Electronic muscle stimulators called “ab stimulators” can make your abdominal muscles look tighter and more toned by electrically stimulating them.
Without diet and exercise, though, they won’t assist you in losing weight or achieving “rock hard” abs. Additionally, there are potential hazards associated with ab stimulators, particularly unapproved ones by the FDA.
Electronic Muscle Stimulators: What Are They?
Your muscles contract by receiving electrical signals from electronic muscle stimulators. They’re frequently employed in physical therapy or rehabilitation.
Since the 1960s, physical therapists have employed this kind of exercise to enhance and sustain muscle strength following surgery. Elite athletes in the former Soviet Union experienced strength gains of 30% to 40%, indicating that this type of stimulus may be more beneficial than exercise alone.
To aid patients in regaining their muscle power following:
- The stroke
- major operation
- serious harm
To stop muscular atrophy and calm muscle spasms, doctors may also administer medicinal muscle stimulators.
Ab Stimulators: What Are They?
Electronic muscle stimulators called “ab stimulators” target your core.
The Slendertone Flex, marketed by BMR neuroTech Inc., is the only over-the-counter ab stimulator that has received FDA approval. It is recommended for sculpting, firming, and enlarging the abdominal muscles.
Advantages of Ab Stimulators
Electrical stimulation training has been demonstrated to increase both muscle strength and endurance. One small study found that ab stimulator users also had slight reductions in waist size even when their weight remained the same.
24 adults were split into two groups for the 2005 study. For eight weeks, one group utilised ab stimulators five days a week, whereas the other did not. Neither group performed any ab workouts.
Abdominal strength increased by 58% and posture was better in those who used ab stimulators. Additionally, they saw a 100% increase in abdominal endurance and lost an average of 3.5 cm (1 13 inches) off their waistlines. All of the users using ab stimulators reported better posture and tighter, more toned abdominal muscles.
This study was small, thus it cannot be considered conclusive. The abdominal muscles of trained athletes did not dramatically change as a result of electronic muscle stimulation, according to a more recent study that was likewise tiny.
No proof using an ab stimulator would result in a significant change in your appearance unless you eat healthily and exercise frequently.
Using Ab Stimulators Can Be Risky
There are several hazards associated with using ab stimulators, especially if you use one that hasn’t received FDA approval.
Unlicensed ab-stimulants Numerous non-FDA-approved ab stimulators are available for purchase online. They might or might not be secure. They might have been produced, designed, or labelled incorrectly.
Ab stimulators that aren’t controlled run the risk of:
- Burns
- Bruises
- Skin sensitivity
- electric jolt
- issues when used in conjunction with other medical equipment, such as pacemakers.
Regulated abdominal stimulants. Even if you use a stimulant that has been licenced, there are hazards. They include the disruption of pacemakers and other implanted medical equipment, such as defibrillators.
More About It
The rectus abdominis, or “six-pack” muscles as they are most often known, is a pair of lengthy, identical muscles. These muscles serve as a sort of link between your crotch and your ribs, sitting very next to each other.
This is why sitting up is effective. You shorten or contract this muscle during a sit-up or crunch, which causes your ribs to go toward your crotch and causes your body to curl upward until you are sitting up.
We have two (or sometimes three) bands of connective tissue that run horizontally across those two muscles, which is why we refer to it as a 6 pack (or maybe an 8 pack depending on your genetics). These larger ab muscles bump up against this connective tissue. Therefore, you must check what are ab stimulators safe to use?
