TENS pad positioning
*All positionings are a basic guide and should be adjusted as necessary, so that the sensation from the TENS machine is even or at least comfortable.
Basic ankle positionings.
Fleshier areas are usually best.
Basic knee positioning.
Note that pads/electrodes are not on the knee cap, but around it. It is advisable to use one channel of your machine for the top pair of pads/electrodes, and the other for the bottom pair. For larger legs the rectangular pads/electrodes can be used above the knee. This positioning is widely used for cartilage issue related pain.
Lower back positionings.
*Never put the pads/electrodes on the spine. If only one side of your back is in pain, it can often be best to do both sides to even things up. You can also use a channel of your TENS on each side of you back if pain is more on one side than the other, or a channel in the middle and a channel on the hips to control them separately.
Hips and sciatica positionings.
These are common positionings that people use, but everyone is different… especially with sciatic pain. Use these pictures as a guide to find the right spot for you. It is common to put one pad/electrode in between the spine and the pain, then other below it similar to the picture with the leads connected.
Shoulder positioning.
Do not place on the collar bone. Find the fleshier parts to position your pads/electrodes. It is common to place a pad/electrode just under the collar bone on the front, and the other just under the shoulder blade on the back for one channel of your TENS, and then the other channel further down the shoulder to control those two areas separately. As in the picture.
Thorasic region positioning
Be careful as this is behind the heart.
Notice that the pads are spread to not be directly on the heart. This positioning is common and has been used for decades, but be careful not to turn the machine up too high. If you feel anything uncomfortable cease use immediately and consult a professional.
Hand and wrist positionings.
These positionings are mostly used for arthritic pain and circulation. The glove can be more effective, but if there is a place on the hand (eg. joint of a finger) that is too sensitive to use the glove then these positionings can be a great way to even things up, and many who have used these positionings for a few weeks have then transitioned to the TENS glove. Many people have also used the small electrode wrapped around an arthritic finger as in the picture to decrease swelling, but it can be too much for some. Whatever feels best for you is correct. Using massage pulses are the most commonly used pulses for arthritis and circulation issues. On the MH6000 combo TENS/EMS from Health innovations the recommended pulse for this is the “M” mode. Or for a more gentle massage the “SD” mode is more appropriate.
Tennis elbow positioning.
“Tennis elbow” can affect people for different many different reasons. This is a common positioning, but you can use smaller pads/electrodes if there is any discomfort or problem with finding a comfortable positioning.
Golfer’s elbow positioning.
“Golfer’s elbow” can affect many people even if they haven’t swung a club. This is a common positioning, but you can use smaller pads/electrodes if there is any discomfort or problem with finding a comfortable positioning.
Neck and shoulder positioning
Never on the spine. Move pads/electrodes if there is any sharpness or discomfort away from the sharpness/discomfort. Sometimes a few millimetres is all that is needed, but even if you move the pads/electrodes down your back it will still help the neck. It is good to place the outer shoulder pads/electrodes under the shoulder blades and not on them, but whatever feels best is correct. It is common to just do either side of the spine on the lower neck for neck pain and tension, but go carefully with the neck. We store a lot of tension there, so more often than not, a gentle pulse that doesn’t flex the muscles too much is best. On the MH6000 combo TENS/EMS that pulse is the “MR” mode.
Thigh positioning:
There are quite a few ways to do the thigh, and that mainly depends on the injury or purpose of the treatment. Most commonly it is muscle building for the thigh. You can use muscle charts to target muscle groups, but this kind of positioning has been widely used to rehabilitate thigh muscles successfully as the pads/electrodes do cover a wide area.
