From the Guidelines
No, High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) muscle hypertrophy exercise should not be performed every 2-3 days for an extended period. The recommended protocol for HIFEM treatments is typically a series of sessions spaced appropriately apart to allow for adequate recovery time. Using HIFEM technology too frequently can potentially lead to muscle fatigue, diminishing returns, and possible adverse effects. HIFEM works by inducing supramaximal contractions that cannot be achieved through voluntary exercise, causing significant muscle contractions in a short session. This intense stimulation requires adequate recovery time for muscle repair and growth. The body needs sufficient rest between treatments to adapt to the stress and build new muscle tissue. Although a study on exercise training in patients with COPD recommends a frequency of 2–3 days/week for strength training 1, this guideline is not directly applicable to HIFEM technology, which induces a unique type of muscle stimulation. Key considerations for HIFEM use include:
- Allowing adequate recovery time between sessions
- Combining HIFEM with traditional strength training and proper nutrition for sustainable results
- Avoiding excessive use that can lead to muscle fatigue and potential adverse effects. In the context of real-life clinical medicine, prioritizing morbidity, mortality, and quality of life outcomes suggests exercising caution with the frequency of HIFEM treatments, especially when long-term safety data for frequent use is lacking.
From the Research
Safety of High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) Muscle Hypertrophy Exercise
- The safety of performing HIFEM muscle hypertrophy exercise every 2-3 days for an extended period is not directly addressed in the provided studies.
- However, a study on aesthetic muscle stimulation using high-intensity electromagnetic field (HIFEM) found that it can be an effective therapeutic intervention for abdominal contouring, yielding increased muscle thickness and reduced abdominal fat thickness, for up to 1 year after treatment 2.
- Another study on the effects of physical activity and inactivity on muscle fatigue found that high-intensity training results in increases of both glycolytic and oxidative enzymes, muscle capillarization, improved phosphocreatine resynthesis, and regulation of K(+), H(+), and lactate ions 3.
- A study on the potential mechanisms of fatigue-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy with low-load resistance exercise training suggests that muscle fatigue may act as an indirect or direct mechanism contributing to skeletal muscle hypertrophy during low-load resistance exercise training 4.
- There is no direct evidence to suggest that HIFEM muscle hypertrophy exercise cannot be performed safely every 2-3 days for an extended period, but it is essential to consider individual factors, such as muscle fatigue, recovery time, and overall health, when determining the frequency and intensity of exercise 3, 4, 2.
Muscle Fatigue and Recovery
- A study on non-local muscle fatigue effects on muscle strength, power, and endurance in healthy individuals found that the fatigue of a muscle or muscle group can produce global responses to various systems, including cardiovascular, endocrine, and others 5.
- The same study found that there may be an effect of non-local muscle fatigue specifically upon endurance-based outcomes, but more research is needed to explore this area 5.
- Another study on the effects of light-emitting diode therapy on muscle hypertrophy, gene expression, performance, damage, and delayed-onset muscle soreness found that light-emitting diode therapy can reduce muscle damage, pain, and atrophy, as well as increase muscle mass, recovery, and athletic performance 6.
Considerations for HIFEM Exercise
- When considering HIFEM muscle hypertrophy exercise, it is crucial to take into account individual factors, such as muscle fatigue, recovery time, and overall health 3, 4, 2.
- More research is needed to determine the long-term effects and safety of HIFEM muscle hypertrophy exercise, particularly in regards to its frequency and intensity 2.