TENS EMF Ultrasound - lifter input wanted

canadianlbs

just to be clear: this isn't about pain relief or 'gains'. i'm not injured (so far) and really like the actual lifting itself, so i'm not looking for shortcuts. but i'm curious to know if other lifters have ever used any of these technologies as adjuncts to the usual mobility/rom work like stretching and 'traditional' forms of massage.

i already have [heh] about a zillion balls of various sizes lying around, and a couple of different rollers as well. i stretch too and all of this works, up to a point. but i just don't have the time to stay on top of all of the specific tight spots and knots that can affect my form. so lately i've been wondering about these 'personal' versions of the kind of thing my physio or chiropractor might use if i took any of these little range-of-motion issues to them.

any thoughts or experiences? ideas, warnings, horrible examples of what not to do/buy/expect?

in case anyone is wondering about the context: i'm a woman, 51, with rheumatoid arthritis that is currently latent (touch wood). really really like lifting and just started my third year. began with stronglifts 5x5, did 3x5 for a while and am now about 5 cycles in on a wendler track; have been working with a good personal trainer who has a nice old-schoolish barbell/powerlifting focus, for almost a year. i'm not especially strong in absolute terms, but i'm no kind of weak either. definitely feel like i could get a lot stronger than this, so it's frustrating to be held back all the time because muscle x or y is limiting my use of good form.

thanks in advance.

ninerbuff

It works. But with RA, your quest for strength building will be more difficult versus the average person of the same age. Just keep plugging away.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

canadianlbs

ninerbuff wrote: »

It works. But with RA, your quest for strength building will be more difficult versus the average person of the same age.

interesting if true . . . but i think that's prolly a subject in its own right. it's not the primary thing that i'm focused on though; afaik it's been dormant for a few years.

thanks for the feedback. is that from your personal experience, or from observing clients?

ninerbuff

canadianlbs wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

It works. But with RA, your quest for strength building will be more difficult versus the average person of the same age.

interesting if true . . . but i think that's prolly a subject in its own right. it's not the primary thing that i'm focused on though; afaik it's been dormant for a few years.

thanks for the feedback. is that from your personal experience, or from observing clients?

I've worked in rehab at a Wellness Center and RA is common with many of the clients I had there when I still worked there.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

canadianlbs

was that for anything that could be relevant to compound lifting, though? i don't mean to be offensive, but i find that once i bring up r.a. i can't always be sure that me and the person i'm talking to are reading from the same book, especially when they do have concrete experience of what the condition can do. it's a sucky diagnosis to have, but i don't think it's much of a factor in what i'm doing right now. for one thing, i'd never make it into the gym. when it flares up, i'm usually only good for about half an hour before i need another four or five hours of sleep. it's a good day if i get into my shoes and make it as far as the door.

so i think i'm just dealing with the kind of thing most lifters seem to experience, at least right now. i'm not in pain of any kind, i just have some spots that are tight. i don't think i've ever heard of a lifter who wasn't working away at something or other of the same kind, so i was hoping to hear from them too.

shor0814

I have a personal TENS+EMS device and it helps me recover from those days where maybe I overdid it or just have a nagging soreness or tight spot that I can't seem to get rid of. I like how they make me feel.

I find it nice to put them on at work while sitting as opposed to waiting until I can foam roll. Nice to use just about anywhere.

The brand I have has some interesting wraps and sleeves for hands, elbows, knees, feet, and back as opposed to trying to get pads positioned just right.

phrunch

I have a handful of chronic illnesses (and have been flirting with chronic joint inflammation for a while) as well as working out and a history of heavy lifting.

I dig the TENS machine. I've used it for chronic muscle tightness and found some relief with it as long as I use it in the right place. I'm sure you have a pretty good body awareness, but you have to make sure that the soreness you're feeling isn't from a tightness at a different place in the body (ie - lower back tightness stemming from a real problem at the glute).

And this is going to sound like some nonsense, but you might want to try taking some apple cider vinegar each day. It's helped me a lot with nagging soreness and also lingering inflammation. Worst case scenario, it doesn't work for you and you move on with your life.

cgvet37

I have a TENS unit that I was given for PT. I have used it on my shoulders, as they always seem tight after a shoulder workout. I personally did not feel a difference from using it. Stretching and ice has worked the best for me personally.

canadianlbs

phrunch wrote: »

And this is going to sound like some nonsense, but you might want to try taking some apple cider vinegar each day. It's helped me a lot with nagging soreness and also lingering inflammation. Worst case scenario, it doesn't work for you and you move on with your life.

lol. one of my favourite people in the world was an acv convert. he said he took it for a couple of weeks just out of curiosity, and then one day he woke up and 'even my hair felt spectacular'. he talked me into it too for a while, but i kind of forgot about it when i lost touch with him. moved on to fish oil, yanno

creatine monohydrate has been my Incredible Thing. dk if you've ever tried it but i swear by it for keeping my muscles hydrated and not sticking to one another.

thanks for all the responses, everyone. i think i'm still at that stage in the retail experience where i'm enjoying my own ambivalence, but it's still good to have the input filed away for if/when i ever do make up my mind.