EMS and your heart: when to check first, and when it's a no
What the expert safety standards for whole-body EMS say about the heart, how we screen at AURORA, and what you can do if EMS isn't right for you.
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Based on the latest research available at the time of review
Whole-body EMS is a short, intense, guided workout. That's what many people like about it. It also means it isn't for everyone, and the heart is the area where the safety rules are strictest.
We'd rather tell you clearly before you come in than surprise you at the door. If you have a heart condition, an implanted device or take heart medicines, this post explains what the guidelines say and how we handle it.
In plain words
In a whole-body EMS session you wear a suit with pads over the main muscle groups, including the chest, abdomen and back. Small electrical impulses make your muscles contract while you move. It's a real training load for the whole body.
Two things matter for the heart. First, the current runs through pads on your trunk, close to where a pacemaker or defibrillator sits. Second, a whole-body workout asks your heart and circulation to work harder for a while. For most healthy adults that's fine. For some heart conditions, the experts who wrote the EMS safety standards say it isn't.
What the guidelines say
Most of the safety guidance for whole-body EMS comes from Germany, where the method is widespread. A group of researchers led by Professor Wolfgang Kemmler wrote the international guideline for safe WB-EMS in 2023. A German consensus updated the list of reasons not to do EMS in 2024, and the German DIN standard for EMS studios follows the same approach. We use these as our reference.
Implanted heart devices: always a no
If you have a pacemaker, an implanted defibrillator (ICD), a resynchronisation device, an implanted loop recorder or any other implanted electronic device, EMS is not possible at AURORA. That's true even with a note from your doctor.
The reason is interference. A device listens to your heart's own electrical signals, and outside electrical impulses can confuse it. European heart-rhythm specialists (EHRA 2022) say electrical stimulation in people with these devices should only happen after a device specialist has been consulted, with medical monitoring in place. That's a hospital setting, not a training studio.
Other heart conditions the standards rule out
The current expert list also rules out EMS in a non-medical setting for people with:
a diagnosed heart rhythm disorder
coronary heart disease or other narrowing of the arteries
a stent or bypass in the last six months
high blood pressure that isn't under control
heart failure or another serious heart or circulation condition
The 2024 consensus deliberately kept heart rhythm disorders on the "no" list because of how serious the consequences could be if something went wrong. Where research has used electrical muscle stimulation in heart patients, it took place in hospitals and heart centres, with doctors and monitoring.
Heart medicines and "skipped beats"
Maybe you've never had a diagnosis, but you take medicine for your heart, your blood pressure or to thin your blood. Or you sometimes feel palpitations or a fluttering, irregular beat. In both cases, please speak to your doctor before you book.
We'll be honest with you: seeing your doctor first doesn't always mean you'll be able to do EMS afterwards. If it turns out you have a heart rhythm disorder, the standards still say no, even with a doctor's note. Your doctor can tell you which kinds of exercise are right for you.
Check first
Here's how we keep EMS as safe as we can at AURORA:
Health questionnaire. Before your first session you fill in a short health questionnaire, as the international guideline recommends. Please include any heart device, heart rhythm problem, blood pressure issue or medicines you take. Answer it fully; it's there to protect you.
Tell us about changes. If anything changes, such as a new diagnosis, a new medicine or a procedure, tell your trainer before your next session.
Stop straight away. If you feel chest pain or pressure, palpitations, dizziness or unusual breathlessness during a session, tell the trainer at once. The session stops immediately. If symptoms don't settle, call 112.
If you're not sure whether something applies to you, ask your doctor first and tell us before you start. We're always happy to answer questions.
If EMS isn't right for you
If EMS is ruled out, full-body red light is something you could discuss with your doctor. No electrical current goes through your body, so interference with a heart device isn't the concern it is with EMS.
It still deserves a check. Some heart medicines, such as amiodarone, make the skin more sensitive to light, so ask your doctor first and tell us what you take. Red light isn't a substitute for exercise or for medical care, and we don't promise any particular effect.
At AURORA
Our EMS sessions are always guided by a trainer, either one-to-one or in a small group of up to 4. Each session is 30 minutes of EMS training, with breathing pauses when you need them, followed by a 5-minute EMS relax programme. In total that's about 35 minutes.
Red light sessions take place in one of our 3 private rooms. You lie in a ventilated full-body pod, usually for 12 to 15 minutes, adjusted to you, and you can open the pod and stop at any time.
Come and see us
Questions about whether EMS or red light suits you? Ask us before you book. We're at Carrer del Comerç 31, in El Born. Walk in, or see prices. More about our EMS training.
This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. AURORA is a wellness centre, not a medical clinic.
Sources
Götzinger F, et al. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Pharmacother. 2022;8(4):420–430. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcvp/pvac017
Kemmler W, et al. Front Physiol. 2023;14:1174103. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1174103
Stühlinger M, et al. Europace. 2022;24(9):1512–1537. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euac040
von Stengel S, et al. Front Sports Act Living. 2024;6:1371723. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2024.1371723
Last reviewed: October 2026. This post is based on the latest research available at the time of review. We follow new studies and update or correct this post when the evidence changes; outdated information is corrected or removed.
Changelog: Oct 2026 · Published.
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