded to our queries (Vatter, 2010;Schink et al, 2018;Ludwig et al, 2019;Bellia et al, 2020;Ricci et al, 2020).…”

“…The mean age ranged from 23 (Jee, 2019) to 77 years (FranSO-study; Kemmler et al, 2018a,b), FORMOsA-study (Kemmler et al, 2016c,d), and the mean body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) varied from 22 (Jee, 2019) to 38.2 kg/m 2 (Ricci et al, 2020). Twelve RCTs were conducted in Germany (Kemmler et al, 2010a(Kemmler et al, ,b, 2014(Kemmler et al, , 2016c(Kemmler et al, ,d, 2018aVatter, 2010;Kemmler and von Stengel, 2013;Schink et al, 2018;Weissenfels et al, 2018;Ludwig et al, 2019), two in Korea (Jee, 2019;Kim and Jee, 2020), one in Italy (Bellia et al, 2020), and one in Brazil (Ricci et al, 2020). One trial implemented two EMS groups with varying impulse frequency (Ludwig et al, 2019).…”

“…2 At least when applying the more popular concept with low to negligible workloads. Kemmler et al, 2014;Schink et al, 2018;Weissenfels et al, 2018;Jee, 2019;Ludwig et al, 2019;Willert et al, 2019;Bellia et al, 2020;Ricci et al, 2020). However, in order to generate decisive evidence, a meta-analysis was seen as the most adequate study type (Kemmler et al, 2020a).…”

Validity and reliability of the Muscular Fitness Test to evaluate body strength-resistance

“…Strength training and development is considered an essential component for the increase of the population's physical condition 1 and essential for delivering support and maintenance of body posture. 2 It is a fact that the daily movements that people exercise need strength, and that some of these physical efforts are sustained over an extended period 3 ; for these last efforts, strength-resistance (S-R) plays a fundamental role. S-R is defined as the capacity that a muscle group possesses to maintain repeated contractions against a load (resistance) during a prolonged period.…”