ELECTRICAL STIMULATION IN A REHABILITATION SETTING: A REVIEW

Abstract

In the realm of rehabilitation, electrical stimulation (ES) is an important therapeutic modality used to promote recovery outcomes for individuals with various physical limitations. One type of ES, known as electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), produces involuntary muscle contractions by delivering electrical input through non-invasive electrodes to the target motor neurons. These involuntary contractions provided through EMS are physiologically conducted in a similar manner to contractions produced volitionally and thus enable patients to experience comparable benefits despite underlying performance difficulties. Many diagnoses within the musculoskeletal, neurological, post-surgical, and critical illness subsets of rehabilitation can benefit from the attenuation in muscle atrophy and increase in muscle strength, muscle mass, and range of motion that occur following intervention. Standard protocols for EMS have not been established, but by monitoring muscle tension and the percentage of maximum voluntary contraction, EMS training intensity can be conveyed. Efficacy of EMS is achieved when maintaining maximum muscle tension, high training intensity, and the standard linear progression of parameters. With clear positive implications for rehabilitation, a standardized EMS protocol would promote the implementation of EMS as a beneficial therapeutic intervention.