How does electrical muscle stimulation work?

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) consists of sending electrical pulses to the muscle, which allows it to work passively. Its operation is based on the square (ladder shaped) waveform.

Through the square wave pattern, the device acts directly on the muscle's motor neurons. This device has low frequency and this in conjunction with the square wave pattern allows direct work on muscle groupings.

The EMS device sends gentle impulses through the skin that stimulate the nerves located in the treated  area. When the muscle receives the signal, it contracts as if the signal came from the brain. As the signal strength increases, the muscle contracts more like during physical activity.

Finally, when the pulse stops, the muscle relaxes and the cycle repeats. Electrical muscle stimulation aims to trigger muscle contractions or vibrations.

Muscle activity is normally controlled by the central and peripheral nervous systems, which transmit electrical signals to the muscles.

EMS works similarly but uses an external source (the stimulator) with electrodes attached to the skin for transmitting electrical impulses into the body.

The impulses stimulate the nerves to send signals to a specifically targeted muscle, which reacts by contracting, just as it does with normal muscular activity.