Whole-Body EMS Superimposed Walking and Nordic Walking on a Treadmill—Determination of Exercise Intensity to Conventional Exercise

Abstract

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is an increasingly popular training method and has become the focus of research in recent years. New EMS devices offer a wide range of mobile applications for whole-body EMS (WB-EMS) training, e.g., the intensification of dynamic low-intensity endurance exercises through WB-EMS. The present study aimed to determine the differences in exercise intensity between WB-EMS-superimposed and conventional walking (EMS-CW), and CON and WB-EMS-superimposed Nordic walking (WB-EMS-NW) during a treadmill test. Eleven participants (52.0 ± years; 85.9 ± 7.4 kg, 182 ± 6 cm, BMI 25.9 ± 2.2 kg/m2) performed a 10 min treadmill test at a given velocity (6.5 km/h) in four different test situations, walking (W) and Nordic walking (NW) in both conventional and WB-EMS superimposed. Oxygen uptake in absolute (VO2) and relative to body weight (rel. VO2), lactate, and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured before and after the test. WB-EMS intensity was adjusted individually according to the feedback of the participant. The descriptive statistics were given in mean ± SD. For the statistical analyses, one-factorial ANOVA for repeated measures and two-factorial ANOVA [factors include EMS, W/NW, and factor combination (EMS*W/NW)] were performed (α = 0.05). Significant effects were found for EMS and W/NW factors for the outcome variables VO2 (EMS: p = 0.006, r = 0.736; W/NW: p < 0.001, r = 0.870), relative VO2 (EMS: p < 0.001, r = 0.850; W/NW: p < 0.001, r = 0.937), and lactate (EMS: p = 0.003, r = 0.771; w/NW: p = 0.003, r = 0.764) and both the factors produced higher results. However, the difference in VO2 and relative VO2 is within the range of biological variability of ± 12%. The factor combination EMS*W/NW is statistically non-significant for all three variables. WB-EMS resulted in the higher RPE values (p = 0.035, r = 0.613), RPE differences for W/NW and EMS*W/NW were not significant. The current study results indicate that WB-EMS influences the parameters of exercise intensity. The impact on exercise intensity and the clinical relevance of WB-EMS-superimposed walking (WB-EMS-W) exercise is questionable because of the marginal differences in the outcome variables.

Acute Effects of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation on Energy Expenditure at Resting and during Uphill Walking in Healthy Young Men

“…On the other hand, Verch et al [38] aimed to determine the differences in VO 2 comparing Nordic walking and walking with and without WB-EMS. They continuously applied WB-EMS during 10 min with the following pattern: 9 s at 85 Hz and 1 s at 7 Hz, with a pulse width 350 µsec in every muscle stimulated at the individual tolerated maximum intensity [38]. Interestingly, they found a ≈ 10% increase in VO 2 elicited by WB-EMS [38].…”

“…Interestingly, Kemmler et al [32] applied high frequencies (i.e., 80-85 Hz) at the subject's maximum tolerance levels. Similarly, Verch et al [38] applied 85 Hz WB-EMS during 10 min of walking and Nordic walking finding an ≈10% increase in EE.…”

Profile of Whole Body Electromyostimulation Training Users—A Pilot Study

“…The descriptive statistics generated by the total of the sample (Table 1) revealed that the profile of the WB-EMS user is a middle-aged woman (35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49), with normal weight, active (59% do another type of physical activity apart from WB-EMS training) with university studies, who seeks one of the following three goals: weight loss, increasing muscle mass or improving health and wellness. On the other hand, we can also profile the male user, it is a little younger (33% vs. 27.6% between 18-34 years), also with university studies (85%) and more active than women's (76.2% vs. 59.8% p < 0.05 from pairwise z-test).…”

“…There are studies conducted with 1 weekly session [30][31][32], 1.5 (3 session in two weeks) [12,33] and 2 times a week sessions [34,35]. The positive effects demonstrated by WB-EMS range from rehabilitation and pain relief [26,36,37], change in body composition [21,[38][39][40], increase in muscle mass [41,42], strength [22,25,43] and endurance [44][45][46].…”

Running with whole-body electromyostimulation improves physiological determinants of endurance performance – a randomized control trial

“…Effects were observed after just one training session [ 11 , 12 ], ranging up to several weeks of training [ 6 , 10 , 14 ]. In contrast, only few studies have investigated the application of wbEMS to enhance endurance performance [ 6 , 14 , 15 ]. In a previous study with isolated EMS, Paillard and colleagues [ 4 ] found that EMS places a high demand on muscle metabolism and can increase energy consumption and carbohydrate oxidation more effectively than voluntary contraction.…”