Blog – Zerquera Integrative Medical Institute

Mesotherapy for Athletes: Reducing Body Fat

Mesotherapy is a treatment that has gained popularity for its ability to address various aesthetic and health needs. Let me explain how it works and, especially, its application for reducing body fat in athletes.

What is Mesotherapy?

Mesotherapy is a procedure where small amounts of medications, vitamins, and other nutrients are injected directly into the skin. This approach allows for precise treatment of specific issues, revitalizing and rejuvenating from within.

General Uses of Mesotherapy

-Skin Rejuvenation: Improves texture and radiance.
-Cellulite: Visibly reduces the orange peel appearance.
-Hair Loss: Strengthens and stimulates hair growth.

Mesotherapy for Athletes: Sculpting Your Physique and Reducing Fat

Mesotherapy for Athletes: Reducing Body Fat
Athletes often seek ways to optimize their performance and appearance. Here’s where mesotherapy can be a powerful ally:

How Does It Work?

Mesotherapy can help eliminate those stubborn fat deposits that persist even with intensive training. By targeting specific areas, this treatment contributes to:

Muscle Definition: Improves the appearance of muscles by reducing surface fat.
Quick Recovery: Thanks to its ingredients, it can promote faster and more effective recovery.
Natural Balance: Uses components that the body recognizes and processes easily.

Why Choose Mesotherapy?

-Precision: Focuses on specific areas, maximizing results.
-Ideal Complement: Works alongside diet and exercise, not in place of them.
-Personalization: Each treatment is tailored to the athlete’s individual needs.

Humanizing the Treatment

Imagine feeling lighter, more defined, with skin that reflects all the effort you put into your training. Mesotherapy not only treats but transforms, helping you look and feel your best.

Before starting, it’s always important to speak with a professional who understands your goals and can guide you through the process. Mesotherapy is more than a treatment; it’s a step toward an enhanced version of yourself. Dare to discover it!

Mesotherapy for Athletes: Reducing Body Fat

Electrolipolysis

Muscle Stimulation – Russian Current

Pablo Zerquera

Electrolipolysis

Electrolipolysis is applied with a specific low-frequency microcurrent (around 25 Hz) that acts directly on the level of adipocytes and lipids, producing their destruction and favoring their elimination (SORIANO, PÉREZ AND BARQUÉS, 2000). According to Assumpção and collaborators (2006), studies were carried out with alternating currents with asymmetric biphasic pulse and the results obtained were the same physiological effects of galvanic current and intense reduction of localized adipose layer.

Physiological effects:

According to Soriano, Perez and Baques (2000) and Assumpção et al. (2006), the electric field generated between the electrodes, locally causes a series of physiological modifications responsible for the phenomenon of electrolipolysis:

1. Joule effect: Electric current produces an increase in temperature, causing vasodilation with increased local blood flow. This stimulates local cell metabolism, facilitates calorie burning and improves cell trophism.

2. Electrolytic effect: The cell membrane is semi-permeable, separating two different ion conduction media: the intracellular medium which is electronegative and the extracellular medium which is electropositive. The electric field induces ionic movement that brings about modifications in the polarity of the cell membrane. The cell tries to maintain its normal electric potential of the membrane, thus consuming energy at the cellular level.

3. Effect of circulatory stimulation: Activation of microcirculation occurs partly through stimulation of electric current in innervations. It has been reported that 25 Hz frequency proved effective in the treatment of circulatory and congestive disorders.

4. Neurohormonal effect: Stimulation of a low-frequency electric current produces artificial stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, releasing catecholamines, increasing intracellular cyclic AMP and increasing triglyceride hydrolysis.

5. Electromechanical effect: Microelectric stimulation causes stimulation of connective tissue fibers under the skin, favoring lymphatic and blood drainage, thus improving skin quality and appearance.

Contraindications:

Soriano, Perez, and Baques (2000) and Assumpcao et al. (2006) mention some contraindications for electrolipolysis treatment:
1. Alteration of the sensitive area in the treatment region.
2. Hypersensitivity to electric current.
3. Procedures such as harsh peeling, use of acids, skin disorders, or any other factor that may cause irritation in the application site due to the passage of electric current.
4. Individuals with metal implants in the treated area.
5. Treatment on neoplastic tissue.
6. Over a cardiac pacemaker.
7. Individuals with cardiac disorders.
8. Pregnant women.
9. Circulatory pathologies such as deep vein thrombosis.
10. Patients with chronic renal conditions.”

