Quick Overview
A 2017 study by researchers from Kurume University School of Medicine in Japan, published in the respected journal PLOS ONE, tested electrical muscle stimulation on the lower limbs timed with each heartbeat. In 9 out of 11 healthy volunteers, this approach generated effects similar to heart-assist devices. It significantly increased cardiac output from 4.8 to 6.1 litres per minute and stroke volume, while lowering peripheral vascular resistance — all without raising blood pressure.
These results suggest that properly timed electrical muscle stimulation may support better blood flow by enhancing the natural pumping action of the calf muscles, often called the body’s “second heart.”
Because the study was conducted by credible scientists at a leading Japanese university and published in an international peer-reviewed journal, the findings carry real weight. Read on to discover what this could mean for using EMS technology more effectively.
We always provide direct links to the original research at the end of every article so you can review the evidence yourself.
Japanese Scientists Find Leg Stimulation Could Help Improve Circulation
Imagine if the simple act of stimulating your leg muscles could do more than just tone them — what if it could actually support better blood flow through your body?
That’s the intriguing possibility raised by a study conducted by researchers at Kurume University School of Medicine in Japan. Scientists developed a special type of electrical muscle stimulation applied to the lower limbs, timed carefully with each heartbeat.
In healthy volunteers, this approach didn’t increase the heart’s workload as some might expect. Instead, it showed promising signs of supporting circulation.
The researchers found that when the stimulation was properly synchronised, it helped create a gentle pumping effect in the legs. This led to an increase in cardiac output — meaning more blood was being moved with each heartbeat — while also lowering vascular resistance. Importantly, blood pressure stayed stable throughout.
Many participants even showed patterns on monitoring equipment that resembled the effects seen with certain medical heart support devices, but achieved through electrical muscle stimulation on the legs instead.
At the centre of this is the often-overlooked role of your calf muscles. They act like a natural second heart, helping push blood back up toward your heart every time you move. As we get older or become less active, this natural support can weaken. The Japanese research team explored whether smart electrical muscle stimulation could help maintain or even enhance this important function without placing extra strain on the heart.
What makes this study particularly credible is that it was carried out by respected scientists at a well-established Japanese university and published in the international journal PLOS ONE. The findings come from careful testing on volunteers using precise timing, offering a glimpse into how electrical muscle stimulation technology might be used more thoughtfully in the future.
For everyday people looking to stay active and support healthy circulation, this research highlights an encouraging direction. Rather than seeing electrical muscle stimulation as something that only works the muscles, emerging studies suggest it may also play a role in supporting better blood flow — when applied in the right way. It’s a hopeful reminder that science is continuing to uncover smarter, gentler ways to help our bodies work better as we age.
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Research Summary
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Study Title | Cardiac cycle-synchronized electrical muscle stimulator for lower limb training with the potential to reduce the heart's pumping workload |
| Authors | Ken-ichiro Sasaki, Hiroo Matsuse, Ryuji Akimoto, Shiro Kamiya, Toshio Moritani, Motoki Sasaki, Yuta Ishizaki, Masanori Ohtsuka, Takaharu Nakayoshi, Takafumi Ueno, Naoto Shiba, Yoshihiro Fukumoto |
| Journal & Publication Date | PLOS ONE, November 8, 2017 |
| Study Objective | To develop and test a cardiac cycle-synchronized belt electrode skeletal muscle electrical stimulator (C-B-SES) that enables strong lower limb muscle training without increasing (and potentially reducing) the heart’s pumping workload |
| Study Design | Proof-of-concept study in healthy volunteers using a newly developed prototype device combining ECG monitoring with belt electrode skeletal muscle electrical stimulation (B-SES) |
| Participants | 11 healthy male volunteers (mean age 38.9 ± 7.2 years, BMI 23.1 ± 0.9 kg/m²) with no cardiovascular risk factors |
| Technology Developed | Cardiac cycle-synchronized B-SES system that triggers electrical stimulation at specific delays (synchro-times) after the R-wave of the ECG to align muscle contraction with the cardiac recovery phase |
| Stimulation Parameters | Frequency 20 Hz, pulse width 260 µsec, duration 200 msec; intensity adjusted individually (56–106 mA) to achieve strong but painless contractions |
| Key Waveform Findings | In 9 of 11 subjects, the device produced diastolic augmentation waves on the dicrotic notch and end-diastolic pressure reduction waves on plethysmography — patterns analogous to intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) |
| Hemodynamic Results | During effective synchronized stimulation: Heart rate increased significantly, stroke volume increased significantly, cardiac output increased significantly, peripheral vascular resistance decreased significantly, while systolic and diastolic blood pressure remained unchanged |
| Quantitative Changes | Cardiac output rose from 4.8 ± 0.8 L/min (OFF) to 6.1 ± 1.0 L/min (ON); stroke volume rose from 70.0 ± 13.2 ml to 80.9 ± 11.1 ml; peripheral vascular resistance fell from 1.39 ± 0.2 to 1.20 ± 0.2 mmHg/ml |
| Safety Outcomes | No subjects reported pain or discomfort; no skin or muscle complications observed; blood pressure remained stable even with strong muscle contractions |
| Main Conclusion | Cardiac cycle-synchronized lower limb EMS may enable effective muscle training without harming hemodynamics and carries potential to reduce the heart’s pumping workload, offering a promising non-invasive approach for combined locomotor and cardiovascular support |
| Clinical Implications | Positioned as a potential future non-invasive, portable alternative to IABP or enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) for outpatients with sarcopenia, heart failure, or cardiovascular disease |
| Limitations Noted by Authors | Small sample size; tested only in healthy young males; not yet evaluated in females, older adults, patients with heart failure, arrhythmias, or leg edema; requires further clinical studies in target populations |
| Original Study Link | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187395 (Full text freely available on PLOS ONE) |
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