Compex Performance - Manual (Page 260)

258
English
III HOW DOES ELECTROSTIMULATION
WORK?
T he principle of electrostimulation is to
stimulate nerve fibres by means of
electrical impulses transmitted by
electrodes.
T he electrical pulses generated by
Compex stimulators are high quality
pulses - offering safety, comfort and
efficiency - which can stimulate different
types of nerve fibres:
1 . the motor nerves, to stimulate a
muscular response. The quantity and the
benefits obtained depend on the
stimulation parameters and this is known
as electro-muscular stimulation (EMS).
2 . certain types of sensitive nerve fibres
to obtain analgesic or pain-relieving
effects.
1. Motor nerve stimulation
(EMS)
I n voluntary activity, the order for
muscular work comes from the brain,
which sends a command to the nerve
fibres in the form of an electrical signal.
This signal is then transmitted to the
muscular fibres, which contract.
T he principle of electrostimulation
accurately reproduces the process
observed during a voluntary contraction.
The stimulator sends an electrical current
impulse to the nerve fibres, exciting them.
T his excitation is then transmitted to the
muscular fibres causing a basic
mechanical response (= muscular twitch).
The latter constitutes the basic
requirement for muscular contraction.
This muscular response is completely
identical to muscular work controlled by
the brain. In other words, the muscle
cannot distinguish whether the command
comes from the brain or from the
stimulator.
T he parameters of the Compex
programmes (number of impulses per
second, contraction time, rest time, total
programme time) subject the muscles to
different types of work, according to
muscular fibres. In fact, different types of
muscular fibres may be distinguished
according to their respective contraction
speed: slow, intermediate and fast fibres.
Fast fibres will obviously predominate in
a sprinter, while a marathon runner will
have more slow fibres.
W ith a good knowledge of human
physiology and a perfect mastery of the
stimulation parameters of the various
programmes, muscular work can be
directed very precisely towards the desired
goal (muscular reinforcement, increased
blood flow, firming up, etc.).
2. Stimulation of the sensitive
nerves
T he electrical impulses can also excite the
sensitive nerve fibres to obtain an
analgesic or pain-relieving effect.
T he stimulation of the tactile sensitive
nerve fibres blocks the transmission of
pain by the nervous system. The
stimulation of another type of sensitive
fibres creates an increase in the
production of endorphins and, therefore,
a reduction of pain.
W ith pain relief programmes,
electrostimulation can be used to treat
localised sharp or chronic pains as well as
muscular pains.
Caution: Do not use the pain relief
programmes for a long period without
medical advice.
Electrical
pulse
Motor
nerve
Stimulated
muscle
Transmission
of the excitation
Excitation
Elementary mechanical response - twitch
PERFORMANCE FR DE IT ES EN:ENGY Man FR 14/02/08 15:11 Page 258