The TENS Blog

When positioning electrodes on the body, its important to note there are no “wrong” or “right” ways to place the electrodes for each condition or injury. There are however, “more effective” positions to place them for each type of injury or condition – and even then, it will still come down to your own preference. Don’t be afraid to experiment for yourself and see what works best for you.

In most cases, the best position for the electrodes is to simply place one either side of the pain or injury.

An example of this is lower back pain (see point 1 below); place one electrode either side of the spine, about an inch from the spinal column at the base of your back (sacrum) just above your buttocks. Again, you’ll need to experiment to find the spot that best suits you and your pain.

Additionally, you can stimulate areas of strong sensory feeling, ie. hands, feet and oral-facial areas (see point 2 & 3).

Electrodes will not adhere well to hair covered regions. Use clippers to remove hair – do not shave as it is more likely to irritate your skin.

For Pain Relief

Specific Placement for TENS Electrodes

1. The source of pain should fall within the line of current (ie. a straight line drawn from one electrode to the other). Note: Method C should NOT be used by women during pregnancy or in times of menstruation.

General Placement

2. Ear to Ear Stimulation can be used because there is a high density of nerves in the facial region, as this will maximise release of endorphins – the body’s natural pain-killers.

3. Wrist to Wrist Stimulation can be used because there are several major nerve trunks close to the surface of the skin in this area, as this will maximise release of endorphins – the body’s natural pain-killers.

4. Base-of-Spine to Base-of-Neck Stimulation can be used to relieve pain in the trunk, back or leg – because spinal cord stimulation can be used to block pain signals from reaching the brain.

For Accelerated Injury Healing

The injury should fall within the line of current (once again, this is an imaginary line, drawn from one electrode to the other).

For Sleep & Relaxation

Ear to Ear and/or Wrist to Wrist Stimulation can be used, because of the high number of nerves that are activated into sending sedative messages to the brain.

For Muscle Exercise

Electrodes are placed over the muscle belly. Some fine adjustment will need to be made by each individual to find the exact position on each muscle that works the best.