Does EMS + Exercise Fix Abdominal Separation Better Than Exercise Alone? Mums, This Could Be the Game-Changer

A 2017 study published in the Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine tested whether adding neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES - a niche of EMS) to abdominal exercises could better heal postnatal abdominal separation than exercises alone. Sixty women, two months after giving birth, were split into two groups. One received NMES + exercises, the other did exercises only, for 8 weeks. Results were impressive: The NMES group achieved a 50% reduction in muscle gap (vs 26%) and far greater strength gains — up to 95% improvement in core power compared to 40% in the exercise-only group. Research Conclusion: NMES significantly boosts recovery of separated abdominal muscles after pregnancy.