Thanks for the contribution and correction on plasticity DanPartelly.
However, I wanted to point out that there is already research showing that EMS (also known as NMES, indirect* stimulation) is not just a candidate for plasticity, but a reality.
You seem to imply that indirect* stimulation has not yet shown plasticity. Please see the following studies:[ul]
[li]Neuromuscular Adaptations to Electrostimulation Resistance Training; Maffiuletti et al.; American Journal of Physical
[/li]Medicine & Rehabilitation, Feb.2006, 167-175.
[li]Functional and biochemical properties of chronically
[/li]stimulated human skeletal muscle; Nuhr et al.;Eur J Appl Physiol (2003) 89: 202–208
[/ul]
NOTE *:
For those unfamiliar with the distinction between direct and indirect stimulation.[ul]
[li]Indirect Stimulation is what most readers of this thread are familiar with: pads attached to the skin to contract the muscle; the stimulation is indirect because it stimulates the nerves (i.e. motor neurons), which in turn stimulate the muscle fibers.
[/li][li]Direct Stimulation: electrodes going directly to the muscle fibers, which is typically done in a lab, or through implants.[/ul]
[/li]Giovanni Ciriani