EMS Devices and Sports Injury Rehabilitation

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), also known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) or electromyostimulation uses an electrical current to stimulate your muscles. The impulses are produced by a device and delivered through electrodes that are placed on the skin near the muscles that require stimulation. The impulses mimic the impulses generated by the brain to stimulate muscle tissue. The result of stimulation is the toning and strengthening of muscles.

How EMS Works

EMS devices have become quite popular in sports injury rehabilitation. When a person has a muscle injury, the electrical current produced by the EMS machine stimulates the muscles. This stimulation triggers repairing of the muscle tissue.

Electronic Muscle Stimulation Devices produce electrical signals that stimulate the nerves. The devices are normally connected to the patient through electrodes that are held in place with adhesive. By placing the pads on a certain set of muscles, and then sending the impulses via the EMS unit, the muscles will react by contracting and relaxing. The resulting contractions are much like the contractions that take place during regular exercise.

Depending on the area that requires treatment, a practitioner can switch the voltage for different pressure points on the muscle. The low voltage reduces pain and stimulates the muscle tissue. EMS devices help stimulate muscle tissue that may not be affected by regular exercise routines. They will stimulate damaged muscle tissues resulting in repairing, toning, and strengthening of the damaged tissue. Wherever the tissues are damaged, EMA devices will stimulate the fibers to various degrees and patterns. These patterns will create a different response from the contraction. Programs are designed to improve exhaustion resistance, endurance, and promote muscle healing. The purpose of using EMS on athletes is to shorten recovery time so they can return to the sport.

Benefits of using EMS Devices

When using EMS devices, the repair process is much quicker because nerve and muscle tissue are able to recover faster after an injury. The rehabilitation process is reduced so the athlete is able to return to the sport much sooner. The treatment is much less painful so the athlete is motivated to concentrate on the healing process. If treatment takes place right away, an athlete has a better chance of avoiding a long term injury. This will keep the athlete positive during the rehabilitation process. Because the devices are very light and battery-operated, they can be taken almost any place. As well, it is an effective tool for people who have a long term injury. If someone spends a great deal of time in bed, a condition known as muscle atrophy will take place. This condition occurs when the muscles begin to waste. Electrical muscle stimulation is an excellent and efficient way of maintaining muscle integrity and strength.

The electrical muscle stimulation device is normally used by a professional medical practitioner. They know exactly where to place the electrodes in order stimulate the correct muscle fiber. An untrained individual may use the device improperly which could add further trauma to the injury. As well, the FDA states that EMS devices should not be used on children and should be used in accordance with their intended use.

People who use the for purposes other than a sports injury do so for stress and relief from minor pain such as muscle and joint aches, to enhance their fitness program, strengthen muscles, and improve their appearance.

Most people who have received EMS treatment find the process helpful and relaxing. Electronic muscle stimulators are a great way to promote muscle healing, control pain, and tone and strengthen your muscles.

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If you need to get fitter but are being held back because of problems with your knees then take a look are the simple knee strengthening exercises below.

This first exercise is really good for those who suffer from conditions such as chondromalacia patella. This is an inflammation of the cartilage beneath the patella ‘knee cap’. This sometimes results because the bones and muscles on the knee are out of alignment.

Sit comfortably in a chair, you need to be relaxed. Bend your legs as you would normally sit on a chair with your feet on the ground and your legs bent at 90 degrees, tense your thigh and hold this position for 5 seconds the release, change legs are repeat. You need to do ten reps on each leg. I told you it was easy!
It is very important to remember to breath whilst doing these exercises.

The second exercise is a little more tricky but it does help build up the strength in your knee.
Sit in a chair again, then cross your bent legs at the ankle. Push your legs forward with the rear leg then push them back using the front leg. (At first this can seem a little tricky but it is really easy once you get used to it!).
Switch the position of your legs by changing the direction of the cross. If the right leg was in front, move it to the back. Repeat this exercise ten times for each position.

