Tendinous pains of the elbow (epicondylitis = tennis elbow)


All tendons of the muscles that allow us to stretch our hand, wrist and fingers end at the small external bone mass of the elbow (epicondyle). The movements of the hands and fingers therefore emit tension which is focused on the end of the tendons of this bone mass.

When hand movements are repetitive, as is the case for painters, tennis players or even those who constantly use the mouse of a computer system, small injuries, accompanied by inflammation and pain, develop in the region of the epicondyle. This is known as "epicondylitis", which is characterised by pain around the external bone mass of the elbow when pressure is applied or when the forearm muscles are contracted.

The Compex Tennis Elbow programme supplies specific currents to combat this type of pain. It works as a complement to rest.

However, it is necessary to consult your doctor if the pain gets worse or does not disappear quickly after a few sessions.

Acute or recent muscular pain of a muscle in the low back

During back movement, for example when lifting something, when turning or when standing up straight after bending down, a sudden pain can be triggered in the low back. Those who suffer from this problem present a contracture of the low back muscles and feel a sharp pain in this region; because they cannot stand completely straight, they remain bent over on one side. All of these symptoms indicate what is known as lumbago, which is principally the result of a sharp and intense contracture of the low back muscles (lumbar region).
In such a situation, you must always consult a doctor to receive appropriate treatment.
In addition to such treatment, the specific Compex Lumbago programme can help effectively to relax the muscles and remove the pain.

Contracture
(e.g. localised contracture of the ectogastrocnemius of the calf)

After tiring muscle work, intense training or a sporting competition, certain muscles or certain parts of muscles often remain tense and slightly painful. These are known as muscular contractures which should disappear after a few days with rest, good rehydration, a balanced food intake with mineral salts and application of the Decontracture programme. The phenomenon of contracture frequently affects the calf muscles, but can also occur with other muscles.
The Decontracture programme acts through a relaxing effect which induces the reduction of muscle tone.

Preparation for a swimmer training three times a week and wishing to improve his swimming power

In swimming, developing the propulsion force of the upper limbs is an important factor for improving performance. Certain forms of voluntary training practised in the water can contribute to this. However, integrating main back muscular stimulation into the voluntary training programme makes it possible to achieve far better results. The special muscular contraction regime of the Strength programme and the large amount of work to which muscles are subjected will allow you to increase significantly the strength of the latissimus dorsi, key muscles for the swimmer.

Disuse atrophy of the quadriceps after a trauma

The quadriceps is a voluminous muscle located in the anterior part of the thigh. It is the main muscle which enables the knee to be tensed; its role is therefore essential in walking, running, climbing stairs, etc. Any trauma caused to a lower member causes atrophy of this muscle, the reduction in muscle volume being more or less significant depending on the period of inactivity.
This disuse atrophy is usually considerable when it occurs after trauma to the knee, particularly if the trauma has been treated by surgery.


The programmes of the REHABITILATION category are specifically suited for treating the alteration of the muscle fibres which results from such a process. The progressiveness of the work imposed by the different recommended programmes is decisive in obtaining optimum results.
The Disuse Atrophy programme should be used in the first few weeks. You should then successively use the Muscle Growth then the Reinforcement programmes depending on the protocol indicted in the user manual of the stimulators which have Rehabilitation category programmes.

NB: some situations, some types of surgery prohibit the early use of these programmes which must always be used with the agreement of a healthcare professional and according to their recommendations.

To tone and firm the abdominal wall muscles

/The abdominal wall muscles play a crucial role in supporting the low back region and contain the deep organs located in stomach. When their tone is insufficient, these muscles are no longer able to play their "belt" role effectively which results in a flabby stomach, rolls of fat, etc.

The Abs programme gives the abdominal muscles an intensive workout by increasing the power of the contractions during the same session. This type of workout is particularly suitable for developing muscle tone, which improves the support function of the abdominal musculature.

Preparation for a long distance runner who also wishes to develop end-of-race speed

Each physical activity of moderate intensity maintained over a long period requires aerobic metabolism. A good aerobic system depends on an efficient cardio-vascular system. At the same time, it requires muscles capable of consuming the oxygen that reaches them (oxidative capacity). Electrostimulation develops this capacity and thus improves the endurance of the stimulated muscular groups.
However, it is useful, during a stimulation session, to change the focus of the programme by alternating endurance with other aspects, such as speed, strength and resistance. This allows you not only to develop the endurance of your muscular fibres, but also to work simultaneously on other aspects that may be necessary when practising your chosen physical activity. A long-distance runner, for example, may need strength to cope with the slopes along the route or to increase his speed at the end of the race.
The characteristics of its sequences make the Cross-endurance programme particularly suitable for improving endurance, but also for improving contraction speed, strength and resistance.

