Low back pain and EMS Fitness
Are you experiencing low back pain?
You’re not alone. But don’t worry, Bodybuzz has your back!
We’re going to explore the benefits of EMS fitness with regard to aches and pains, notably lower back pain.
Disclaimer: Our trainers are not physical therapists; our service is not intended to treat pain or be a replacement for physical therapy or other forms of medical treatment. You should consult with your doctor if you are experiencing any type of pain.
Lower back pain is prevalent in 70% of the population over the course of a lifetime. Anecdotally, I don’t think I’ve met anyone who hasn’t experienced lower back pain at some point, including myself. I may be biased since I’ve mostly worked with people with chronic conditions and injuries, but I’m also including friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances.
There are as many causes for lower back pain as there are diagnoses. It could be a disc herniation, muscle spasm, inflammation, or kidney problems, among many other reasons. Treatments for lower back pain are also going to be numerous and vary with respective results.
Cool Conrad, so can EMS fitness help?
Yes, it can!
As we said in a previous blog entry, EMS fitness can mimic some of the actions of a TENS unit, alleviating aches and pains at least in the short term, and sometimes long term depending on the issue.
In our cooldowns, we use low frequency, low pulse width stimulation that has a muscle relaxing effect, along with flushing out lactic acid and increasing blood flow. We are also able to use a high frequency, high pulse width, but with a short duration, which helps calm down the nervous system.
These protocols can both help reduce pain. Just this morning, my client said she was experiencing sciatica pain over the weekend that was completely gone after our session. It’s a common story we hear from our clients.
Instead of retelling similar stories, I’d rather share a research study about EMS workout and non-specific lower back pain.
In this study, twenty-eight patients with non-specific lower back pain ages 40 to 70 were assigned to either a control group or an EMS fitness group. The 14 participants in the control group maintained their lifestyle, while the other 14 in the EMS group trained once a week (1x20min/week) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measured was a pain diary before and after the intervention. The secondary outcome was core strength by measuring maximum trunk flexion and extension before and after the 12 weeks.
The EMS group reported significant decreases in lower back pain while pain remained unaffected in the control group. Trunk extension strength increased by 14% to 18% in the EMS group, while remaining the same in the control group. Trunk flexion strength increased by 15% to 17% in the EMS group while no changes were observed in the control group.
According to this study, training with EMS just once per week decreased non-specific lower back pain, while increasing core strength by about 16% on average in people aged 40 to 70 years old.
I want to point out a few things that stood out for me from this study.
- They used a standard muscle development protocol which explains the increase in strength and still yielded a decrease in reported pain levels despite not using any of the pain management settings.
- It’s not very surprising that the EMS fitness group had better results across the board than the control group. We’ve known for a long time that in most cases doing something is better than doing nothing. It would have been much more interesting to have a third group doing conventional training, or even physical therapy exercises, to have another point of comparison.
- More research is needed to fill in the gaps, but this study shows there are clear benefits to using EMS fitness with non-specific lower back pain in men and women ages 40 to 70.
If you’re experiencing lower back pain and are curious to see if EMS fitness is right for you, feel free to book a 30-minute call with me here: https://calendly.com/conradfitness/30min
Until next time, stay healthy!
Conrad
Director of Education and Technology
conrad@bodybuzzfit.com
Bodybuzz
Bodybuzz combines Certified Personal Training with Electrical Muscle Stimulation, giving your body a deeper, safer, and more effective workout. 20 minutes twice a week is all it takes!
Our personal trainers will guide you through a custom EMS workout designed specifically for you. Whether you’re looking to build strength, lose weight, get toned, or recover from an injury or illness, we offer a safe, low-impact solution to help get you there.
EMS has now been FDA-cleared for use in the US and we are proud to be one of the first companies to introduce this technology. It is a full-body workout that uses a special muscle stimulating suit that sends low-level impulses to your major muscle groups to trigger muscle contractions. It’s a unique sensation that is painless and invigorating. EMS workouts are designed to achieve optimal conditioning, burn fat, develop strength, build muscle, tighten skin, combat cellulite, jump-start your metabolism and restore your body’s natural balance.