Sports Injury Pain Relief, Without Drugs

A drug-free pain-support option with clear limits: less pain is not permission to return to sport.

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 sports injuries. Results vary; it does not treat the underlying condition.

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Illustrative ActiPatch placement examples while golfing: upper arm, shin, and upper back
ActiPatch® on the golf course, taped at the upper arm, upper back and front of the knee.

Soreness and a New Injury Need Different Decisions

A muscle ache after unfamiliar exercise is a different pattern from sharp pain during a twist or landing. Sprains affect ligaments, the bands connecting bones; strains affect muscles or tendons. New pain, swelling, or bruising can need assessment before you decide what activity is safe.

Wearable Support for Sports Injury Pain

ActiPatch® offers adjunctive relief for musculoskeletal pain and can be used alongside clinician-recommended care. Its role is pain support, not treatment of the injury or a shortcut back to training. It does not repair injured tissue or speed recovery, and a change in pain does not establish readiness to play.

Drug-free support over an identified sore muscle or joint
Can be used alongside an appropriate rehabilitation plan
Pain relief only, not a return-to-sport clearance

Evaluate Pain Without Testing the Injury

1

Before use

Have a new or significant injury assessed. Note discomfort during permitted daily activities rather than repeating the movement that caused the injury.

2

With regular use

Track pain during those permitted activities. Do not increase training simply because pain feels different.

3

At 7 days

If pain does not improve after 7 days of use, stop and consult a doctor. A major impact, rapid swelling, or inability to bear weight needs prompt assessment.

Response and timing vary; some people may not experience relief. Pain relief does not mean the underlying condition has changed.

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.

  • Over the sore muscle
  • Over a painful joint area
  • Near the site of tendon overuse discomfort

Place the loop over an identified musculoskeletal pain site as directed, not over an open cut. Check that clothing or equipment does not shift it, and do not use it to mask pain while continuing an activity that may worsen an injury.

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.

From the evidence library

What does the evidence show?

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. These pain trials do not establish improved circulation, tissue repair, or reduced inflammation as ActiPatch® outcomes.

Read the FDA clearance record (opens in a new tab)

How soon might I notice a difference?

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.

Read the source publication(opens in a new tab)
RCT2012 · Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery

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.

Read the source publication(opens in a new tab)

Evidence describes study results, not a promise of the same result for everyone. This is not medical advice.

Explore the full evidence library

Separate a sudden pain from later soreness

A sharp pain during one movement is a different story from an ache that gradually appears after a workout. Note what you were doing when symptoms started, where it hurts, and whether swelling, bruising, or loss of movement followed. These details help a clinician assess the problem; neither pattern confirms an injury type by itself.

Pain relief is not clearance to play

A strain affects a muscle or tendon; a sprain affects a ligament, which connects bones at a joint. Repeated stress can also cause discomfort. Some injuries need diagnosis and rehabilitation. ActiPatch® offers additional musculoskeletal pain relief, but does not repair a torn ligament, speed recovery, or make an early return to sport safe.

Get an injury assessed when needed

Seek prompt assessment after a major impact or fall, for visible deformity, inability to bear weight, or rapid swelling. New numbness or significant weakness also needs attention. If pain persists despite rest or returns as soon as you resume activity, speak with a clinician or qualified sports-medicine professional before pushing through it.

Place it for pain relief, not to push through

Follow the package insert and position the loop over the identified sore muscle or joint. Keep it off open cuts. Do not use it to mask pain while continuing an activity that could worsen an injury. A well-positioned device is still not a substitute for evaluating a new injury or deciding whether training is safe.

Fit wear around your activity plan

During ordinary movement, check that clothing or equipment has not shifted the loop. Secure it on skin with the included tape or a wrap, or over thin clothing, not thick compression layers. Keep it dry and remove before bathing or swimming. Follow your clinician's guidance on activity and return to training, even if pain feels different.

What does the published evidence say?

Rawe and Kotak's 2015 UK chronic-pain registry recorded self-reported pain with wearable pulsed shortwave therapy. It was observational and covered a mixed pain population, not a controlled trial of acute sports injuries. With no randomly assigned inactive-device comparison, it cannot isolate a device effect. It also cannot establish faster injury recovery or a timetable for safe return to play. The science page distinguishes this registry from randomized trials. The evidence here concerns pain relief, not injury repair.

Source: Rawe and Kotak, Pain Management, 2015. Read the ActiPatch® science overview.

Important Usage Guidelines

Not a Cure: ActiPatch® is intended for adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain, not a cure for sports injuries.

Water Resistance: The device is not waterproof. Remove it 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 improve: If pain does not improve after 7 days of use, stop and consult a doctor. If you are under a doctor's care, consult your doctor before use.

See the package insert for full contraindications, warnings and precautions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Wear ActiPatch® directly on the skin with the included tape, or over a thin layer of clothing such as a t-shirt or leggings. Avoid thick fabric between the device and the skin. Follow the package insert for positioning.

No. It offers adjunctive musculoskeletal pain relief and does not address the underlying injury or replace evaluation and rehabilitation. The registry discussed on this page was observational, not a controlled trial of acute sports injuries.

No recovery or return-to-play benefit is established here. Follow your clinician's activity advice even if pain decreases. For wear during permitted activity, follow the package insert, check that equipment does not move the loop, and keep the device dry.

Read the package insert for full contraindications, warnings and precautions. Do not use if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, or if you have a cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, or other active implanted metallic or electronic device. Not for use by or on children under 17. If you are under a doctor's care, consult your doctor before use.

Explore ActiPatch® for Sports Injury Pain

Explore adjunctive musculoskeletal pain support while keeping injury care and activity advice in place.

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