Maybe it was a spin class your coworker talked you into. Maybe it was your first week back lifting since summer. Either way, two days later your arms are so sore that washing your hair is a project.

There’s a name for that. It’s DOMS, which stands for delayed onset muscle soreness, and it mostly hits after a workout you haven’t done in a while. It goes away on its own, but the wait can be rough.

What a TENS Unit Does Here

A TENS unit for DOMS, like a Touch Stim Ultra, doesn’t heal your muscles any faster. It works on how sore they feel.

You stick a couple of pads on the sore spot and turn it on. It feels like a tingle. While it’s running, a lot of people say the ache bothers them less. Some notice that lasts a little while after they shut it off. Others don’t feel much difference at all, and studies on it have been mixed.

So it’s not magic. But if your shoulders are sore and you have a full day of work ahead, a TENS unit for DOMS might make the day a bit easier.

Using It After Your Workout

There’s no rush to use a TENS machine after a workout. You aren’t sore yet. Hold off until you’re actually sore. For most people that’s a day or two later.

Stick the pads on the sore muscle with a little space between them. Turn it up a bit at a time. You want to feel it clearly, but it shouldn’t hurt. Check the manual for how long to leave it on.

Got a TENS/EMS combo unit? Then you’ve got EMS programs too. Instead of a tingle, EMS makes the muscle squeeze and let go. A low EMS setting on sore legs is a little like going for an easy walk. Don’t crank it up.

Pads shouldn’t go on cuts or scrapes. Leave it off while you’re behind the wheel. And with a pacemaker or another implant, you’ll want your doctor’s OK before using it.

Soreness or Something Else?

DOMS is a dull, stiff ache, and you’ll usually feel it on both sides. A sharp pain in one spot is different. So is a muscle that’s swollen or bruised. If it’s still bad after a week, get it checked.

Very dark urine along with extreme soreness means you should go to the ER. That could be rhabdo. It’s rare, but it can damage your kidneys.

Usually, though, being sore just means you tried something your body wasn’t ready for yet. A TENS unit post workout won’t make you skip the soreness. It may make the couple of days after a little more comfortable while your body catches up.

Be sure to check out our other blog posts for information and more tips to keep you operating at your peak.