How to use a TENS units & EMS machines for legs pain relief? Placement of electrode pads (UK)

The legs can be considered among the most important extremities of the body, thanks to their function of supporting its weight and mobilize us either in a sporting environment or in the performance of daily tasks. This is why injuries to the lower limbs are very common, and can cause ailments of different levels that affect to a greater or lesser extent your daily performance.

Fortunately, TENS and EMS electrostimulation therapies are quite reliable ways to treat leg pain and promote leg recovery, so we will show you how to apply these therapies to achieve optimal recovery.

How to use a TENS machine to relieve leg pain?

The legs are made up of several muscle groups, among which the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteus at the top, and the gastrocnemius and soleus at the bottom. This amount of muscle tissue makes them the strongest limbs in the body, but consequently makes injuries particularly disabling and painful.

For cases such as these, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy brings a host of benefits, among which we can highlight:

• Pain reduction: the electrical impulses produce numbness in the nerve endings of the nociceptors located in the various nerves that innervate the legs, almost immediately annulling the sensation of pain and providing long-lasting relief.
• Relaxation of the fibrous tissue: the electrical pulses cause the relaxation of the ligaments along the leg, the ischiofemoral ligament, the pubofemoral ligament, the rectofemoral tendon, the semitendinosus tendon and the internal rectus tendon, mitigating the sensation of odor in the affected area.
• It favors the production of endorphins: the electrical discharges circulate through the skin and superficial nerves, favoring the release of endorphins and other substances that work as natural analgesics in the body.
• Suppression of pain receptors: the electric shocks suppress the nerve endings located in the branches of the femoral, peroneal, tibial and sural nerves, which are mainly responsible for innervation along the leg, reducing their effect and providing relief to the patient.

The use of TENS electrotherapy offers great benefits to patients with leg complaints. However, it is necessary to emphasize that this therapy is not a method to cure injuries or diseases, but focuses on reducing the sensation of pain so that the healing process is more bearable for the patient.

It is a technique widely applied in physical therapy as a complement to improve the patient's experience, and both TENS sessions and injury recovery therapy should be performed under the supervision of a specialist.

Best TENS machines for the recovery of leg injuries

Thanks to the effectiveness of TENS unit treatment, it is possible to access a wide variety of electrostimulators with different configurations and number of electrodes, thus providing a wide range of action to treat different ailments in various parts of the body. However, to treat pains here occurring along the legs, the best TENS units are the following:

The Med-Fit electrostimulation unit is the best option to increase the efficiency of workouts, thanks to its incredible 4-channel function, through which you can apply different modes of use to different areas of the body. It includes 9 clinically proven training programs and each of them has a predefined duration time of 3 hours.

It uses a combination of TENS and EMS stimulation technologies, which are completely safe and natural methods to alleviate various types of ailments and improve physical condition by stimulating the growth of muscle fibers. It is the best option for long-term management of chronic pain, allowing you to lead a completely normal life and perform all your daily activities.

This is one of the most versatile electrostimulation devices you will find. The electrostimulation machine is fully rechargeable and has a dual channel function that allows you to apply electrostimulation to various areas of the body. It contains 30 preset massage programs through which you can relieve different types of ailments as well as strengthen muscles.

This electrostimulation unit is completely digital for an effective and reliable treatment. It has an LCD display and a user-friendly system that allows you to set the functions in seconds. In addition, the purchase includes 16 reusable electrodes of high quality and for all budgets.

The UseeShine electrostimulator from NinetinGel is the perfect combination of TENS and EMS electrostimulation technologies, which gives it the ability to offer a complete cycle of massages designed to relieve pain, reduce tension and relax muscles through electrical impulses that promote the release of endorphins and the production of muscle fibers.

It is incredibly easy to use, and features an innovative dual-channel function that allows you to simultaneously treat different parts of the body with different settings, along with a memory function that stores the last massage program used. Its ergonomic and portable design allows you to take it anywhere and use it very discreetly.

The physiotherapy brand Beurer offers its users one of the most versatile electrostimulation devices that can be found on the market. It is the Beurer EM59, which contains an incredible 4-in-1 function that allows you to apply therapeutic massage, muscle stimulation, nerve stimulation and heat therapy, providing a completely different level of relief to its users with its more than 70 programs and 50 intensity levels.