Calf Burns
Would you like to move onto to something a little more challenging?
For this next exercise avoid standing on a concrete or metal floor. If your balance is not to good you may be better to do the following exercise on a mat or carpet.
Making sure you are well balanced, stand up straight, toes a little apart, heels together.
Lift the heels, balancing on the balls of your feet. Imagine a string attached to the centre of your head pulling you up. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower slowly. Repeat 10 times. Over time, as you build strength and balance, increase the length of time you’re on the balls of the feet.
To change this exercise a little try bending your knees a little once you have raised your heels and are standing on the balls of your feet. This will also work your bottom as well as your hamstrings and quads. Again hold for 5 seconds then straighten your legs and lower your heels. Repeat for 10 reps.

If you can make sure you carry out these knee strengthening exercises a couple of days a week or better still daily, you will have strong, healthy knees in to time at all.

By: Lyndsay Whittaker

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Knee Strengthening Exercise

Many people end up having knee problems, especially as they get older. Why? Well, for many people, it is because they don’t have the muscular support that they.Knee Strengthening Exercises After Arthroscopic Surgery

How to Do Knee Strengthening Exercises After Arthroscopic Surgery at Home. After arthroscopic knee surgery, you have to re-strengthen your muscles around the knee. Knee Strengthening Exercises

The secret of knee protection revealed. Simple and easy to perform knee strengthening exercises. Knee Strengthening Exercises

Exercise your knees. Get strong and healthy knees for the rest of your life! 

Technorati Tags: exercises. exercizes, knee, knee rehabilitation, knee rehabilitation exercises, knee strengthening exercises, rehabillitation, strengthening, stretches

Arthroscopic knee surgery is becoming a more and more popular knee treatment method.  Here is information on using arthroscopy to regenerate knee cartilage.

Knee microfracture surgery or knee cartilage regeneration is a method used to repair damaged cartilage.  This method of orthopedic knee surgery can be used in some instances instead of necessitating a full or partial knee replacement surgery.   It can also be used to relieve the pain associated from knee cartilage injuries, knee arthritis in its early stage, lesions on the knee cap and degenerative chondral lesions of the knee.

Simply put, it is cartilage that helps to cushion the bones in the joints.

This type of knee surgery is minimally invasive with only one small incision being made to the affected knee.  this small incision, usually only a quarter of an inch long is made and an arthroscope is inserted into the knee joint.  This apparatus allows the surgeon to see inside the joint using a micro camera and to work directly on the problem.  It is another type of arthroscopic knee surgery. 

Using an awl, a tool a bit like an ice-pick, the orthopedic specialist drills a series of tiny holes or "microfractures" directly into the bone surrounding the problem cartilage.  These tiny fractures causes the body to make new cartilage to replace the defective cartilage by causing bone marrow to seep from the microfractures that creates a blood clot.  This blood clot releases cells that rebuild cartilage.

Once the procedure has been completed knee surgery recovery is relatively fast with most patients being able to participate in sports and other strenuous and intense pastimes in around four months.
 
Physical therapy of the knee commences immediately the surgery is completed, usually in the recovery room, where a continuous passive motion machine is used to gently flex and extend the leg.  This CPM machine is used for periods up to 8 hours per day for a few weeks after surgery.  It is sometimes used while the patient is sleeping.  This sort of knee therapy is thought to sped up the cartilage regeneration process.

 
For the first six to eight weeks the knee joint should not be subject to any load bearing and so crutches are needed to assist with mobility.

Like any surgery there are risks like excessive bleeding and infection.  With proper care these are minimal.
Using microfracture surgery causes new cartilage to develop.  However, this new cartilage is not as durable as the original cartilage and has been known to break down after a few years.   The patient can also be left with increased stiffness in the knee joint.

Combining of arthroscopic knee surgery and microfracture knee surgery is becoming a recognised method of rebuilding cartilage.

Kerry Northey

Panthers look to Allen’s return from microfracture knee surgery.

