The Contour Ab belt is an exercise belt designed to be worn around the waist. It uses electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) with the aim of strengthening and toning muscles without the wearer having to exercise. There is a significant amount of controversy over the manufacturer's claims and the effectiveness of the belts.
Electronic Muscle Stimulation
Electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) is often used by physiotherapist to help patients strengthen muscles after injury or long periods of inactivity. The FDA has approved this machine for this purpose. The machine works by applying a low level of electronic stimulation to the muscles, causing muscles to contract and relax. The level of stimulations may be adjusted by the physiotherapist.
Significance
Some users may have found the Contour belt has helped with muscle toning while others have had little results. According to the FDA, although an EMS device may help to strengthen and tone muscles temporarily, there is no evidence to suggest that the devices can help with weight loss or with the reduction of the waistline, or in the production of hard abdominal muscles.
Complaints
A number of customer complaints have been posted online about the price of the Contour ab belt, and expressing confusion over the trial period. The marketers offer the Contour ab belt for a trial period of 30 days. The fee for the trail period is $14.95, as of 2010. Many consumers have found that they did not receive their Contour belt until the trial period was almost over. If you do not cancel the trial and return the Contour belt, the full charge for keeping the unit is $200, as of 2010.
Considerations
There are a number of abdominal toning systems similar to the Contour ab belt on the market. In 2002, the Federal Trade Commission filed complaint against the then top three best-selling electronic muscle stimulation systems. These were Ab Energizer, Ab Tronic and Fast Abs. The complaints alleged that the items were falsely represented by claims that these machines could cause fat loss and that they were superior to conventional exercises such as sit-ups and crunches.
Warning
The FDA has also expressed concerns about reported side effects from some of these devices, such as skin rashes, burns, bruising and pain. According to the FDA, some of the injuries were so severe that the patients had to seek hospital treatment, and there have also been reports of EMS belts interfering with pacemakers. The FDA advises users to read the instructions carefully and make sure the devices comply with electrical safety standards.
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