Muscle Stimulation

Compex Meets ultra runner Jovica Spajić (@jovicaspajic), captain of the Serbian National ultramarathon team in road ultramarathon and one of the best Trail-mountain ultra-runners in this part of the world.

Compex: Hi there, Jovica! Great to meet you - please could you start by telling our readers a bit about yourself?

Jovica: I am from Serbia, currently located in Belgrade. I was born in Priboj in Serbia in 1987. and grew up with my grandparents in Serbia’s wild mountains. We were tucked in an old wooden house far away in a small mountain village in Serbia. My grandfather encouraged me never to give up, never to break down, always push myself to the limits in everything I do. It has always stuck with me.

Compex: Fascinating. What sport do you do and how did you get into it?

Jovica: My whole life has been about training. I developed a deep love for ultra-running because when you run in the mountains it gives you a clear mind. You have a true relationship with nature, a real sense of freedom. As a member of the special forces, during different field trainings and tasks, I faced extreme physical and psychological difficulties. This constantly questioned and pushed the limits of my abilities, motivation and strength of spirit. Similarly, participating in some of the world’s hardest ultramarathons, I have passed through the most extreme areas on the planet, through dark rainforests, been scorched by the sun and whipped by the wind. 

Very recently, I won one of the most challenging and demanding endurance events on planet - the legendary Iditarod trail invitational race in Alaska, and now with additional motivation I am continuing with new goals.

Ultra-running and especially this type of extreme Ultra-trail distance running is fairly synonymous to regular life. It is filled with ups and downs, but you must always find motivation and inspiration to move forward and be determined and dedicated until the finish line. My credo is always: “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” 

Compex: How does Compex help you to find a competitive edge?

Jovica: For me personally, the Compex SP 8.0 muscle stimulator is amazingly useful recovery tool and my go-to companion on daily basis. I use it most after a hard training sessions, intense workouts, or long training days in mountains and deep backcountry. I am 100% noticing that my legs feeling looser and fresher the next day.

Compex: Which program/s do you like to use most on your SP 8.0, Jovica?

 Jovica: My favorite programs are Training Recovery and Reduce Muscle Soreness. After 2 months of using Compex SP 8.0 muscle stimulator, I can definitely tell that programs are effective at reducing soreness and promoting muscle recovery.

 The other major advantage of  Compex is its "easy to use" characteristic. I can fit in recovery sessions during my breaks from obligations at work in Special Unit.

Compex: Fantastic, and do you use other Compex products?

Jovica: Very recently, I took receipt of a new product, the Compex Ayre Wireless Compression Boots. My initial thoughts are positive and I am looking forward to use it during coming days. I think it can really boost my preparations for next big goals, races and epic projects.

Matt Jaggard, Head of Strength and Conditioning with the Delgado and Lee Pro Tennis Academy explains how Compex devices can be used to prevent ankle injuries and how to optimise recovery and rehabilitation if an ankle injury occurs.

Instagram: @mjtennisperformance

LinkedIn: Matt Jaggard

E-book: International Travel and Tournament Preparation for Tennis

If you are an athlete of any kind then it is likely that you have experienced a very painful ankle sprain or strain. This is a highly common injury within court sport athletes. Compex can aid you by helping to prevent this type of injury from occurring and also whilst recovering if an injury has been experienced.

So how can the use of a Compex muscle stimulation device help?

First of all we need to take a look into the anatomy. This will give you a clear understanding of how the body works, what you need to target and why.

Anatomy

The peroneus muscles also called fibularis muscles or peroneals or peronæus, are a group of muscles in the leg. While the muscle group exists in many variations, it is normally composed of three muscles: peroneus longus, brevis and tertius.

These muscles help control key actions around the foot. They will need to be strong and robust allowing you to resist and control the very actions they allow you to perform. Something that the use of a Compex device can enhance whilst training. The reason that the use of Compex is highly effective with this set of muscles is that they are very difficult to activate.

So where are these muscles located and what do they do?

Ankle Strengthening and Injury Prevention

These muscles can be trained either statically or through a range of traditional ankle mobility, stability and strengthening exercises. This can be done by placing Compex electrode pads on the peroneus muscles and selecting frequencies between 45-70Hz. This will help to increase muscle volume similar to that experienced whilst training for hypertrophy by promoting optimised tissue formation.

Once a period of adaptation for increasing muscle volume has been completed, traditionally 6-10 weeks. It would be recommended that you move into a strength phase for a similar length of time. This requires your muscles to be exposed to frequencies between 75-100Hz.

Completing these two phases routinely will continually allow for the peroneus muscles to increase in volume and strength, making you more stable and helping you to prevent ankle sprains and strains.

Acute Injury Management and Rehabilitation

If you have experienced an ankle injury, the peroneus muscles along with tendons and ligaments around the foot and ankle would have been stretched, strained and damaged.

The use of a Compex device can not only aid with strengthen the muscles as highlighted above. They can also aid the recovery process.

