Every year, millions of people research and purchase weight loss devices to get closer to the body they want. One of the most popular products on the market that claim to strengthen and tone the abdomen is the abdominal stimulator, which is an electrical muscle stimulator.
Abdominal stimulators, a type of electronic muscle stimulator, are devices that can make abdominal muscles look firmer and more toned by stimulating them electronically. However, there is no science to support that they can help you lose weight or get “rock hard” abs without diet and exercise.
What are they?
Electronic muscle stimulators work by sending electrical signals to contract the muscles. They are normally used for physical therapy or rehabilitation.
Physical therapists have used this type of device since the 1960s to improve and maintain muscle strength after surgery. In the former Soviet Union, elite athletes saw strength improvements of 30% to 40%, suggesting that this form of stimulation may be more effective than exercise alone.
Doctors may recommend them to help people regain muscle strength after a stroke, major surgery, or serious injury. Doctors may also prescribe medical muscle stimulators to prevent muscle atrophy and relax muscle spasms.
What are they for?
Abdominal stimulators are electronic muscle stimulators that focus on the abdomen. Not many are approved, but BMR neuroTech Inc.’s is approved for toning, firming, and strengthening abdominal muscles. However, what are its other functions?
Activate the muscles
The benefits of using an abdominal stimulator are a result of the electrical currents passing through the body, which is why they are also known as electrical muscle stimulation devices.
An abdominal stimulator belt contains small electrodes that send electrical pulses through the skin when we hold the device around the abdomen.
Tone existing muscles
Abdominal stimulators can help tone your midsection muscles by helping to contract the muscles and activate blood flow with vibration. However, there is a misconception that they will burn fat or be a primary tool for weight loss, and this is not the case.
A routine that doesn’t have significant nutritional and fitness goals, aside from the use of an ab stimulator, won’t help us achieve chiseled abs.
Physiotherapy help
Most of the EMS devices they review are intended for use in physical therapy and rehabilitation settings, not to aid in fat loss.
Although a Google search can turn up countless consumer reviews and anecdotal stories about inches lost with an abdominal stimulator, no electrostimulation device is currently approved for weight loss, girth reduction, or chiseling a six pack.
relieves cramps
Spontaneous cramps can be very painful. Ab cramps in particular were the focus of one study, involving 19 people who experienced cramps at least once a week.
Over the course of six weeks, they regularly used electrical muscle stimulation on their abs, with fascinating results. The number of cramps experienced was 78% less than before treatment, and the severity of the cramps was also significantly reduced.
Improve range of motion
Research looking at stroke patients found that stimulators were effective in improving range of motion. Clinical trials focusing on muscle spasticity after stroke were reviewed.
Muscle electrostimulation was applied to various areas of the body, with overwhelmingly positive results. The findings led practitioners to recommend the therapy as part of the plan of care offered after stroke.
Do they really work?
Determining whether or not abdominal belts work depends on your overall goals for using the product. If what we are looking for is continuous muscle activation and stimulation during the day, it is very likely that we will be satisfied with the results.
If we hope to drop a few inches from the abdomen, we may feel a little disappointed. What we won’t get from the ab stimulator alone are the holistic benefits of doing sit-ups the old-fashioned way. When we exercise, even though we’re doing sit-ups on the floor to work our abs, the whole body is cooperating in the workout. That’s why we sweat and burn more calories with regular exercise.
Additionally, there is no significant body of research validating the marketing claims of these products. Beyond what we know about muscle stimuli, contractions, and the ability of this equipment to engage individual sections of muscle, there isn’t a lot of evidence to substantiate claims of lean body mass and rock-hard abs.
Abdominal stimulators cannot burn fat . To burn fat, a person must create a calorie deficit, using more calories through exercise and movement than they eat each day. Even when abdominal stimulators slightly strengthen the muscles, therefore, a person will not notice a difference in their appearance if they are not burning fat.
Contraindications
As with any product or device that makes health claims, there are always risks associated with consumer use. In general, users report burns, bruises, skin irritation and pain .
Although the exact electrical muscle stimulator device is not named, it is a good warning to consider if you want to buy an abdominal stimulator. Some online studies claim that the product can interfere with the functions of devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators .
In addition, they caution that while it may be an attractive idea to use these devices to help maintain weight or results, people who have had procedures such as cesarean delivery, liposuction, or a tummy tuck should consult with a doctor or surgeon to ensure that the device it would not cause damage to the incision site.