This powerful electrostimulation equipment offers immediate relief for almost any type of ailment using stimulation methods that stimulate the production of natural pain relieving agents within the body. It also works as an effective methods to accelerate muscle growth and regeneration, while combining with heat therapy to provide one of the most complete treatments you will find.

The PowerDot 2.0 is an intelligent electrical stimulation electrode that will allow you to apply TENS and EMS current shocks for both pain treatment and conditioning of different muscle groups. It includes more than 400 customised programmes that can be easily managed with the mobile app available for both Android and iOS.

The simple interface of the PowerDot app will guide you through everything you need to know to operate the electrodes efficiently. The purchase package includes 2 pre-loaded pods, 2 sets of electrodes with corresponding pads, 2 sets of cables and 2 micro USB charging cables, along with a carrying case so you can take your electrodes with you wherever you go.

How to use an EMS muscle electro stimulator for the legs?

The leg muscles are constantly at work due to the demands of carrying and mobilizing most of the body weight, so the use of muscle electrostimulation can greatly benefit your physical performance, regardless of whether you participate in high-demanding sports or not.

Among the main benefits that EMS therapy brings to the legs are the following:

• Toning of muscle mass: the muscle contractions provoked by the electrical impulses of the EMS device promote the growth of muscle mass and fat burning, thus promoting muscle toning and definition.
• Increased physical performance: the strength and elasticity that muscle groups such as the hamstrings and calves acquire through this therapy improve performance in medium to high performance physical activities.
• Prevention of future injuries: by strengthening the leg muscles, they are able to withstand a greater load and perform better under pressure, reducing the likelihood of muscle tears and other injuries.
• Increased speed of recovery: the stimulus caused by the electrical impulses stimulates the recovery of the fibers of the muscle or muscle group being treated, thus increasing the speed of recovery in rehabilitation treatment for muscle injuries.

Best EMS electrostimulators to strengthen leg muscles

The use of electrostimulators for physical training sessions and physiotherapy is widespread in the highly competitive sports environment, so it is possible to find a variety of devices of different configurations. Among the most commonly used EMS machines for leg training, we can mention the following:

The versatile Compex SP 6.0 electrostimulator is one of the best options for increasing physical performance thanks to its 10 conditioning programs and 5 fitness training programs, allowing you to increase both the strength and volume of your muscles quickly and naturally, through electrical impulses that stimulate the growth of muscle fibers.

It also has 5 recovery massage programs, 8 pain management modes and 2 rehabilitation programs, through which the Compex SP 6.0 facilitates rapid physical recovery and promotes muscle relaxation after exercise. It is the best electric massage unit for athletes who practice their discipline more frequently than 3 times a week.

NURSAL brings to its users its dual channel TENS electrostimulation unit, designed for the treatment of any type of ailments and muscle stimulation, which has 24 modes of use designed to provide different types of massages to treat a wide variety of ailments, whether caused by illness or injury.

You will be able to set separate modes of use for each of the two channels, so that you can apply the electrical impulses at the required frequency and intensity for different parts of the body. It also has an adjustable timer that will allow you to program your sessions between 10 and 60 minutes, and its integrated lithium battery will provide uninterrupted treatment for more than 20 hours.

Dioche offers its users a powerful rechargeable electrostimulation machine that has a 4-channel function, through which you can obtain results much more quickly and efficiently, thanks to the fact that you can apply the therapies in various areas of the body.

It has 16 programs of use that apply different massage modalities focused on treating certain ailments, in addition to having 20 adjustable intensity levels that allow you to configure your therapies in the way that suits you best. It also has a rechargeable battery that you can connect to the mains via an AC adapter or USB charging, and will give you an autonomy of between 4 and 6 hours of continuous use.

The best feature of the MKNIUA electro stimulator is its 4-channel functionality, through which you can use 8 electrodes to apply individual programs on each channel to different areas of the body, so you can assign a specific massage mode according to what each area of the body requires.

