Whole-body Electromyostimulation: A Training Technology to Improve Health and Performance in Humans?

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Editorial

26 May 2020

Editorial: Whole-Body Electromyostimulation: A Training Technology to Improve Health and Performance in Humans?

Wolfgang Kemmler

,

Heinz Kleinöder

and

Michael Fröhlich

6,898 views

30 citations

Editors

3

Wolfgang Kemmler

Institute of Radiology University Hospital Erlangen

Michael Fröhlich

Technical University of Kaiserslautern

Heinz Kleinöder

German Sport University Cologne

Impact

About

This Research Topic is part of the Whole-body Electromyostimulation: A Training Technology to Improve Health and Performance in Humans? series:
Whole-body Electromyostimulation: A Training Technology to Improve Health and Performance in Humans?, Volume II

Whole-Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) can be seen as an enhanced version of local EMS in that it enables all the main muscle groups to be addressed simultaneously with consistent intensity. Launched in Germany in 2009, this training technology may be one of the most promising alternative training methods for improving physical performance and health related outcomes. Apart from the ability to stimulate all of the major muscle groups at once, key features of WB-EMS include: time-efficiency, joint-friendliness and a high degree of individualization. These features make this training technology attractive for a large number of groups, ranging from top athletes to multi-morbid older people who are unable or unwilling to exercise conventionally.

Several studies have examined the effect of WB-EMS on fitness, health and performance related outcomes across a spectrum of sample groups. Scientific evidence has predominately been provided for parameters related to muscle mass, function, and athletic performance. However, an increasing number of studies are now covering more specific outcomes. These range from cardiac function over urinary incontinence and acute energy expenditure, to WB-EMS induced severe rhabdomyolysis. Recent research focusing on this rather novel training technology has been concentrated in various European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries. It may therefore be expected that the volume of scientific output will multiply following the implementation of WB-EMS in countries seen as traditionally strong in research. Thus, publishing results of WB-EMS studies in this Research Topic may attract research groups unaware of WB-EMS that are looking for optional exercise strategies for their cohorts.

In this Research Topic, we would like to include all kind of articles covering the effects of WB-EMS on performance and health-related outcomes in humans. Further, scientific work that addresses risks of WB-EMS, optimized WB-EMS protocols or training methods, and feasibility studies on WB-EMS will be included where appropriate.

Thus, the present Research Topic aims to provide an overview of the recent state of the art of WB-EMS application in humans. In detail, we would like to include, by way of example, the following topics:
• WB-EMS and athletic performance.
• WB-EMS effects on health-related risk factors and diseases in older people.
• WB-EMS effects on body composition and fitness in middle-aged non-athletic cohorts.
• Risk factors and limitations of WB-EMS.
• Processing optimized WB-EMS protocols for different research applications.

This is not an exhaustive list and we specifically welcome original research on dedicated outcomes and reviews or mini-reviews summarizing the effect of WB-EMS in different fields of application. Further, methods and case reports will also be considered.

This Research Topic is part of the Whole-body Electromyostimulation: A Training Technology to Improve Health and Performance in Humans? series:
Whole-body Electromyostimulation: A Training Technology to Improve Health and Performance in Humans?, Volume II

Whole-Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) can be seen as an enhanced version of local EMS in that it enables all the main muscle groups to be addressed simultaneously with consistent intensity. Launched in Germany in 2009, this training technology may be one of the most promising alternative training methods for improving physical performance and health related outcomes. Apart from the ability to stimulate all of the major muscle groups at once, key features of WB-EMS include: time-efficiency, joint-friendliness and a high degree of individualization. These features make this training technology attractive for a large number of groups, ranging from top athletes to multi-morbid older people who are unable or unwilling to exercise conventionally.

Several studies have examined the effect of WB-EMS on fitness, health and performance related outcomes across a spectrum of sample groups. Scientific evidence has predominately been provided for parameters related to muscle mass, function, and athletic performance. However, an increasing number of studies are now covering more specific outcomes. These range from cardiac function over urinary incontinence and acute energy expenditure, to WB-EMS induced severe rhabdomyolysis. Recent research focusing on this rather novel training technology has been concentrated in various European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries. It may therefore be expected that the volume of scientific output will multiply following the implementation of WB-EMS in countries seen as traditionally strong in research. Thus, publishing results of WB-EMS studies in this Research Topic may attract research groups unaware of WB-EMS that are looking for optional exercise strategies for their cohorts.

In this Research Topic, we would like to include all kind of articles covering the effects of WB-EMS on performance and health-related outcomes in humans. Further, scientific work that addresses risks of WB-EMS, optimized WB-EMS protocols or training methods, and feasibility studies on WB-EMS will be included where appropriate.

Thus, the present Research Topic aims to provide an overview of the recent state of the art of WB-EMS application in humans. In detail, we would like to include, by way of example, the following topics:
• WB-EMS and athletic performance.
• WB-EMS effects on health-related risk factors and diseases in older people.
• WB-EMS effects on body composition and fitness in middle-aged non-athletic cohorts.
• Risk factors and limitations of WB-EMS.
• Processing optimized WB-EMS protocols for different research applications.

This is not an exhaustive list and we specifically welcome original research on dedicated outcomes and reviews or mini-reviews summarizing the effect of WB-EMS in different fields of application. Further, methods and case reports will also be considered.

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Editors

Wolfgang Kemmler

Institute of Radiology University Hospital Erlangen

Michael Fröhlich

Technical University of Kaiserslautern

Heinz Kleinöder

German Sport University Cologne

Impact

114,746 Total views

80,607 Article views

29,185 Article downloads

4,954 Topic views

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Frontiers in Physiology

Exercise Physiology

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Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

Exercise Physiology

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