Going Deeper: Muscle Rehabilitation & the RS-4i® Plus
When talking about electrotherapy, pain relief is often the leading topic – and for good reason. Mitigating pain is essential for patients’ well-being. It can go a long way in helping them sleep better, reduce stress, have a more positive outlook and do more of what they love.
As one pain physician says regarding patients and the pain rating scale, “Taking someone who’s between a 5 and an 8, and dropping them down to a 3 or a 4, does them an immensely big favor.”
But for the RS-4i Plus, pain relief is just half of the equation. In addition to Interferential therapy (INF) that acts upon afferent (sensory) nerve fibers to relieve pain, the RS-4i Plus uses neuromuscular electrical stimulation, or NMES, which acts upon efferent (motor) nerve fibers to facilitate muscle rehabilitation.
Let’s dive a little deeper into the science behind the muscle stimulation of this device.
Understanding the NMES Waveform of the RS-4i Plus
This device’s NMES is a square, spiked, asymmetrical, biphasic waveform with a frequency of 71 Hz. It produces a stronger, wider electrical pulse that penetrates the dermal layer and targets the nerves within muscle tissue – the same nerves the brain uses to cause them to function.
The NMES mechanism of action is the contraction of skeletal muscle that acts as a pump – removing metabolic waste products from the tissues and supplying them with fresh, nutrient-rich blood. This process can help:
Re-educate muscle fibers
Relax muscle spasms
Prevent disuse atrophy
Improve range of motion
Increase local circulation
Stimulate calves for prevention of venous thrombosis
Pulse Width Control Activates More Muscle Fibers for Greater Benefit
Stimulating muscles with an NMES signal isn’t what makes the RS-4i Plus special. It’s how it stimulates them.
The device’s NMES waveform has two primary characteristics: Small, sharp points that represent short bursts of stimulation, as well as wider, square sections that indicate longer periods of stimulation. While the short, spiky waves activate highly sensitive fast-twitch muscle fibers, the wider, square sections are ideal for activating the harder-to-engage, slow-twitch fibers. By stimulating a larger number of muscle fibers, the RS-4i Plus can elicit a maximal muscle contraction – resulting in greater therapeutic benefit.
The ability to stimulate more of the slow-twitch “big movers,” like the gluteus muscles and quadriceps, is a distinct advantage for the RS-4i Plus and makes this device a top choice for many physicians helping patients rehabilitate.
Intersperse® – A Unique Advantage
Another key advantage of the RS-4i Plus is that this device brings INF and NMES together into one unparalleled treatment session – called Intersperse.
During this therapy, pain relief signals are delivered to the patient during the relax period of a muscle stimulation session. In this way, the patient gets intermittent contraction, then pain relief, then contraction throughout the duration of a single session. Which results in shorter treatments that patients find both more comfortable and more impactful.
Intersperse also cuts total therapy time down by nearly 25 percent, delivering treatment in 35 minutes vs 45 minutes. This not only helps improve outcomes, but it also leads to increased patient compliance.
No other device can provide the best of both worlds like the RS-4i Plus – the patented combination of prescription-grade pain therapy and advanced muscle rehabilitation with an interface that’s still simple for a patient to use independently at home.
Take the Next Step
If you’re a healthcare provider interested in discovering how the RS-4i Plus may work for your patients, complete the form below and check the box to receive a virtual product demo. Then judge for yourself how the powerful combination of premodulated Interferential therapy and NMES for muscle rehabilitation can work for your patients.
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This blog provides general information and discussion about medicine, health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician or other healthcare professional.