Adverse reactions:

1-Hematomas
2-Eczema and hives
3-Rashes in the needle insertion site, caused by electric current.
4-Superficial necrotic points
5-Reactions that occur when the technique is applied improperly, for example:
-Pain during needle insertion.
-Bruising due to the perforation of superficial veins or -insertion into muscle tissue.
Bleeding upon needle removal.
Mild muscle contractions during needle insertion, indicating that the needle may have reached muscle tissue.

Indications:

1. Edematofibrosclerotic panniculopathy.
2. Localized fat.
3. As a surgical complement for nodules and retractions after liposuction.
4. Decrease in thigh, buttocks, and abdomen circumference.
5. There may be a discrete weight loss, local circulatory improvement, and improvement in the trophicity of the skin in the treated area.

Mesotherapy for Athletes: Reducing Body Fat

Electrolipolysis

Muscle Stimulation – Russian Current

Pablo Zerquera Russian Current

Muscle Stimulation – Russian Current

Currently, there is an agreement among researchers that the Russian current is an alternating current of medium frequency that can be modulated by “stripes and used for excitomotor purposes. According to Adel and Luykx (1990), the Soviet researcher who developed this type of current used 50Hz bursts because it is located approximately in the center of the frequency spectrum used for tetanic contractions of musculature (40 to (Borges, EVANGELISTA AND MARCHI 2006).

The choice of frequency (2000 to 4000Hz) was due to the duration of the absolute refractory period of the motor nerve which is in the band of 0.2 to 0.5ms (FURINI and LARGO apud COHEN AND ABDALLA, 2003).

The stimulation frequencies necessary for the uniform somatic tetanus result are different: for slow muscle filaments (tonic, type I, red and strong to fatigue), lower frequencies must be used; higher frequencies are used for fast muscle filaments (aphonic, type II, white and less strong to fatigue) (SCOTT, 1998).

According to some authors, to work the tonic filaments of a muscle with postural function, a frequency of 20 to 30Hz is necessary. If the option is to work aphonic filaments (more dynamic function), a modulated frequency of 50 to 150 is necessary (Borges, EVANGELISTA AND MARCHI 2006).

According to some authors, muscle electrostimulation with frequencies greater than its maximum repolarization / depolarization speed causes those filaments to depolarize at their own frequency, causing depolarization to be asynchronous.

This basically occurs for two reasons:
1. The possibility of the medium frequency having a value above the depolarization frequency, being able to coincide stimulation with the absolute refractory period, causing greater difficulty in repolarization.
2. High frequency can cause intense fatigue of the motor end plate. The nerve then demonstrates the phenomenon of accommodation, causing the refractory period to become longer over time.
To avoid what was mentioned above, we find in the Russian current the features of interruption. By virtue of the bursts, there is an interruption where the current is zero, favoring the prevention of motor end plate fatigue.
Modulation is the interruption of the medium frequency at low frequencies, allowing the work of different types of muscle filaments according to the appropriate speeds to depolarize each type of motor neuron (aphonic or tonic filament).

Alternating medium-frequency currents between 2000 and 4000Hz are used because they are relatively pleasant, rarely injure the skin and provide maximum tightness in the muscle when used with sufficient intensity.

One reason why electrostimulation is more effective is that voluntary exercise lies in the difference in recruitment of muscle filaments. At the beginning of the rehabilitation process, fast contraction filaments are generally not activated in order to avoid stress on the joint. Electrostimulation can work this type of filaments by choosing the most appropriate frequency (80Hz).

Muscle electrostimulation has gained ground in aesthetic treatments with the aim of minimizing flaccidity. It should be observed whether the site has a pile of fat in the region, as this makes current passage difficult, with the possibility of uselessness.

Voluntary muscle contraction can be incentivized, as it seeks to boost results. If performed, the ON time should be reduced (1 to 2 seconds) and the OFF time adjusted to 3 to 4 seconds.

The total session time for beginners should be 10 to 20 minutes per muscle group and 30 to 40 minutes for treatments requiring greater conditioning (athletes, physical activity practitioners) (Borges, EVANGELISTA AND MARCHI 2006).

Muscle contraction process

Neural action potential: Nerve signals are transmitted through action potentials. This part of the normal negative resting potential moves to a positive potential and ends with a rapid variation returning to the negative potential. In the resting stage, the membrane is “polarized” due to the membrane potential being negative between -70mV and -90mV (depending on the diameter of the nerve and muscle filament). Membrane depolarization occurs when influenced by sodium influx, leaving it positive, and repolarization occurs when potassium diffuses out of the cell leaving the membrane negative again.