The package includes 4 reusable electrodes through which you can apply the electric massages. It also has a long-lasting rechargeable battery that gives you a great autonomy and a long useful life, so you can enjoy this versatile stimulator for a long time.

TensCare offers its users its newest and most versatile electrostimulation device that combines the most cutting-edge TENS and EMS technologies, offering a massage experience designed to relieve all types of ailments naturally and safely, through electrical impulses that stimulate the production of endorphins, along with the most innovative muscle strengthening technology that facilitates the toning and regeneration of muscles from the comfort of your home.

It has 6 programs specifically designed for various muscle groups of different sizes, as well as 2 customizable programs to suit your needs. It has functions specifically focused on user safety, so it has an open circuit detector, which means that if an electrode is detached from the skin, the current intensity will be set to 0 to avoid risky electric shocks.

Video: How to place electrodes pads on the legs?

Electrodes for quadriceps

Electrodes for hamstring

Electrodes for calf

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Most common types of leg injuries

Most of the body's weight is supported by the legs, and they can do so thanks to the fact that they make up the largest muscle group in the human anatomy. However, while they have great endurance to move our entire body to perform a wide variety of activities, they are also very vulnerable to injury due to the large amount of stress they are subjected to.

Among the most common injuries that can be suffered in the legs, we can highlight the following:

• Muscle strain: occurs when one or more muscles along the leg are overstretched, causing tension or rupture of the muscle fibers. It occurs due to overexertion applied to the thigh or calf without proper preparation or warm-up, and can result in sharp pain when moving the leg, weakness and tenderness.
• Tendonitis: it occurs frequently in the hamstrings, and is a consequence of the sudden transition between maximum contraction and maximum stretching of the muscle when performing sudden and abrupt stops, causing a sharp and disabling pain just below the gluteal area.
• Fractures: This injury occurs when one of the bones that make up the leg breaks or cracks. This break can occur in the femur, tibia or fibula. It occurs due to trauma caused by falls or accidents and its symptoms include extreme pain, swelling, inability to move the knee and walking.
• Bursitis: bursitis occurs mainly in the hip area and is due to inflammation of the synovial bursa that covers the bony protrusion of the hip. Symptoms include intense pain at the hip point that extends to the thigh area, previous injuries or surgeries, as well as differences in the length of the legs can be risk factors for bursitis.
• Cramps: can occur in the calf, hamstring and femoral muscles. This is a neuromuscular abnormality that causes the muscles to contract intensely and for a prolonged period of time, during which it can cause intense pain and make it impossible to move the leg. Its most common causes are muscle overload and lack of hydration or minerals such as potassium and calcium.

Differences between TENS and EMS: Which one to use for leg pain?

Electrical stimulation therapies are widely used in the field of physiotherapy, thanks to their abilities to treat pain caused by injuries and disorders. However, it is necessary to highlight the fact that both TENS and EMS therapy have an effect on different areas, so it is necessary to know their differences in order to apply them correctly.

TENS, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, is a type of therapy that uses electrical currents applied to the nerve endings of the pain receptors located in the sciatic, femoral, tibial, peroneal and sural nerves, and their respective branches. The intensity of the discharges is variable, ranging from 1 to 250 Hz, depending on the lesion and the level of pain, giving the patient a feeling of relief.

In contrast, EMS or muscular electrostimulation is a physical conditioning and rehabilitation technique that uses electrical impulses in the same way, with the difference of their intensity and that are designed to generate muscle contractions that mimic physical work, increasing the tone, strength, definition and elasticity of muscle groups such as the gastrocnemius or hamstrings, improving the aesthetics and physical abilities of the user.

Knowing this, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is the appropriate technique for the treatment of pain in the legs, whether muscular or articular, thanks to the interaction of electrical impulses with the nerve endings of the nociceptors in the various branches of the nerves of the legs, providing a sense of relief to the patient.

EMS therapy, on the other hand, is not an ideal treatment for leg pain, since its focus is on physical conditioning and muscle mass recovery, not nerve interaction. Since the legs are a region with abundant muscle tissue, it is possible to derive a great deal of benefit from the use of EMS therapy on the lower extremities.

Contraindications to the use of electrodes and electrotherapy