Preparation for a competition for an amateur sportsman or woman practising a team sport

Team sports, such as, for example, football, rugby, handball or basket-ball, require a good level of development of different muscular qualities. During a match, strength and explosive strength are decisive qualities, but a good cardio-vascular system plays an important part. Preparation for this type of physical activity should therefore not be concentrated exclusively on a single quality. Rather, it should take into account, through different exercises, the need for diversified voluntary preparation, which also involves factors such as muscular explosive strength, endurance and resistance.
The Cross-explosivity programme activation routines allow varied work on the muscular groups involved and the selection of different working routines concentrating on muscular explosive strength, an important factor in most team sports.

Pre-season preparation for the explosive strength of the quadriceps in a sportsman training three times a week (long jump or high jump, sprint, etc.)

For all sports whose essential factor of performance is the explosive strength of muscles, specific muscular preparation is the essential element of pre-season preparation. The explosive strength of muscles may be defined as the capacity of a muscle to attain a high level of maximum strength as quickly as possible. To develop this quality, voluntary training relies on tiring muscle training sessions or exercises that often include the risk of injury, since they are necessarily carried out using heavy weights or put pressure on the joints. Integrating the use of the Explosive strength programme lightens the demanding voluntary training sessions while at the same time offering greater benefits and more time for technical work.

Reinforcement of the lateral peroneus muscles after a sprained ankle

The purpose of the lateral peroneus muscles is to maintain the stability of the ankle joint and prevent it from rotating inwardly. After a sprain, these muscles lose their reflex-contraction capacity together with much of their strength. Regaining competent lateral peroneal muscles after a sprain is a fundamental step, without which recurrence is very probable. To do their job correctly, the lateral peroneals must be strong enough to prevent the foot twisting inwards, but they must also contract reflexively at the precise moment when the heel tilts inwards. To develop both of these aspects, strength and speed of contraction, you should use the Reinforcement programme, which produces efficient lateral peroneal muscles and therefore helps to prevent recurrence.

Use of the Regeneration programme to eliminate muscular fatigue quicker and recover good muscular sensations quicker


The stimulation session using the Regeneration programme must be done the day after a competition to replace or as a complement to so-called "regeneration" active training, which can thus be reduced. Contrary to the Active recovery programme, which provokes no tetanic contractions and which must be used during the three hours after the competition or intensive training, the Regeneration programme is a form of light training which, in addition to an analgesic effect and an increased blood flow, aims to impose a small degree of anaerobic training and likewise to provoke slight tetanic contractions that are not tiring, making it possible to reactivate the proprioceptive pathways. Energy pathways are also gently stimulated, allowing their metabolic equilibrium to re-establish itself. The session is comprised of 6 stimulation sequences which follow on from one another automatically:

1st sequence: analgesic effect

2nd sequence: strong increase in blood flow

3rd sequence: tetanic contractions to recover muscular sensations

4th sequence: activation of the oxidative metabolic pathway

5th sequence: strong increase in blood flow

6th sequence: decontracture

Faster muscle recovery after a marathon that has ended in a state of great fatigue or exhaustion.

The Recovery Plus programme is used in the same way as the Active Recovery programme. This programme must be preferred over the Active Recovery programme when the effort has been particularly exhausting, when cramp appears or is about to appear at the end of the effort. The specific automatic sequencing of the different stimulation session is, in fact, better suited for muscles in a state of great fatigue, and limits the risk of the onset of muscle cramps.

Combat a feeling of localised heaviness or an occasional state of tiredness

The many constraints of everyday life are often responsible for uncomfortable or even painful physical sensations. A circulatory slow-down is often secondary to insufficient physical activity, frequently amplified by the professional need to keep in the same position for long hours (in a seated position, for example).
Not a really serious condition, this simple "vascular slow-down" is nevertheless often the cause of unpleasant feelings (for example: feeling of heaviness or weight often localised in the lower limbs but also, sometimes, in another area of the body).
The Reviving Massage programme induces, with the greatest comfort, a significant circulatory reaction which improves tissue oxygenation and eliminates painful feelings, further to insufficient physical activity.

Preventative stimulation of the lateral peroneal muscle in order to avoid or reduce the risk of repeated sprained ankles in a footballer

Sprained ankles are one of the most frequent sports injuries. They involve damage to the external ligaments of the ankle and occur at different levels of seriousness. Most often, the injury is relatively benign, requiring, nonetheless, temporary interruption of the sports activity and, most importantly, predisposing the ankle to possible recurrence, the main complication, which can lead to the need for reconstructive surgery on the ligaments (ligament repair) in the long-term.
The anatomy of the ankle exposes this joint to the risk of suffering forced movement of the foot which turns inwards (inversion). This risk becomes major when this movement exceeding physiological limits is done at high speed and is sometimes accompanied by a phenomenal increase in constraint by the additional weight of an opponent as is often the case in contact sports such as football.