Myelinated filaments have an envelope called the myelin sheath. It consists of Schwann cells and reduces ion flow through the membrane by up to 5000 times, having an insulating function. At the junction between two Schwann cells remains a small uninsulated region called the node of Ranvier. The action potential in myelinated strands occurs only in these regions, carrying out saltatory conduction, increasing nerve transmission speed and conserving energy for the filament.

The neuromuscular junction: The nerve filaments, after penetrating the muscle belly, branch out and stimulate the muscle filaments. Each of the nerve endings form a neuromuscular junction. The motor end plates are constituted of these branching terminations that invaginate in the plasmatic membrane, where there is a high concentration of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (GUYTON AND HALL, 2002).

Muscle contraction mechanism:

– The action potential occurs along the motor nerve to its terminations in the muscle filaments;
– The nerve secretes acetylcholine.
– Acetylcholine opens channels through protein molecules in the muscle filament membrane.
– Sodium ions flow into the membrane of the muscle filament triggering the action potential.
– The action potential propagates.
– Depolarization occurs with the release of calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the myofibrils.
– The actin and myosin filaments slide past each other, causing muscle contraction.
– Removal of the calcium ions, ending contraction.

According to research carried out by Pires (2004), the electrical activity was analyzed before, during and after neuromuscular electrostimulation with low and medium frequency. The results indicated a statistically significant difference (p <0.05) between groups and at all times studied, revealing greater fatigue presence in the group stimulated with low frequency (GUYTON AND HALL, 2002).

The case study described by Borges and Valentin (2002) on flaccidity and rectoabdominal distention in the postpartum period of a normal delivery achieved as a result the reduction of the abdominal perimeter by shortening of this musculature in its longitudinal dimension.

On the other hand, following up on the results achieved through the use of the tape measure led to the conclusion that there was also a transverse reduction in the distance between the two muscle segments tested. In addition to this, subjective evaluation and regular follow-up of patients showed improvement in tone and muscle trophism.

The study cited above showed favorable results that justify its use in puerperal therapy. Satisfactory improvement could be observed in the flaccidity picture that patients presented and treatment was able to reduce measurements by shortening the rectoabdominal in its longitudinal dimension. With the use of the tape measure, the reduction of the dietase was evident in a shorter period than the physiological one. This fact is very important, as it was able to demonstrate a rapid improvement in abdominal muscle function.

Analgesia can also be verified when used at a frequency of 4000Hz with modulation of 4 to 6Hz (similar to acupuncture TENS) for chronic pain and 100Hz for acute pains (similar to conventional TENS) (Borges, EVANGELISTA AND MARCHI 2000)

Physiological effects.

he muscle undergoes physiological adaptations when prolonged electrostimulation is performed. High amplitude electrostimulation with few repetitions (10-16 contraction cycles) is used when increasing muscle strength and hypertrophy is desired. Electrostimulation applied for over 3 weeks using low amplitude and a high number of repetitions (10 contractions) produces increased endurance and biochemical modifications such as: increased oxidative activity of myoglobin, mitochondria and capillary number, causing the temporary transformation of aphasic (white) muscle filaments to tonic (red) (AGNE, 2004).

Contraindications:

– Recent bone fractures.
– Active bleeding;
– Phlebitis, thrombophlebitis and embolisms
– Cardiac pacemaker:
– Acute or infectious inflammatory processes
– Tumor processes,
– Areas with altered or absent sensation:
– Myopathies that prevent normal muscle contraction;
– Unconsolidated fractures:
– Spasticity;
– Muscular, tendon or ligament lesions

Precautions:

– Do not place electrodes over the area comprising the carotid artery, or the anterolateral region of the neck;

– If the muscle is contracted excessively and suddenly, muscle injury may occur;

– Check that the electrodes are well fitted and with sufficient gel quantity.

Indications:

Muscle relaxation.
Activation of circulation.
Increase and improve the atrophied part.
Regain the sensation of muscle contraction in cases of loss of synesthesia.
Regain the sensation of muscle tone.
Improve physical performance in high-level sports.
Increase and maintain muscle strength.
Improve joint stability.
Postural disorders.
Analgesia (4000Hz).
Minimize muscle flaccidity
PRE and post-surgical.
After immobilization period.

Mesotherapy for Athletes: Reducing Body Fat

Electrolipolysis

Muscle Stimulation – Russian Current

Pablo Zerquera Phisical Therapy

Electrical Nerve Stimulation Through the Skin (TENS)

TENS is a low-frequency current used for therapeutic purposes. Stimulation devices that send electric current through the intact surface of the skin are considered TENS. There are several types of TENS, including Conventional TENS, Acupuncture TENS, Brief Intense TENS, and Burst TENS (AGNE, 2004).

