The Best Muscle Stimulator

Buying Guide

If you’ve ever suffered a muscle injury, you probably know the important role your muscles play in keeping your body going. It’s so important, in fact, that many people spend hours at the gym, working hard to tone and strengthen their muscles.

Electric muscle stimulators can be used for a variety of purposes. If you’ve suffered a muscle injury, these devices can send electrical impulses to the target area and possibly provide relief. Known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), this technology has been able to reduce reliance on pain medications for some chronic sufferers, making it a popular form of alternative medical therapy.

But electric muscle stimulators can do more than help with pain. Some have found that using these devices can also help strengthen muscles, especially following an injury. If this is true, it may have the benefit of accelerating healing, possibly reducing the source of pain for quicker relief.

But, keep in mind that using an electric muscle stimulator isn’t a substitute for going to the gym, says physical therapist Tim Fraticelli.

“If you’re looking to build muscle, a muscle stimulator or EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) machine is not the solution,” he says. “EMS machines are best used for pain relief and muscle recovery after a workout.”

In addition to electrical currents, some stimulators provide massaging action and pain relief specific to arthritis. It’s also important to choose a device that has an easy-to-read display screen and settings that can be easily changed to improve your experience. If you feel like portability or having a belt clip will better suit your lifestyle, those are features to look for as well.

The electric muscle stimulation happens through the use of pads that adhere directly to the skin. You’ll need to check into the cost to replace those pads since they’ll deplete on an ongoing basis. You should also look for pads that adhere reliably to the skin without being painful to remove.

Before starting any electric muscle stimulation program, it’s important to check with your doctor to make sure it’s safe. While some doctors will steer patients toward traditional medicine, most will at least let you know if any real danger exists in a particular alternative treatment.

• Before using an electric muscle stimulator, check with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you. Those with pacemakers and other implanted metallic or electronic devices should steer clear of them, as well as those with heart rhythm issues.
• While you’re recovering from an injury, strengthening your muscles can help you heal faster and prevent future problems. Some models operate as both a TENS device and an electrical muscle stimulator to do both at the same time.
• Frequency can make a difference in the relief you’ll get. Some simulators use high-frequency stimulation to improve results.
• With electric muscle stimulators, you’ll usually rely on a display to find out what’s going on. Look for a stimulator that has a display that shows the massage style, the time remaining and the intensity of the current stimulation. Others have a bright, easy-to-read, backlit display to make it easy to monitor activity.
• When you’re in pain or recovering from an injury, the last thing you want to do is struggle with an electronic device for hours.
• Consider a muscle stimulator that clearly spells out the difference between its various settings, Fraticelli advises. “Look for EMS machines with easy-to-adjust settings and clear instructions on how to use for pain relief versus active muscle recovery after a workout,” he says.
• A timer can come in handy when you’re starting any sort of muscle therapy program. Look for a stimulator that has a timer you can set for between 5 and 60 minutes.
• A belt clip can come in handy if you’re wandering around while using your stimulator.
• Electric muscle stimulators rely on battery power, so check into what yours requires before you buy. Some stimulators run on three AAA batteries, which are included with your initial purchase. Others rely on rechargeable batteries rather than disposable ones that you can change out, and you’ll get up to 10 hours of continuous use on one charge. When you have to replace those batteries, though, you may have trouble tracking them down since they aren’t available everywhere.
• For a wide variety of pain relief options, pay close attention to the stimulators that have specialized modes for arthritis, strength and recovery.
• If you’re interested in going beyond pain relief, you may want to consider a model that offers 14 different massage modes.
• Muscle stimulators work through pads that attach to the skin.
• Portability is a consideration if you plan to use your device at the office or while taking care of errands.
• Electric muscle stimulators are surprisingly affordable.