Mixed
Overlaying whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) on standard resistance and aerobic training significantly improves cardiovascular endurance, agility, and dynamic leg strength in postmenopausal women compared to training alone.
If you are a postmenopausal woman looking to boost heart health and leg power, adding WB-EMS to your existing workout routine (weights + cardio) yields better results than just doing the workout alone. However, do not expect it to fix your balance, flexibility, or arm strength. You must still perform the exercises actively; the electricity enhances the muscle contraction but does not replace the movement.
The WB-EMS group scored better agility than the control group at the end of the intervention (pBonferroni < 0.05) and was the only group that improved cardiovascular endurance. WB-EMS shows a favorable isolate effect on the development of dynamic leg strength, agility, and cardiovascular endurance but did not in dynamic arm strength, gait speed, balance, or flexibility of postmenopausal women.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with a small sample size (n=34) but rigorous statistical analysis (ANCOVA, Bonferroni correction).
Source
Effects of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation on Physical Fitness in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Álvaro Pano-Rodríguez et al. · Sensors · 2020
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