Conventional TENS

Conventional TENS selectively activates the AB filaments without activating the pain-related filaments: C and A8. Through experiences, it is believed that conventional TENS produces segmental anesthesia, with rapid onset and termination, localized in the dermatome. Users report feeling comfortable paresthesia below the electrodes.

During conventional TENS, currents are usually sent with frequencies between 10 and 200 p.p.s, with a duration of 100-200 microseconds, and pulse amplitude dosed to produce strong paresthesia. The pulse manifestation is generally continuous, although conventional TENS can be sent in “bursts” or “trains”. This fact has been described by some authors as Burst TENS (HOWE and TREVOR, 2003).

Acupuncture TENS

Defined as the induction of phasic muscle contractions, which are not painful, in the myotomes related to the site of pain. The purpose is to selectively activate the small-diameter filaments originating in the muscles (ergoreceptors) through the induction of phasic muscle twitches. Therefore, acupuncture TENS is performed on the motor points of the efferent filaments Ac, creating a silent muscle twitch that results in the activity of the ergoreceptors.

Evidence suggests that acupuncture TENS creates extrasegmental anesthesia in a similar way to that suggested for acupuncture (HOWE and TREVOR, 2003).

Brief Intense TENS

The purpose of brief intense TENS is to activate cutaneous efferents by emitting the current over the peripheral nerves originating from the site of pain at an intensity that is just tolerable for the patient. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is performed on the site of pain or the main nerve bundle where the pain originates. Tolerable intensities are used for the patient. Since it is an uncomfortable current, it can be emitted for a short period of time.

It has been shown that the activity in cutaneous efferents, induced by brief intense TENS, produces peripheral blockade of nociceptive efferent activity and segmental and extrasegmental anesthesia (HOWE and TREVOR, 2003).

Variable Intensity Frequency (VIF) TENS

TENS current that varies in intensity and frequency. The irregularity increases therapeutic efficacy, avoiding accommodation, producing an excitomotor effect and an antalgic vibration (AGNE, 2004; TRIBIOLI, 2003).

Burst TENS

The base frequency of Burst TENS is 100Hz and the bursts (repetitions of pulses in a certain time) are fixed at 2Hz (AGNE, 2004).

Physiological Effects

The physiological effects of TENS can be subdivided into analgesic and non-analgesic effects. The analgesic effects are used for symptomatic pain relief. The non-analgesic effects are used for restoring blood flow to ischemic tissues and wounds, although there is a lack of publications on this topic (JOHNSON, 2003).

Contraindications

According to Frampton (1998), TENS is a safe method. In general, contraindications are based on common sense and are mentioned to avoid possible litigation.

Do not use TENS in people who:

Use pacemakers.
Have heart disease or arrhythmias.
Have undiagnosed pain.
Have epilepsy and do not have proper medical attention and advice.
Are in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Do not use TENS in the following areas of the body:

Mouth.
Carotid sinus.
Anesthetized or altered sensitivity skin.
Abdomen during pregnancy.
Near the eyeball.

Precautions:
The basic safety principles, according to Frampton (1998), are:

Keep electrodes and application instruments out of the reach of children.
Do not use TENS while driving or when using potentially dangerous equipment.
Unplug the device before applying and removing the electrodes.

Adverse reactions

The waveform of TENS does not cause polar effects, so it does not cause adverse dermatological reactions (AGNE, 2004). Patients may experience skin irritation or welts below or around the electrodes. This is due to dermatitis at the contact site with the electrodes due to constituents of the coupling gel or adhesive tape (FRAMPTON, 1998).

Indications

TENS is mainly used for the symptomatic management of acute and chronic pain of benign origin. TENS is applied through pulsed currents sent through the intact surface of Translation:

What is Mesotherapy?

Mesotherapy for Athletes: Sculpting Your Physique and Reducing Fat

Why Choose Mesotherapy?

Recommended Articles

Physiological effects:

Contraindications:

Adverse reactions:

Indications:

Recommended Articles

Muscle contraction process

Muscle contraction mechanism:

Physiological effects.

Contraindications:

Precautions:

Indications:

Recommended Articles

Conventional TENS

Acupuncture TENS

Brief Intense TENS

Variable Intensity Frequency (VIF) TENS

Burst TENS

Physiological Effects

Contraindications

Adverse reactions

Indications

Recommended Articles

Health in One Click

Dr. Pablo Zerquera