Two small muscles located on the outside of the leg (small and short lateral peroneal muscles) usually provide additional active protection by contracting with strength and speed, upon the initiation of an undesirable movement.
The main goal of traditional physical therapy for ankle sprains (after treatment for pain and inflammation) is to recover peroneal muscle competence, meaning the capacity to contract at maximum strength and speed when the ankle joint is subjected to a potentially harmful motion. This requires powerful muscles with electrostimulation done with the Sprained Ankle Prevention programme enables you to acquire optimally and exercises called proprioception which consist of developing this joint care muscular "reflex".
The Sprained Ankle Prevention programme must only be used after the initial inflammatory and painful phase, and on the advice of a competent doctor. As a first step, the exercise is performed standing on both feet. Then, when it is possible, it is carried out standing only on the leg with the injured ankle, which is a difficult exercise that has the advantage of stimulating neuromuscular proprioception, the key goal of the exercise. By gradually advancing as part of a personalised programme, it is possible to increase the level of difficulty of the electrostimulation session by adding the loss of visual control (closing the eyes) and changing the nature of the footing (working out on less and less stable supports).

Pre-season preparation of the lactic capacity for a resistance sport, with three active training sessions a week (800m race, track cycling, etc.)

Example of schedule for developing the lactic capacity (resistance) of the quadriceps.
During the pre-season preparation period for sports requiring a lot of lactic anaerobic effort (intense effort sustained for as long as possible), it is essential not to forget specific muscular preparation. Stimulation of the quadriceps (or a different key muscle group depending on the discipline practised) by means of the Resistance programme results in improved anaerobic power, as well as greater muscle tolerance to high concentrations of lactates. The benefits in the field are obvious:
improved performance thanks to better muscular resistance to fatigue for exercises of the lactic anaerobic type.

Pre-competitive honing for resistance sports (e.g. 800m, 1500m race, mountain biking, mountain stage in cycling, track cycle, 200m swimming, etc.)

Sports which require maximum effort between 30 seconds and 5 minutes are called "resistance" sports. The fast fibres have to work at a power close to their maximum and be capable of maintaining this intensive work for the entire event without weakening, i.e. the fast fibres have to be resistant.
The Capillarisation programme, which produces a very strong increase in arterial output in the muscles, causes a development of the network of the intra-muscular blood capillaries (capillarisation). This growth in the capillaries is produced preferentially around fast fibres.
In this way, the exchange surface of these fibres with the blood increases, allowing an improved supply of glucose, better diffusion of oxygen and quicker elimination of lactic acid. Capillarisation therefore enables the fast fibres to be more resistant and maintain the best of their capacity for longer. However, prolonged or too frequent use of this programme could cause a modification of the fast fibres into slow fibres, which could reduce performance for strength and speed sports. It is therefore important to restrict the use of the Capillarisation programme for the last 4 to 5 days before the competition, and not repeat this preparation more than twice a season.

Improves your ability to maintain intense effort without increasing the risks of injuries

Fitness enthusiasts who regularly do several sessions of intensive voluntary activity every week frequently run the risk of over-stressing the muscles and joints involved. The Cross-resistance programme offers a good alternative for intensifying the training schedule without increasing the risks of injuries. Also, the alternation of varied stimulation sequences means that contrasting types of work requiring several different muscular qualities can be imposed on the muscles, while also improving their capacity to support better the lactic acid accumulated during high-intensity physical effort.

Conditioning of the abdominal and low back muscles for the endurance runner

Running is a method of locomotion during which the phases of propulsion and damping follow each other, a little like a spring. Each time the foot comes in contact with the ground, the runner's body absorbs energy: the spring gets squashed, then returns this energy: the spring releases. In order that this transmission of the forces present occurs under ideal conditions, i.e. without losing energy, the spring must be firm and aligned correctly. The pelvis, which is the hinge between the lower limbs and the upper body should be supported firmly to help ensure a stride which is both effective and economic. It is the abdominal and lower back muscles which perform this task by stabilising the last vertebrae and the pelvis. All too often neglected by the long distance runner, exercises intended to develop the abdomino-lumbar musculature still deserve to be incorporated into general physical preparation in order to optimise stride efficiency, and also prevent the risk of injuries. The Core stabilisation programme, used throughout the season, provides in a single session an appropriate work-out method for improving the support qualities of the abdominal and lower back muscles.

Use of the Potentiation programme to optimise the effects of explosivity (sprints, jumps, squash, football, basket-ball, etc.) immediately before specific training or a competition

The Potentiation programme must not replace voluntary warm-up usually done before a competition. Activation of the cardiovascular system, short accelerations becoming progressively faster, practice starts and stretching will therefore be carried out by the athlete according to his normal routine. A Potentiation session of short duration (approximately 3 minutes) will be applied on the sprinter’s quadriceps immediately before the start of his race (or races, in the event of qualifying events). The specific muscular activation of the Potentiation programme allows the maximum level of performance to be attained in the very first seconds of the race.