Neurodegenerative diseases and sarcopenia become more prevalent as individuals age and, therefore, represent a serious issue for the healthcare system. Several studies have reported the relationship between physical activity and reduced incidence of dementia or cognitive deterioration. Thus, exercise and strength training are most recommended treatments, but it is proving difficult to engage individuals to initiate exercise and strength training. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) may provide an alternative and more efficient solution. Although EMS has undergone a decline in use, mainly because of stimulation discomfort, new technologies allow painless application of strong contractions. Such activation can be applied in higher exercise dosages and more efficiently than people are likely to achieve with exercise. Unlike orderly recruitment of motor units (MUs) during low intensity voluntary exercise, EMS activates large fast-twitch MUs with glycolytic fibers preferentially and this could have benefit for prevention and treatment of diabetes and chronic diseases associated with muscle atrophy that ultimately lead to bed-ridden conditions. Recent evidence highlights the potential for EMS to make a major impact on these and other lifestyle related diseases and its role as a useful modality for orthopedic and cardiac rehabilitation. This paper will discuss the potential for EMS to break new ground in effective interventions in these frontiers of medical science.

随着个人年龄的增长，神经退行性疾病和肌肉减少症变得更加普遍，因此对医疗保健系统来说是一个严重的问题。几项研究报告了身体活动与痴呆症或认知能力下降的发病率降低之间的关系。因此，运动和力量训练是最推荐的治疗方法，但事实证明很难让个人参与开始运动和力量训练。肌肉电刺激 (EMS) 可以提供替代且更有效的解决方案。尽管 EMS 的使用量有所下降，主要是因为刺激不适，但新技术允许无痛应用强烈收缩。这种激活可以应用于更高的运动剂量，并且比人们可能通过运动达到的效果更有效。与低强度随意运动期间运动单位 (MU) 的有序募集不同，EMS 优先激活具有糖酵解纤维的大快肌 MU，这可能有助于预防和治疗糖尿病和与肌肉萎缩相关的慢性疾病，最终导致卧床。骑行条件。最近的证据强调了 EMS 对这些和其他与生活方式相关的疾病产生重大影响的潜力及其作为骨科和心脏康复的有用方式的作用。本文将讨论 EMS 在这些医学科学前沿领域的有效干预方面开辟新天地的潜力。EMS 优先激活具有糖酵解纤维的大快肌 MU，这可能有益于预防和治疗糖尿病和与肌肉萎缩相关的慢性疾病，这些疾病最终导致卧床不起。最近的证据强调了 EMS 对这些和其他与生活方式相关的疾病产生重大影响的潜力及其作为骨科和心脏康复的有用方式的作用。本文将讨论 EMS 在这些医学科学前沿领域的有效干预方面开辟新天地的潜力。EMS 优先激活具有糖酵解纤维的大快肌 MU，这可能有益于预防和治疗糖尿病和与肌肉萎缩相关的慢性疾病，这些疾病最终导致卧床不起。最近的证据强调了 EMS 对这些和其他与生活方式相关的疾病产生重大影响的潜力及其作为骨科和心脏康复的有用方式的作用。本文将讨论 EMS 在这些医学科学前沿领域的有效干预方面开辟新天地的潜力。