Muscle electrical stimulation is a treatment in which electrical impulses delivered through electrodes on the skin make a muscle contract. It is used for muscle weakness and wasting after immobilisation, surgery or injury, and for peripheral nerve damage. The treatment is clearly noticeable but should not hurt. Contraindications include a pacemaker. In Rydułtowy it costs 15 PLN.
Below we explain who electrical stimulation can help, what the treatment involves and what you feel, what research says, who should not have it and when muscle weakness needs a visit to a doctor first.
In brief
- Electrical stimulation uses current to cause a muscle contraction; it is an addition to exercise, not a replacement for it.
- It is best researched for weakness of the quadriceps after knee surgery.
- It is not used, among others, in people with a pacemaker, over a cancerous lesion or on the front of the neck.
- The treatment costs 15 PLN; a physiotherapy consultation 180 PLN.
- The clinic is open Mon–Fri 7:00–20:00, private visits only (not covered by NFZ, the Polish public health fund), no referral needed.
Contents
When is muscle electrical stimulation used?
Electrical stimulation is used when a muscle is not working as it should: after several weeks in a cast or brace, after knee or hip surgery, after an injury, and also with peripheral nerve damage, e.g. to the peroneal or radial nerve. The current then helps to trigger a contraction that the patient cannot yet make on their own, and keeps the muscle working.
A typical situation is the quadriceps, which quickly loses strength after a knee injury or procedure and “will not tighten”. With nerve damage, when the muscle is partly or fully denervated, the physiotherapist chooses a different type of impulse than for a healthy muscle. Electrical stimulation is one of several types of therapeutic current – we compare them in our post electrotherapy – types of current.
What does an electrical stimulation treatment involve?
The treatment is preceded by a short medical history and a check for contraindications. The physiotherapist sticks two or more electrodes over the muscle, usually where it is easiest to trigger a contraction, and gradually increases the intensity. The impulses come in series: a contraction lasts a few seconds, followed by a break. It works best when the patient tries to tighten the muscle themselves during the impulse.
The patient sits or lies down, and the area being treated must be uncovered. The skin should be clean, without cream or lotion. The intensity is set so that the contraction is clear but tolerable. The physiotherapist decides on the number of treatments and their parameters individually, and assesses progress at subsequent visits by checking muscle strength and control.
What do you feel during electrical stimulation?
At first there is tingling under the electrodes, and when the intensity is increased, a clear, rhythmic muscle contraction, sometimes with movement of the joint, e.g. the knee straightening. The sensation is unusual but should not be painful. Burning or stinging under an electrode must be reported straight away – the physiotherapist will reduce the intensity or reposition the electrodes.
After the treatment, the muscle may feel slightly tired, as after exercise, and the skin under the electrodes may be red for a while. You can usually return to your daily activities straight away. If increased pain or swelling appears after the treatment, mention it at your next visit.
Is electrical stimulation effective?
The best evidence concerns electrical stimulation of the quadriceps as an addition to exercise after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and after knee replacement. Reviews of studies point there to a greater gain in strength than with exercise alone, although the quality of the studies is sometimes moderate. Electrical stimulation does not replace active training; it only helps to start it earlier.
For peripheral nerve damage, research results are less clear-cut, and the decision to use stimulation depends on the type and degree of damage. That is why we do not promise a specific effect – the muscle’s response is assessed after a few treatments and the method is changed if necessary.
Who should not have electrical stimulation?
Electrical stimulation is not used in people with a pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, over the abdomen and pelvis in pregnancy, over a cancerous lesion, with venous thrombosis in the limb being stimulated, with fever and acute infection, on damaged skin or on the front of the neck. Caution is needed with epilepsy, sensory disturbances and recently repaired tendons.
Before the treatment, tell the physiotherapist about all your medical conditions, implanted devices and implants. You will find a full list in our post contraindications to physical therapy modalities.
Physical therapy modalitieselectrical stimulation, TENS, Kotz (Russian) currents, iontophoresis and other physical treatments chosen after an examinationPLN 15 per treatmentPrices valid from 08.2026.
When should you see a doctor first?
Muscle weakness is not always the result of immobilisation. Sudden weakness of an arm, a leg or half of the face, or speech or vision problems, require you to call 112 for help immediately. You should also see a doctor if the weakness gets worse without an injury, the muscles are clearly wasting, foot drop appears, or there is numbness in the groin area and problems passing urine.
Muscle twitching (fasciculations) combined with wasting and weakness with fever are also worrying. In such situations the cause is established by a doctor, often a neurologist – you will find contact details in the Recommended specialists section. Electrical stimulation is only considered once a diagnosis has been made.
Good to know: for your first treatment, bring your hospital discharge summary, surgery report or the result of a nerve conduction study (EMG) – they help in choosing the current parameters.
Summary
Muscle electrical stimulation uses current to cause a contraction and helps when a muscle has weakened after immobilisation, surgery or nerve injury. It works best as an addition to exercise, e.g. for a weakened quadriceps after knee surgery. The treatment in Rydułtowy costs 15 PLN, and before the first one the physiotherapist checks for contraindications.
Frequently asked questions
How does electrical stimulation differ from TENS?
Electrical stimulation is meant to make a muscle contract and is used to activate and strengthen it. TENS relieves pain: the impulses stimulate sensory nerves and usually only cause tingling, without a noticeable contraction. Both treatments use low-frequency current, but they have different parameters and different aims. We describe this in more detail in our post on TENS currents.
Does muscle electrical stimulation help you lose weight?
No. In physiotherapy, electrical stimulation is used to rebuild the strength of weakened muscles, not for weight loss. Studies do not confirm that home abdominal stimulation belts significantly reduce the amount of body fat. A contraction triggered by current uses little energy. Losing weight requires exercise and a change in diet, ideally discussed with a doctor or dietitian.
How many electrical stimulation treatments are needed?
The physiotherapist decides on the number of treatments individually after a consultation. It depends on the cause of the weakness, the degree of muscle wasting, whether the nerve is damaged and how the muscle responds to the first treatments. Progress is checked by assessing strength and movement control, and electrical stimulation is usually combined with exercises that are also done at home.
Do I need a referral for electrical stimulation?
No referral is needed for private treatments at the “W zdrowym ciele” clinic, and the clinic has no contract with the NFZ. If a doctor has recommended electrical stimulation, it is worth bringing their recommendations and records, e.g. a surgery report or EMG result. Before the first treatment, the physiotherapist will take a medical history and check for contraindications in any case.
Sources
- Mika T., Kasprzak W. (eds.), Fizykoterapia (Physical therapy), Wydawnictwo Lekarskie PZWL, edition.
- Hauger A.V. et al., Neuromuscular electrical stimulation is effective in strengthening the quadriceps muscle after anterior cruciate ligament surgery, Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 2018.
- Kittelson A.J. et al., Neuromuscular electrical stimulation after total joint arthroplasty: a critical review of recent controlled studies, European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 2013.
- Porcari J.P. et al., Effects of electrical muscle stimulation on body composition, muscle strength, and physical appearance, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2002.
About the author: Tatiana Grabowska, MSc – master’s degree in physiotherapy, licence to practise number PWZFz 11646 (Polish physiotherapist licence). Since 2013 she has run the “W zdrowym ciele” physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinic in Rydułtowy; she has about 12 years of professional experience.
- Consultation180 PLN
- Referralnot needed
- ReceptionMon–Fri: 7.00–20.00
