How to Relieve Heavy Legs with Electrostimulation

Heavy legs can be a daily discomfort, but there is an innovative solution you can use to fight off this condition: Compex electrostimulation (EMS).

In this blog, explore how this technology can provide much needed relief to tired and numb legs.

Discover how it:

• Promotes circulation
• Relaxes muscles
• Allows you to regain a feeling of lightness and well-being

Get ready to rediscover the vitality of your legs with electrostimulation.

Why do I have Heavy Legs?

The return of blood from the lower extremities to the heart is a true challenge to the laws of physics. Nevertheless, the system of valves all along the veins achieves it by preventing possible reflux. It also prevents the collection of peripheral blood towards large deep veins located within the muscles, whose activity acts like a pump.

However, this system can become overwhelmed, rendering it incapable of ensuring satisfactory venous return. Everyone has experienced this temporary insufficiency, which generally occurs under particular circumstances such as: heat, prolonged standing or sitting, pregnancy, or certain phases of the menstrual cycle.

People commonly refer to the unpleasant sensation of heaviness in the ankles and legs, as well as painful muscle tensions in the calf, as signs of the Heavy Legs syndrome.

What is the Solution to Relieve Heavy Legs?

When signs of Heavy Legs appear, three well-known methods can restore satisfactory blood circulation and alleviate pain:

• Lie on your back and elevate your legs: in this position, gravity becomes your best ally and promotes blood flow to the heart.
• Walking (not just standing) at a good pace: this helps to reactivate the muscle pump. With each step, the contraction of the calf muscles effectively propels the blood towards the heart.
• Cold Therapy: you can relieve pain by using a cold shower jet applied to the leg muscles for a few minutes.

Excluding the FIT 1.0, all SPORT and FIT Compex stimulators have a specific Heavy Legs program. This program eliminates the unpleasant sensation caused by Heavy Legs. It does this by combining the 3 methods described above.

Using the Heavy Legs Electrostimulation Program

Program: Heavy Legs (or Active Recovery / Relaxing Massage depending on the Compex model)
The extremely gentle and comfortable stimulation of the calf muscles awakens the muscle pump, and the last 7 minutes of the session consists of a relaxing massage that relaxes the muscles.

Treatment Duration: sessions for Heavy Legs can be repeated as needed based on pain.

Treatment Procedure: the program can be done daily whenever an unpleasant sensation is felt. It is preferable to do a session at the end of the day.

Electrode Placement: place the electrodes on your calf muscles as below.

Wireless Placement

Wired Placement

Body Position: comfortable resting position, lying or sitting. Preferably with the legs elevated to benefit most.

Adjusting the Intensity: the desired effect is to achieve strong muscle twitches while remaining comfortable.

You need to increase the intensity until you feel a strong vibration in the muscle, also known as muscle twitches. This muscle activity is very different from a real contraction and acts like a pump. This is crucial for increasing blood flow in the stimulated muscle, relieving Heavy Legs.

As you increase the intensity, the muscle beat is initially subtle but becomes more pronounced before a maximum muscle response is reached. However, it is possible to increase the intensity further, but it does not provide extra benefits.

Using Mi-Technology

For devices equipped with MI-Range technology, the optimal intensity zone that induces optimal stimulation is indicated on the screen:

On SP 4.0, there is a small bracket indicating the optimal zone for Heavy Legs treatment; therefore, the intensity must be kept within the bracket and preferably at its maximum level.

If you are using the FIT 5.0 and SP 6.0, increase the intensity until it reads "Optimal intensity level found." If the stimulation is comfortable, you can increase the intensity slightly higher for more stronger beats.

On SP 8.0, the MI-AUTORANGE function will automatically adjust the intensity. Once you find the optimal intensity level, it will read "Optimal intensity level found." If the stimulation is comfortable, you can still increase the intensity slightly higher for more pronounced beats.

Do not ignore pain. Consult a doctor if it is strong and/or lasts too long.

Proven Effectiveness

Backed by clinical studies proving their effectiveness, Compex stimulators also belong to the category of Class II medical devices. They also meet the needs of the European Medical Standard 93/42 EEC.

Compex - Always with you

We're on the side of athletes, amateurs and ordinary people, from the search for improved performance to post injury recovery, from post fatigue massage to pain treatment. At Compex, we have just one goal: people's well being.

Choose the one that's right for you, by taking a look at our buying guide.

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