Muscle and Joint Pain Relief, Without Drugs
Drug-free wearable support for an identified sore muscle or joint, without guessing at the cause.
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 muscle and 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.
Make Sense of the Location Before Choosing Support
A sore thigh after activity and an aching wrist during work may both interrupt your day, but they need different positioning and may have different causes. Note whether pain is in one identifiable area or spread across several. Unexplained or widespread aches deserve advice rather than being treated as routine soreness.
Wearable Support for Muscle and Joint Pain
ActiPatch® offers adjunctive relief for musculoskeletal pain, meaning pain in muscles, joints, and related structures. It can be used alongside your current care at an identified painful area. It does not explain why several areas hurt or treat a condition affecting the body as a whole.
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 a sore muscle
- Over the joint where pain is felt
- On the area of greatest musculoskeletal discomfort
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.
Quick fit check
- Do: On the skin, or over thin clothing such as a T-shirt or leggings.
- Avoid: No thick fabric between the loop and your skin.
- Avoid: Movement and clothing can move it. Recheck after moving.
- 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: Follow the supplied instructions to secure the loop over one identifiable sore area and check alignment during movement. Avoid open wounds. If the pain is widespread or hard to locate, consult a clinician instead of guessing at placement.
Track One Identifiable Pain Site
Getting started
Choose an identified painful muscle or joint and note discomfort during a familiar daily task.
With regular use
Compare pain at that same site during similar tasks. Record new or spreading symptoms separately.
At 7 days
Check in with your doctor if the pain changes, gets worse, or isn't easing after a few weeks. Fever, a hot swollen joint, or new weakness needs earlier assessment.
Response and timing vary; some people may not experience relief. Pain relief does not mean the underlying condition has changed.
Safety and when to stop
Not a Cure: ActiPatch® is intended for adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain, not a cure for muscle and 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.
Make a broad ache easier to describe
Start with location: is the discomfort spread through a muscle or centered around a joint? Then note how long it lasts, what movement brings it on, and whether stiffness accompanies it. These descriptions can help a clinician understand a broad complaint such as aching all over, but they do not establish a diagnosis.
Several painful areas need context
Repeated use, unfamiliar activity, and strains may contribute to muscle aches; joints have several possible causes of pain too. More than one area can hurt at once. ActiPatch® provides additional pain relief where placed, but cannot explain multiple painful areas or address a systemic condition, meaning a condition that affects the body more broadly.
When aches need more than self-care
Seek care for a hot, markedly swollen joint, severe pain after injury, or pain with fever. New weakness, spreading numbness, or unexplained widespread aches also need assessment. Persistent discomfort deserves a conversation about its cause. Do not assume that an over-the-counter wearable can replace evaluation just because the symptoms sound like everyday aches.
Choose an identifiable area of discomfort
Place the loop over one identifiable painful muscle or joint as the supplied instructions direct. A sore thigh and a painful wrist call for different positioning, so use the actual site of discomfort as your guide. Avoid open wounds. If pain is widespread or difficult to locate, consult a clinician rather than guessing at placement.
Check alignment during everyday movement
Clothing can move the loop when a muscle or joint bends underneath it. Check placement during your usual activities and secure it on skin with the included tape or a wrap, or over a thin t-shirt or leggings. Avoid thick layers. The device is not waterproof, so take it off before showering, bathing, or swimming.
What does the published evidence say?
Rawe and Kotak's 2015 UK registry recorded users' own reports of chronic pain. Its mixed population provides background for musculoskeletal aches, but the study was observational: people were not randomly assigned to active therapy or a sham, meaning an inactive device. Without that comparison, it cannot prove a benefit for a specific muscle or joint or predict your response. It concerns pain relief, not treatment of underlying conditions. The science page explains how to read the registry alongside controlled studies.
Source: Rawe and Kotak, Pain Management, 2015. Read the ActiPatch® science overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore ActiPatch® for Muscle and Joint Pain
Explore a wearable option for localized musculoskeletal pain. Individual responses vary.