The application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) technologies in cancer care

Despite the increase in long term cancer survivors, successful treatment is associated with significant sequelae. As a result, participation in voluntary exercise becomes difficult highlighting the need for pragmatic alternatives. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been shown as effective in pathological conditions for improving muscle strength. However, its use in cancer care is sparse and has provided equivocal results. This paper outlines a proposed approach to the design, development, evaluation and implementation of NMES technology into cancer pathways. The proposed process comprises four stages; 1) understanding the clinical challenges faced by survivors, 2) identify the benefits of NMES in this cohort, 3) the design of the NMES protocol, 4) the evaluation of the protocol in cancer survivors, and 5) the implementation of the protocol into cancer care pathways. In this paper, we outline advancements in NMES technology which may be utilised to simultaneously improve indices of cardiovascular exercise capacity and skeletal muscle strength.