Studied in people who were already taking pain medicine
The trials compare ActiPatch® with a placebo device. The surveys follow real users at home with no placebo group, so read them as what users reported, not proof of cause. Individual results vary.
Customer survey
72%
of users taking pain medication reduced it
In the manufacturer's US and Canada customer survey, 70% of responders were taking pain medication. Of those, 72% reported using less, and average pain relief was 50%.
Users followed for 3 months, including opioid users, reported moderate to complete elimination of pain medication. 70% also slept better, 74% were more active and 84% reported better quality of life.
Knee osteoarthritis patients wore it 12 hours a day for a month. 8 of 30 on ActiPatch® stopped NSAIDs or painkillers, compared with 1 of 30 on an identical placebo device.
Explore the manufacturer's collection of studies, surveys and charts.
How ActiPatch® compares on everyday convenience
Six practical wear-and-use differences, with sources in the full comparison. This is about convenience, not which device relieves pain better.
ActiPatch® refers to Model 088 and HFIT to Hinge Enso. TENS and NMES are categories of typical surface-electrode units, not single products. Each Yes or No describes the standard form of that category; the note under it names exceptions.
Yes
No
Scroll sideways to compare all four columns.
Convenience features of ActiPatch® PSWT, conventional TENS, HFIT (Hinge Enso) and NMES. Descriptions of model differences are not ratings of pain relief or of an entire device category.
Everyday use
ActiPatch®Pulsed Shortwave Therapy (PSWT)
Conventional TENSNerve stimulation
HFITHinge Enso
NMESMuscle stimulation
No skin electrodes
YesNo pads or electrodes
NoAdhesive pads go on the skin
NoSkin-contact gel pads
NoSkin-contact electrodes
Over thin clothing
YesOn skin or over thin clothing
NoPads go on bare skin
NoGel pads go on bare skin
NoElectrodes need skin contact
All-day wear
Yes12–24 hours/day; up to 720 operating hours for Model 088
NoTimed sessions in the cited examples; PM400 shuts off after 15 minutes
NoTreatment sessions, with length selected in the app
NoProgram-based sessions; duration depends on the selected program
No phone app
YesNo app
YesOn-device controls; some models add an app
NoApp-controlled
YesOn-device controls; some systems add an app
No external wires
YesSelf-contained, no wires
NoLead wires from the unit to the pads; wireless models exist
YesWireless
NoLead wires from the unit to the electrodes
No charging
YesSealed built-in battery, fixed therapy hours
NoReplaceable batteries or rechargeable models
NoRechargeable battery; charging required
NoCompex SP 2.0 uses a rechargeable pack; check your model
Compare the features you need, then check the exact model's instructions. The full comparison names the examples and links to manufacturer documents.
ActiPatch® is FDA-cleared (510(k) K192234) for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. These counts cover selected ActiPatch® clinical publications, not laboratory studies or studies of other devices. Study conditions and protocols differ, and individual results vary.
Published records
6
Each paper counted once
Randomized controlled trials
3
Library design label: RCT
Publication years
2012–2021
Earliest to latest record
What do clearance and research tell us?
FDA clearance identifies the device's permitted use; it is not an endorsement or a guarantee of results. The ActiPatch® pain trials did not measure circulation, tissue repair or inflammation.
Individual experiences vary. Many people report noticing relief within a few hours; for some, it can take up to four days of consistent wear. Keep following the package directions and do not change medications or prescribed care without speaking with your healthcare provider.
RCT2016 · Rheumatology (Oxford)
Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial
Bagnato GL, Miceli G, Marino N, Sciortino D, Bagnato GF
In a four-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled ActiPatch® trial in knee osteoarthritis, 66 people were randomized and 60 completed the study. The investigators reported improvements in pain and physical function compared with placebo. Participants wore the device 12 hours a day.
Pulsed Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Therapy: A Potential Novel Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis
Brook J, Dauphinee DM, Korpinen J, Rawe IM
A seven-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial studied nightly use for plantar fasciitis. Among 70 participants who completed the study, the active-treatment group reported a greater reduction in morning pain than the placebo group.
In a 4-week neck-pain trial, ActiPatch® users took fewer rescue painkiller doses than the prescription-drug comparison group.
200 adults with neck osteoarthritis: 6.7 rescue paracetamol doses with ActiPatch® versus 13.4 with etoricoxib. This single-center, manufacturer-funded trial was not blinded and had no sham group. The ActiPatch® group was older and had more pain at baseline.
Use alongside prescribed care. Ask your clinician before changing medicines.
What pulsed electromagnetic therapy does in the body
Pulsed electromagnetic therapy has also been studied in wounds, in the skin cells that close them, and in blood vessels. These studies used other pulsed devices, some at different frequencies from ActiPatch®.
Randomized trial · 72 women
Better wound healing by day 7
After cesarean section, women treated with a pulsed electromagnetic device had better wound healing at day 7, with no fluid, redness or swelling, than women with a sham device. Half as many had severe pain in the first day, and they used about half the painkillers.
Studied with RecoveryRx®, a prescription-only device.
Fibroblasts are the cells that rebuild skin. Fibroblasts taken from slow-healing leg ulcers grew faster and closed a scratch "wound" in the dish faster after a 27.1 MHz pulsed field, catching up to cells from healthy skin.
People with high blood pressure used a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) device for 12 weeks or joined a control group. Arteries in the PEMF group widened better when blood flow increased, a key sign of healthy vessels, and their blood pressure dropped. The control group did not change.
ActiPatch® is FDA-cleared for musculoskeletal pain, not for wound care. A separate prescription-only device, RecoveryRx®, is used for post-operative therapy. Talk to your clinician about any wound that isn't healing.For providersIn the provider portal, clinicians prescribe and order RecoveryRx® for post-operative use.For patientsIn their patient account, patients with a prescription order RecoveryRx®. ActiPatch® can be chosen and bought in both portals.Shop ActiPatch®For everyday muscle and joint pain, ActiPatch® is available without a prescription.
Choose your pack
Each device gives 720 therapy hours. More devices let you cover a second area or keep a spare.
Single pack
1 device plus adhesive tape
Double pack
2 devices plus adhesive tape
Triple pack
3 devices plus adhesive tape
Free shipping on ActiPatch® single, double, and triple packs (US addresses only, through December 31, 2026)
ActiPatch® is an FDA-cleared device (510(k) K192234) for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. FDA clearance is not an endorsement or a guarantee of results. Survey and registry results are self-reported and have no placebo group. Individual results vary.
Pack contents, therapy hours and wear guidance come from the manufacturer directions for use. Prices come from the live store.
The Pain Check is educational and is not a diagnosis or medical advice. Do not stop or change any medication without talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
Essential questions and safety
Who should not use it
Do not use if you have a cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, or other active implanted metallic or electronic device.
Do not use if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
Not for use by or on children under 17.
Do not use for sudden or unexplained pain, or if the cause of the pain is unknown. Not for pain deep in the body such as the chest or stomach, and not for cancer-related pain.
The device is not sterile. Do not place it in direct contact with open wounds.
Check in with your doctor if the pain changes, gets worse, or isn't easing after a few weeks. If you are under a doctor's care, consult your doctor before use.
