SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2021
Efficacy of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) on Body Composition and Muscle Strength in Non-athletic Adults. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 35 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Whole-body Electromyostimulation for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis (EMSOAT) in Overweight People - a Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of Electrical Muscle Stimulation Applied Concurrently With Active Movement and Exercise Therapy in Cervical Radiculopathy: A Randomized Trial
Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Therapeutic Potential of Electromyostimulation (EMS) in Critically Ill Patients-A Systematic Review.Frontiers in physiology · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of short-term resistance training plus whole-body neuromuscular electrical stimulation on blood cardiometabolic biomarkers in sedentary middle-aged women: a parallel-group, randomized trial.BMC women's health · 2026Trial
- Effectiveness of whole-body electromyostimulation on knee pain and physical function in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2024Trial
- Assessing the Impact of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation-Based Fingerboard Training versus Conventional Fingerboard Training on Finger Flexor Endurance in Intermediate to Advanced Sports Climbers: A Randomized Controlled Study.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Trial
- Trial
- Effects of whole-body electromyostimulation training on upper limb muscles strength and body composition in moderately trained males: A randomized controlled study.Frontiers in public health · 2022Trial
- Once-Weekly Whole-Body Electromyostimulation Increases Strength, Stability and Body Composition in Amateur Golfers. A Randomized Controlled Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Trial
- Short-term WB-EMS in Cancer Patients: Positive Effects After 2 Weeks of Exercise-A Single-arm Trial.Integrative cancer therapiesTrial
- Effects of Aerobic Exercise Combined with Whole-Body Electromyostimulation on Muscular, Pulmonary, and Metabolic Health in Obese Middle-Aged Women in South Korea.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Effects of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation on the Thickness of Appendicular and Respiratory Muscles, Functionality, and Frailty in Patients From a Transitional Care Unit: A Randomized Clinical Trial Protocol.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026Article
- Article
- From mechanisms to management: a comprehensive review of sarcopenia in gastric cancer.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Effects of whole-body electromyostimulation as a time-efficient intervention on myokine profile and muscular performance in overweight adults: a randomized controlled study.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2026Article
- Article
- Ultrasonographic Measurement After Multilayer Stimulation for Body Fat Reduction and Muscle Strengthening: A Pilot Study.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Becoming a Rapid Shooter in a Game Using Embodied Electrical Muscle Stimulation: Development and Usability Study.JMIR serious games · 2025Article
- Electromyostimulation-Induced Rhabdomyolysis: A Case Report and Comprehensive Literature Review.Cureus · 2025Article
- Comparing the effects of 25-minute electrical muscle stimulation vs. 90-minute full-body resistance training on body composition and strength: A 20-week intervention.Journal of exercise science and fitness · 2025Article
- The effect of whole-body electromyostimulation on visceral adipose tissue volume in overweight-to-obese adults with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled study.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
- Safety and efficacy of belt-type electrical stimulation for preventing disuse syndrome in elderly hemodialysis patients: a pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis set out to determine the efficacy on whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) on body composition and strength parameters in non-athletic cohorts. A systematic review of the literature according to the PRISMA statement included (a) controlled trials, (b) WB-EMS trials with at least one exercise and one control group, (c) WB-EMS as primary physical intervention, (d) WB-EMS with at least six electrodes covering most muscle groups, (e) non-athletic cohorts. We searched eight electronic databases up to June 30, 2020, without language restrictions. Standardized mean differences (SMD) for muscle mass parameters, total body fat mass, maximum leg extension, and trunk extension strength were defined as outcome measures. In summary, 16 studies with 19 individual WB-EMS groups representing 897 participants were included. Studies vary considerably with respect to age, BMI, and physical conditions. Impulse protocols of the studies were roughly comparable, but training frequency (1-5 sessions/week) and intervention length (6-54 weeks) differed between the studies. SMD average was 1.23 (95%-CI: 0.71-1.76) for muscle mass, 0.98 (0.74-1.22) for maximum leg, and 1.08 (0.78-1.39) for maximum trunk extension strength changes (all
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.