Disclaimer

Hack My MS provides news and information only. It is an account of my own experiences and some techniques that have worked for me. It should not be construed as medical advice, nor is there any guarantee that any of these techniques will work for you. Always check with a medical professional before starting any exercise program, treatment, or medication. Do not discontinue any exercise program/medication/treatment or delay seeing a doctor as a result of anything you read on this site.

Safety First

NMES Safety

NMES is a very powerful technology but it can also hurt you when done carelessly. I know this firsthand – I managed to use it to dislocate my patella (kneecap). It was a perfect storm of wrongness – I had already been exercising, so I ramped up the current very quickly without waiting to see how my muscles would respond. I had been careless putting on my electrodes and put them on the wrong muscle group. My knee was bent at 90° and my shoes caught in the carpet so that my leg could not extend when the current turned on. As a result, when the current did come on full blast, my kneecap went sideways (seriously not fun, just in case you’re curious).

That said, I made a full recovery and was walking again within three months. Yes, I managed to screw up a perfectly healthy knee using a rehab device (the irony is not lost on me), but it also helped me recover. For eight weeks, I could not even put full weight on my leg. I could, however, exercise my glutes, my calves, and the muscles of my good leg. As a result, within a couple of weeks of being cleared for activity, I was able to begin moving around.

So, be sure that you respect the technology. Start under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Always read and follow the directions that came with your unit. In addition, I have a few rules that I follow:

• Always start with a couple of minutes of warm-up at low current
• Never increase the current level when the channel is not transmitting current– you want to feel the change and make sure that it is appropriate.
• Always be sure that your joints/limbs are free to move when your muscles contract.
• If you have to stop and hydrate your electrodes because you aren’t getting good current flow, stop the unit. Put the electrodes back on and only then raise the current gradually.
• Never put the electrodes across your chest and underarm. Unless you wish to reenact an episode of Grey’s Anatomy (CLEAR!)
• Do not use the box without checking with a medical professional if you use a pacemaker, implantable infusion pump, or other implantable medical device.

Exercise Safety

• Usual drill here guys – always check with your doctor/physical therapist before beginning a new exercise program.
• ALWAYS, always be safe — in general, MS patients tend to be weaker, have less balance, and lower bone mass than the average population, so you want to avoid falls or anything that could cause injury.
• Make sure that when exercising you use support. Have things to grab in case you lose your balance.
• Do the exercises with someone present.
• Start easy and increase difficulty slowly.
• If your hands are weak, use strap-on wrist weights rather than dumbbells, particularly when you are doing overhead exercises.
• Use caution and common sense. Don’t be too aggressive and don’t get too fatigued. The goal is to get better, not to hurt yourself so that you can’t exercise at all.

Disclaimer

Hack My MS provides news and information only. It is an account of my own experiences and some techniques that have worked for me. It should not be construed as medical advice, nor is there any guarantee that any of these techniques will work for you. Always check with a medical professional before starting any exercise program, treatment, or medication. Do not discontinue any exercise program/medication/treatment or delay seeing a doctor as a result of anything you read on this site.