Specialists yesterday said that low-frequency therapeutic devices cannot sculpt users’ physiques, but they can help reduce muscle pain if used appropriately, despite the claims of some manufacturers that the machines can help people get in shape.
Low-frequency therapeutic devices, also known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS), have been used by physical therapists in rehabilitation programs and can be bought at pharmacies without a prescription.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official Huang Yu-wen (黃育文) yesterday said TENS send low-voltage electrical currents into the body using electrode pads to relieve pain.
‘MEDIUM RISK’
They are listed as class 2 “medium risk” medical devices.
Huang said people should not use TENS for more than 30 minutes per session to avoid possible damage to muscles or nerve tissue, while allergies might cause skin issues after extended use.
The devices should not be used on newborns or women in the early stages of pregnancy, Huang said.
People with diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy, fever, spinal fractures, or wounds should also not use them, Huang said, adding that they should not be used while driving or when someone has wet skin.
“TENS have good therapeutic effects for treating people with acute or chronic pain, such as muscle strains or sprains, acute pain after surgery, or chronic pain after a stoke,” National Taiwan University Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy assistant professor Luh Jer-junn (陸哲駒) said. “Studies show that they can also be used to treat shoulder aches, joint pain or peripheral nerve paralysis.”
As for products that claim to be able to help people get in shape, Luh said that TENS cannot serve this purpose and there is no evidence to prove the effect.
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