Feasibility and Safety of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) in Frail Older People: A Pilot Study

Exercise in general and resistance training (RT) in particular have demonstrated positive effects on physical functioning and frailty. However, frail older people with functional impairments are among the least physically active and may have problems reaching high intensity levels. The use of special vests with integrated electrodes allows the simultaneous innervation of all large muscle groups by external electrical stimulation, inducing a high-intensity RT at low subjective effort level. This whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) may be a feasible option inducing training stimuli for functionally impaired frail older people. This study aims at investigating the feasibility and safety of WB-EMS in frail older people with functional limitations. To explore the effects of age and functional status, young and robust old reference groups will serve as comparators.