During the initial phase of recovery, dealing with inflammation, Compex can help to reduce muscle soreness (1Hz). Additionally, muscle pain can reduce (5Hz) and capillarisation increased (8Hz). These varying levels of increased blood flow will help improve the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the damaged region. During this phase it is recommended to place the electrode pads around the site of the injury (ankle and foot) rather than the peroneus muscles unless major trauma has also occurred in this area.

During the second phase of recovery with Compex, the profilation phase, frequencies between 10-35Hz can help minimise stiffness. Muscular atrophy can also be minimised whilst helping to manage lingering discomfort and swelling.

Once the symptoms have subsided, just like with any traditional rehabilitation, it is time to start remodelling the muscular tissue within the area which has been effected. Firstly by increasing muscular volume (45-70Hz). Then by increasing strength (75-100Hz) which are both mentioned in more detail above in ‘Strengthening and Injury Prevention’.

WHEN TO START PREPARING
• Each training plan lasts 10 weeks.
• The prerequisite for this training is to be in overall good shape and to train on a regular basis for several months before the race.
• For runners who are not used to muscle stimulation (especially with the strengthening Program) a 2-3 week initiation is highly recommended before starting with the 10 week training plan.

ADJUSTING STIMULATION INTENSITY IS THE KEY!
For Programs inducing powerful muscular contractions (Endurance, Strength, Cross training, Core stabilization)
Maximum toleration: It is crucial to reach the highest level of intensity possible (though the session must always remain bearable). Intensity
determines the number of muscle fibers which are engaged or ‘recruited’ by the stimulation. The best way to determine your maximum toleration
is simply through your own judgement of what your body can cope with. The contractions must be powerful without ever becoming intolerable.
The progress of a stimulated muscle will be greater if the Compex device recruits a high number of its fibers.

SEVERAL RULES TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE THIS:
• Apply the electrodes according to the diagrams
• Consider changing your electrodes on a regular basis. If the gel layer on the electrode deteriorates, it will be less conductive and you will not be
able to achieve higher levels of stimulation.
• Always look to progress:
- Increase the intensity marginally every 3,4 or 5 contractions throughout a session.
- In subsequent sessions aim to exceed the level of intensity reached in the previous session
- It is often more comfortable to voluntarily contract the muscles, synchronised with the stimulation

SIMILAR PROGRAMS ACROSS DIFFERENT COMPEX DEVICES
Sometimes, Compex models will use different names to refer to the same program type. Below is a key so you can identify the correct program:
• Capillarisation = Oxygenation
• Core stabilization = Muscle building
• Training recovery = Active recovery

FOR TRAINING RECOVERY AND CAPILLARISATION PROGAMMES
Increase the intensity gradually; it should produce visible muscular twitches

DOWNLOAD THE TRAINING GUIDE

HOW TO USE COMPEX IMPORTANT TIPS

• This booklet offers three training plans: one for the short-distance triathlon, one for a Half-Ironman 70.3 triathlon (L) and a one for a Full-Ironman 140.6 triathlon (XL). The training plans outlined in this manual, incorporating the Compex sessions, are designed to run 10, 12 and 16 weeks respectively.
• The prerequisite for this training is overall good physical condition with regular physical activity during the month previous to starting the training plan. It is recommended to have completed a shorter triathlon before preparing for the longer distance.
• For triathletes who have never practiced electrostimulation, including qualitative sessions (endurance, strength, cross-training), an initiation period of 2 to 3 weeks is highly recommended before starting this full training regime.

SETTING THE INTENSITY IS THE KEY TO SUCCEED

For Development sessions (Endurance, Strength, Resistance, Core stabilization)
Maximum toleration: It is crucial to reach the highest level of intensity possible (though the session must always remain bearable). Intensity determines the number of muscle fibers which are engaged or ‘recruited’ by the stimulation. The best way to determine your maximum toleration is simply through your own judgement of what your body can cope with. The contractions must be powerful without ever becoming intolerable.
The progress of a stimulated muscle will be greater if the Compex device recruits a high number of its fibers.
Some general rules to help you train:

• Observe the electrode placements indicated and note their polarity (+ and - ). For wireless devices: the + polarity is located on the electrodes where there is an on / off button; for wired models, the + polarity comes from the color wire (*for older generation devices, the + polarity is located alongside the red connector. 
• Consider changing your electrodes on a regular basis. If the gel layer on the electrode deteriorates, it will be less conductive and you will not be able to achieve higher levels of stimulation.
• Always look to progress:
  • Increase the intensity marginally every 3,4 or 5 contractions throughout a session.
  • In subsequent sessions aim to exceed the level of intensity reached in the previous session
  • It is often more comfortable to voluntarily contract the muscles, synchronised with the stimulation

For Training recovery and Capillarization sessions:
Increase the intensity gradually; it should produce visible muscular twitches.

DOWNLOAD THE TRAINING GUIDE