Joint Pain Relief, Without Drugs
A drug-free option for arthritis-related joint pain, with a clear role alongside your existing care.
ActiPatch® is a drug-free wearable, FDA 510(k)-cleared (K192234) for over-the-counter (OTC) adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. It offers up to 720 therapy hours and can be used alongside other care for musculoskeletal pain associated with arthritis & joint pain. Results vary; it does not treat the underlying condition.
Take the 5-minute Pain Check for this area
Less pain. More everyday life.
ActiPatch® offers drug-free, wearable relief for everyday musculoskeletal pain, including back, knee, shoulder, neck, foot and heel pain, and muscle and joint aches.
Wear it for hours as directed, with no drugs, no appointments to use it, and up to 720 therapy hours per device.
Rest and recharge
When pain eases, it can be easier to settle down for sleep and feel ready for the day.
Keep your independence
When pain eases, it can be easier to stay active, manage everyday tasks, and focus at work.
Make room for connection
When pain eases, it can be easier to enjoy family and friends, nurture relationships, and make space for a brighter mood.
In a 6-month ActiPatch® follow-up, 60% reported better sleep and 53% were more active.
Staelin, Koneru, and Rawe (2019) followed 240 users who had relief in week 1. Self-reported, with no placebo group. Individual results vary.
Read the ActiPatch® research and its limitationsMood and relationship benefits are possibilities of less pain, not measured ActiPatch® results.
ActiPatch® is FDA cleared (510(k) K192234) for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain.
Arthritis Is More Than One Condition
A painful wrist, shoulder, or knee can change how you approach ordinary tasks. Arthritis is an umbrella term for several joint conditions, not another name for osteoarthritis alone. The affected joints and the pattern of pain, swelling, or morning stiffness help a clinician work out what care is appropriate.
Pain Support, Not Arthritis Treatment
ActiPatch® offers adjunctive relief for musculoskeletal joint pain and can be used alongside care for your diagnosed condition. It does not change the underlying joint disease. Evidence from a knee osteoarthritis study should not be generalized to every joint or every type of arthritis.
Where to Place It
Wear ActiPatch® directly on the skin secured with the included tape or wrap, or over thin/light clothing such as a t-shirt or leggings. Keep the loop close to the skin and avoid thick layers between the device and skin. Follow the package insert for positioning.
Where to Place It
- Over the painful area of a knee
- Over a sore wrist joint, following the supplied positioning instructions
- Over the painful area of a shoulder
Put it on in four steps
- 1Find the spotPick the one area that hurts most, using the map above.
- 2Center the loopPlace the loop so the sore spot sits in the middle of it.
- 3Secure itUse the included tape or a wrap, as the package insert directs.
- 4Switch on, then recheckCheck the loop is still centered after moving the joint.
Quick fit check
- Do: On the skin, or over thin clothing such as a T-shirt or leggings.
- Avoid: No a thick brace or sleeve between the loop and your skin.
- Avoid: Movement of the joint can move it. Recheck after moving the joint.
- Avoid: Keep it off open wounds and broken skin.
- Do: Made for everyday wear, including activity and sweating, with IP22-rated water protection. Remove before showering, bathing, or swimming.
Tip for this area: Placement depends on which joint hurts. Secure the loop as directed in the package insert, keep it off open wounds, and check its position when the joint moves.
Follow One Joint's Pain Pattern
Getting started
Choose one painful joint and note discomfort during a familiar task, rather than combining several joints into one pain rating.
With regular use
Compare pain in that joint during similar activities. Keep track of new swelling or pain in other joints separately.
At 7 days
Check in with your doctor if the pain changes, gets worse, or isn't easing after a few weeks. A suddenly hot, red, swollen joint needs earlier assessment.
Responses and timing vary; ActiPatch® does not change the underlying joint disease.
Safety and when to stop
Not a Cure: ActiPatch® is intended for adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain, not a cure for arthritis & joint pain.
Water Resistance: Made for everyday wear, including activity and sweating, with IP22-rated water protection. Remove before showering, bathing, or swimming.
Contraindications: Do not use if you have a cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, or other active implanted metallic or electronic device. Follow the supplied instructions for use.
Pregnancy: Do not use if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
Not for children: Not for use by or on children under 17.
Pain of unknown cause: 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.
Open wounds: The device is not sterile. Do not place it in direct contact with open wounds.
If pain does not ease: 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.
See the package insert for full contraindications, warnings, and precautions.
Research and background (optional reading)
Technology and Evidence
ActiPatch® is a self-contained wearable that uses pulsed shortwave therapy for drug-free pain support, with no noticeable heat or tingling sensation from the device. There are no electrode pads or wires to connect. FDA 510(k) K192234 clears ActiPatch® for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Read the evidence below and the science overview for study limits and technical details.
Each trial's design, size, and findings are summarized on the ActiPatch® Science page.
Map which joints hurt and when
A painful hand, knee, and shoulder do not necessarily share a cause. Note which joints ache, whether movement brings on pain, and how long stiffness lasts after rest. Symptoms can vary from day to day. Sharing that pattern at an appointment helps a clinician consider more than the joint that happens to hurt most today.
Arthritis is not a single diagnosis
Arthritis covers several joint conditions. Osteoarthritis is one possible source of pain, while overuse, strain, and other conditions can produce similar symptoms. ActiPatch® can be used alongside other care for musculoskeletal pain. It is not disease-modifying, meaning it does not change the underlying disease, and cannot replace assessment of an undiagnosed painful joint.
A hot, swollen joint needs attention
Seek prompt assessment if a joint suddenly becomes very red, hot, swollen, or painful, especially with fever. Significant injury or inability to bear weight also calls for care. If several joints become painful or morning stiffness persists, discuss this with a clinician. Do not dismiss a new pattern as ordinary wear and tear.
Focus on the joint that hurts now
Place the loop over the currently painful joint as directed in the package insert. A knee, wrist, and shoulder require different positioning, so use the painful area as your guide rather than copying placement from another joint. Avoid broken skin. Pain that shifts between joints deserves discussion with a clinician, not just repeated repositioning.
Keep your existing care plan in view
Check placement after dressing and during activities that move the joint. Secure the loop on skin with the included tape or a wrap, or over thin clothing such as leggings; avoid heavy fabric underneath. Keep it dry and remove before bathing or swimming. Do not change prescribed medication without advice from your clinician.
What does the published evidence say?
Rawe and Kotak's 2015 UK registry provides observational evidence from self-reported pain in a mixed chronic-pain population. It was not a joint-specific trial with a sham, or inactive-device, comparison, and cannot establish a response for any particular form of arthritis. The science page also discusses a separate randomized knee osteoarthritis study. Its knee findings should not be extended to all joints or all types of arthritis. These studies concern pain relief, not treatment of the underlying joint disease.
Source: Rawe and Kotak, Pain Management, 2015. Read the ActiPatch® science overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Drug-Free Support for Joint Pain
Explore pain support that does not replace care for the underlying joint condition.