Where Do I Place My Electrodes?

Use this TENS unit placement chart as a handy reference to guide you when placing your TENS or EMS electrodes on your body during pain relief treatments. If you consult with a medical professional about using your TENS unit, they will likely be able to assist you further in determining the best place to put your electrodes for your specific pain symptoms. Placing the electrodes in the proper area is the first step to achieving the most benefit from your TENS or EMS unit.

TENS Electrode Placement Chart

Use this chart as a reference to guide you in placing your tens unit or ems unit electrodes. If you consult with a medical professional about using your tens unit, they will likely be able to assist you further in determining where to place your tens unit electrodes.

Shoulder

Stiff shoulders are presumably caused by blood congestion of trapezius muscle that moves shoulders, compression of nerves by the accumulation of fatigue substances, or poor blood circulation of subcutaneous tissues such as muscles.

Attach the pads symmetrically on the region of stiff shoulders with the backbone as the center.

Potential condition: Stiffness, soreness, muscle or nerve pain.

Waist and lower back

Back pain is caused by various reasons. The type of back pain that can be treated by low-frequency therapy includes stiffness of the lower back, muscle pain, and neuralgia (nerve pain). Attach the pads symmetrically to the regions you feel pain with the backbone as the center.

Potential condition: Stiffness, soreness,muscle or nerve pain.

Joint (knee & elbow) and arm

Attach both pads on either side of the joint or area with pain.

Potential condition: Swelling, stiffness, sore or achy, muscle or nerve pain.

Leg & calf

Swelling and fatigue of the calf is presumably caused by congestion of blood and accumulation of fatigue substances in that region. Attach the pads to upper and lower calf.

Potential condition: Swelling, fatigue, stiffness, muscle or nerve pain, chills, sore or achy feeling.

Note: Pads should not be placed simultaneously on the calves of both legs.

Ankle & foot

A chill in the limbs presumably caused by poor blood circulation when the nerves are out of balance. Swelling and fatigue of feet is presumably caused by the poor reflux of blood and body fluid. Attach one pad to the sole and another one to the calf.

Potential condition: Swelling, fatigue, stiffness, muscle or nerve pain, chills, sore or achy feeling.

Note: Do not put the pads on the bottom of both feet at the same time.

Electrode Skin Care

Wash the area of skin where you will be placing the electrodes, using mild soap and water before applying electrodes, and after taking them off. Be sure to rinse soap off thoroughly and dry skin well.

Excess hair may be clipped with scissors; do not shave stimulation area.

Wipe the area with the skin preparation your clinician has recommended. Let this dry. Apply electrodes as directed.

Many skin problems arise from the “pulling stress” from adhesive patches that are excessively stretched across the skin during application. To prevent this, apply electrodes from center outward; avoid stretching over the skin.

To minimize “pulling stress”, tape extra lengths of lead wires to the skin in a loop to prevent tugging on electrodes.

When removing electrodes, always remove by pulling in the direction of hair growth.

It may be helpful to rub skin lotion on electrode placement area when not wearing electrodes.

Never apply electrodes over irritated or broken skin.

Application of Re-usable self Adhesive Electrodes

Application

• Clean and dry the skin at the prescribed area thoroughly with soap and water prior to application of electrodes.
• Insert the lead wire into the pin connector in the pre-wired electrodes.
• Remove the electrodes from the protective liner and apply the electrodes firmly to the treatment site.

Removal

• Lift at the edge of electrodes and peel; do not pull on the lead wires be cause it may damage the electrodes.
• Place the electrodes on the liner and remove the lead wire by twisting and pulling at the same time.

Care and Storage

• Between uses, store the electrodes in the resealed bag in a cool dry place.
• Do not apply to broken skin.
• The electrodes should be discarded when they are no longer adhering.
• The electrodes are intended for single patient use only.
• If irritation occurs, discontinue use and consult your physician.
• Read the instruction for use of self-adhesive electrodes before application.