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etting a toned and sculpted body used to only come as a result of hard work in the gym and following a strict diet, but now there exists technology which can improve your body shape after only a few short sessions in an aesthetic clinic. Endorsed by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Drew Barrymore, are muscle-stimulating treatments really worth the hype?
How do they work? Muscle-stimulating technologies are devices that promise to increase muscle mass and sometimes reduce fat. While some forms of this technology have previously been used at-home in conjunction with strength-training workouts attached to your body while you exercise, all you need to do now is lie on a treatment bed for 30-60 minutes and let the machine do the work. Devices can also be used to help weak muscles, reduce swelling, relieve pain and help heal wounds, often being used in physiotherapy. Current devices on the market commonly use electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and high intensity focused electromagnetic field (HIFEM). An EMS treatment uses electric impulses to contract the muscle, causing muscle fibres to undergo microscopic tears, much like a typical strengthening workout. The body will attempt to repair this damage, leading to increased muscle size and strength. A HIFEM treatment works in a similar way but uses a magnetic field to produce an electric current in the muscle.
MUSCLE STIMULATION: WHAT'S THE HYPE? 20
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Devices can cause up to tens of thousands of contractions in around an hour – try doing that at home! Because the procedure puts your body under conditions that could not be achieved through normal ab workouts, squats or exercises, results are achieved faster. Muscle-stimulating devices can be used on areas such as your abdominals, buttocks, arms, and legs.
What are the results? Muscle mass has been shown to increase anywhere between 16-30%. Research has shown that as well as muscle improvement, some devices can also reduce fat by up to 19% as a result of these treatments. There is little-to-no downtime following the procedure meaning you can walk straight
