Discover the Nmes Science behind the Magic with Dipulse Expert Victoria Sparkes
It's a common secret that diPulse products deliver magic, but the type of magic that is deeply rooted in science. Our team of experts works tirelessly to develop innovative top fitness wearables that make full use of NMES technology, already a game changer in the field. We have 20+ years of experience and industry-backed competence, trusted by athletes and experts to keep you moving towards your goals. Customers, elite sports people, business innovators, and even those who work in healthcare tell us daily how NMES is underused, and how we are at the forefront of revolutionizing muscle stimulation. Our products take NMES to another level - providing freedom of use, world-class targeted stimulation, and multiple programs on our app for whatever your goals - every new user is astounded. But let’s not tell you what we think, let's dig into the science behind the tech with diPulse expert Victoria Sparkes.
You have a lot of experience in multiple fields. How would you describe your background?
I qualified as a physiotherapist and worked clinically in the UK for 7 years while doing my master's. Just a year into my master's, I moved into teaching and research within the University setting where I taught neuroscience, my clinical specialism. I focused on neuro rehab focusing on patients with brain-injuries, stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, etc. There I finished my master's and did a PGCE, the UK teaching qualification before embarking on my doctorate.
During that time I moved to Switzerland. I wasn't able to work clinically or at the university because I had three small children, so I started my own business in a completely different field and ran it successfully for 10 years. I sold it in 2020 and came back to pursue my longtime passion – neuroscience. Between times, I worked as a research fellow for another UK University while also working as a consultant for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy reviewing their education programs. However, my absolute passion is neuroscience and rehabilitation and helping people alleviate symptoms caused by illness, trauma, or disease without the use of medication.
The absence of medication is indeed critical…
If you can achieve results through physical activity or any form of hands-on therapy, if you can do it through electrotherapy you don’t always require people to take medication. When someone has suffered a stroke, for example, it damages parts of the brain responsible for certain activities. Through neuroplasticity, other areas within the brain can be reassigned to create muscle activity and enable new movement. Being able to offer solutions for people that have experienced life-changing events has always been my priority.
How does NMES get into the picture when we talk about prehab?
NMES has a polarizing legacy in physiotherapy; some people love it and some people not so much. Those who genuinely apply NMES constructively realize it has a huge potential in helping people reeducate the movement and neural activity that they otherwise are unable to tap into. Some may argue that you can try and educate people to move independently of NMES, but this requires the movement to be the correct one, which often isn’t the case.
As a physio you see that people who have experienced neuro or musculoskeletal system damage rely on other muscles to compensate for physical inabilities which then create bigger problems. The cycle of deterioration can be quite rapid. Also in orthopedics, for instance, if someone has an osteoarthritic knee, you will often find their quads quite weak. Over time they'll be less and less active because the knees are painful so eventually they struggle to walk and may need a knee replacement. If the support of the quads isn’t there prior to surgery, then their post-op rehab will take longer. This is a simple example of prehab. Another role within prehab is that NMES could prevent the need for surgery altogether.
In this example, the main goal here is to reeducate the quads, getting them strong and working functionally again. Here, using muscle stimulation as a prehab tool is especially useful since the muscles can be activated and developed without having to move the painful joint. NMES wearables such as diPulse’s aren’t classed as medical devices but can be used under supervision from a physiotherapist, a doctor, or an experienced healthcare professional. We are currently working with both research institutes and groups of individuals who are interested themselves in how NMES can positively affect their own physical challenges - to develop the Therapeutic applications of the technology.
As an expert, which specific diPulse app program do you recommend for someone looking for active recovery?
I tend to suggest the Capillarization program. After you've played a sport or worked a particular muscle group really hard, the Capillarization program can be used to increase blood flow to the area and help remove lactate through active recovery. This way the muscle can get back to full working capacity quicker than in a passive recovery situation. Any of the diPulse massage programs are also really useful when activating Type I muscle fibres which are considered the drivers of lactate removal during active recovery.
