Compex - European Chest Stimulation

by **trs246810** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 5:45 pm

I'm not asking for permission, or advice as to whether or not I should. I would just like to know if there are plenty of people who successfully use Compex units on their chest with no repercussions in Europe? Are the noway stay away from your chest people here just working off of urban legends?...simply refering to the very obvious dangers for people with pacemakers?...or are they unknowingly lumping Compex in with true disaster stories that involve much more powerful EMS chest stimulation? Does the current even penetrate deeply enough to have any impact on the heart? I'm guessing the heart would have a slow twitch if it was truly under current? I would greatly appreciate any clarity regarding Compex and chest excercises. If it needs to be directed to Europeans for whatever reason...I'm fine with that. I just want to know if the taboo is with or without reason? Thanks, Justin

by **levi-hoch** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:22 am

Hi Justin,

You are correct that people with a pacemaker should never use EMS anywhere near their chest area but this is the only contraindication I am aware of regarding use on the chest. The current does not penetrate beyond the skeletal muscles as it relies on the muscle to complete a circuit between the pads.

I think the only reason it's advocated in our European pad placement guides but not the US pad placement guides is because the devices we sell are FDA approved and the FDA doesn't approve the use of EMS on the chest because of the risk to people with pacemakers.

It sounds like you're aware of it but we do have a pad placement diagram that shows the chest positions http://www.hammernutrition.com/downloads/European_Pad_Placements.pdf

Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns.

Regards,
Levi