The 29-year-old played only two games last season before he had to go for microfracture surgery on a knee, which caused him to miss the rest of the 2008-09 campaign. 

Microfracture Knee Surgery

Cartilage damage can lead to chronic knee pain. Athletes with this problem can benefit by microfracture surgery.  

Micro Fracture Surgery Versus Stem Cells

A physician compares the results of micro fracture for a knee cartilage lesion to stem cell injection. … It’s a brilliant advance over arthroscopic debridement (surgeries where cartilage is simply “cleaned up” by cutting it out). I think that in the future we may see stem cells placed in the joint after micro fracture surgery to aid healing and we’ll also see many non-surgical, stem cell based, injection options like the Regenexx procedure. 

Gregg’s Micro Fracture Surgery

It marked Gregg’s first regular-season game back on the field after missing last season when he underwent microfracture knee surgery. "It’s good to be back," Gregg said. "I was down and out. 

Did Cofield Have Microfracture Knee Surgery?

In the wake of New York Giants defensive lineman Fred Robbins’ disclosure that he had microfracture knee surgery before later removing the information from his blog.

Robbins needed microfracture surgery

He had microfracture knee surgery, which is a much more serious procedure than the scope that Cofield had. Robbins revealed the nature of his surgery on his own website. 

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Knee Strengthening Exercises - If you have a bad knee then knee physical therapy is very important.  This article outlines knee rehabilitation exercises that can be used to strengthen and reduce pain in the knee.

Exercises for a Bad Knee

Knee pain can occur for various reasons. Read on for some basic exercises for a bad knee.

Physical exercises are very important and should be incorporated in our everyday life to have a healthy mind and a healthy body. One can choose from many fitness activities that will help to keep a body fit and active. Well, a person may suffer from a bad knee due to a variety of reasons. It can be because of an injury or it may happen even with age. Here, we can take a quick look at some basic exercises for a bad knee.

Exercises for a Bad Knee:
There are many exercises that help to strengthen muscles around the knee area. These exercises also help to strengthen muscles and ligaments even around the buttock. Take a look at some of the examples.

Lie on your back and bend your knees. Feet should be flat on the floor. Then, suck your belly button inside and clench your bottom. Now, you would need to lift the body off from the floor and point it towards the ceiling. Remain in the position for 2 seconds and then slowly lower yourself halfway towards the floor. Remember one thing whilst you do this step – keep the tummy and the bottom squeezed towards the inside. Now, repeat the process. Avoid lowering the body completely on the floor with the repetition of each step. Begin with small sets and increase them during the week.

A lunge is a very easy exercise for a bad knee. Put one leg forward and bend both knees. You must keep the body straight. After bending, come up slowly. Repeat the process by putting the other leg forward. This will stretch the thighs as well.

Here is another exercise for a bad knee. You first need to lie on the floor. Then, place a towel underneath the thighs. This will act as a support. Now, keep the leg straight and then raise the foot to a height of 6 inches. Hold the leg in this position for a few seconds. Then, lower the foot by bending the knee. Repeat at least 10 times. You need to try alternate sides for this exercise.

You can read more about knee strengthening exercises. Yoga exercises also prove to be very helpful in the long run. A basic exercise routine is thus so important for physical fitness.

Exercises for Knee Pain

Hey everybody, Knee&l fef t;/b> pain sucks. It makes you feel like you can’t exercise, when in reality, there’s so much you can do. Knee Pain Exercises – Knee.

Arthritis Knee Exercises

Knee arthritis exercises are very important if one is experiencing arthritis in the knee joints. 

Knee (ACL) Exercises

Passive knee extension: Do this exercise if you are unable to fully extend your knee. While lying on your back, place a rolled up towel underneath the heel of you injured leg so it is about 6 inches off the ground.

Knee Exercises

Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper’s Knee) Rehabilitation Exercises. You can do the hamstring stretch right away. When the pain in your knee has decreased, you can do the quadriceps stretch and start strengthening the thigh muscles

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