Can Electrical Muscle Stimulation Help Weak Hip Muscles When Hip Pain Stops You Moving? UK Researchers Investigated This

person Savannah Martin
calendar_today Jan 15, 2026
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ORIEMS FIT RESEARCH DIGEST

If you have hip pain, you may avoid movement.
But muscles around the hip can become weaker when they stop working.

At Oriems Fit Research Digest, we share real research in simple language.
We help you understand how the body works, not give medical advice.
Links to the original study are always provided at the end.

Who did this research and when?

This research was done by UK researchers in rehabilitation science.
It was published in 2021 in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

The researchers work with:

Muscle weakness
Joint problems
Osteoarthritis
Rehabilitation technology

Their focus was how people with hip osteoarthritis use electrical muscle stimulation in real life.

What was this research about?

This research looked at neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES).
NMES is a form of electrical muscle stimulation that causes real muscle contractions.

The study focused on people with hip osteoarthritis who have:

Hip pain
Weak muscles around the hip
Difficulty activating muscles normally
Fear of movement because of pain

The key question was simple:

Can people with hip problems actually stick with NMES programs?

Who was studied?

The review analysed clinical studies involving adults with hip osteoarthritis.
Some participants:

Had long-term hip pain
Were waiting for hip replacement
Had weakness in muscles that support the hip

These muscles help with:

Standing
Walking
Balance
Getting up from chairs

What type of research was this?

This was a systematic review.
That means researchers looked at many clinical studies, not just one.

They analysed:

How NMES was used
How often people used it
Whether people stopped using it
Why people continued or quit

What did the researchers find about HIP patients?

The research found important things for people with hip pain:

• People with hip osteoarthritis were able to use NMES regularly
• Adherence rates were high, often above 80%
• People did not quit NMES more than normal exercise programs
• NMES was tolerated even by people who avoided movement
• Muscle stimulation did not require painful joint movement

This is important for hip pain sufferers who fear exercise.

What does this mean in simple words?

When hip pain makes movement hard,
NMES can activate muscles without stressing the hip joint.

Muscles around the hip still work.
They just need a safe signal to turn on.

Electrical muscle stimulation provides that signal.

Why could EMS be helpful for people with hip pain?

EMS may be helpful when:

Hip pain limits walking
Exercise feels risky
Muscles feel weak or unstable
You are afraid of making pain worse

EMS activates muscles without loading the hip joint.

How might this help EMS users with hip pain?

This research helps hip pain sufferers understand:

Why EMS is used in hip rehabilitation
Why muscle activation matters for hip support
Why EMS is often used before or after hip surgery
Why EMS is different from massage or vibration

It explains the logic, not hype.

Research paper details

Original research paper name:
Adherence to Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Interventions for Muscle Impairment in Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review

Simplified name:
Can People With Hip Pain Actually Use Electrical Muscle Stimulation?

Link to original study:
https://doi.org/10.1177/11795441211028746

Why this source is trustworthy:
• Peer-reviewed
• Published in a medical journal
• Written by rehabilitation researchers
• Based on multiple clinical studies

Quick HIP-FOCUSED Summary Table

Topic	What the Research Shows
Condition	Hip osteoarthritis
Problem	Weak hip-supporting muscles
Solution Studied	Neuromuscular electrical stimulation
Key Finding	High user adherence
Joint Load	Minimal
Movement Required	Low

Let’s talk

If hip pain stopped you exercising,
would muscle stimulation feel safer?

Leave a comment and share your experience.

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Mandatory Disclaimer

This blog post is for informational and recreational purposes only
and does not constitute medical advice.
Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.

Full disclaimer:
https://oriems.fit/blogs/research-digest/disclaimer

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