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PowerDot Review: Effective Pain Relief For Muscles

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Reviewed by Maggie Gibson

Last Updated January 2022

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Featured Product: PowerDot Duo

Price: $349, or $199 for the Uno

Billed by Therabody as the world's smartest muscle recovery and performance tool, the PowerDot Duo is a wearable Type II FDA-approved muscle stimulation device that offers sophisticated, customizable programs for warm up and recovery, increasing strength, and building endurance. PowerDot uses the scientifically proven technology of Electronic Muscle Stimulation to relieve pain, improve athletic performance, and accelerate recovery from injuries.

Theragun Logo

Ratings Breakdown

QUALITY

★★★★★
The unit looks sleek and works well. The syncing with your workouts and recommended recovery activities/goals provide confidence that you won’t hurt yourself. They do a nice job educating you while you use it. The PowerDot app takes the guesswork out of EMS by guiding intensity and pad placement.

VALUE

★★★★
It’s definitely on the expensive side, but you’re paying for quality. Dupes are available elsewhere online, but for products like this, you don’t want to buy something cheap and potentially hurt yourself. So for that end, the product is decently priced. You can use it with other Therabody products like the Theragun and with many Apple products.

CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE

★★★★★
The PowerDot is an exceptional performance tool that can be used on your own, without needing to go to a physical therapist or trainer. The straightforward user interface makes it easy to set up and use.

BRAND

★★★★★
PowerDot was recently acquired by Therabody, one of the top performance massage companies. I did not notice any specific socially conscious activity or manufacturing process listed, but Therabody’s mission is to democratize access to medical technology. It also educates consumers regarding muscle stimulation therapy and other aspects of daily wellness.

Athletes that use powerdot

Athletes that use PowerDot

Who is Therabody/PowerDot?

PowerDot was founded in 2013 as a product crowdfunded startup. It was acquired by Therabody in 2021. Therabody’s goal is to make wellness accessible to everyone through a combination of innovation and education, so that people can take charge of their own daily wellness through natural solutions.

Chiropractor Dr. Jason Wersland, now serving as Therabody’s chief wellness officer, created the original Theragun percussive therapy device somewhat unintentionally in 2008. Searching for pain relief following a life-altering motorcycle accident and frustrated with existing protocols and treatment options, he fashioned his own percussive device that proved to be far more effective. He was soon using it with great success on his clients for pain and rehab needs.

Theragun Value Prospects

In 2012, Wersland realized the Theragun’s performance enhancement benefits with athletes. In 2016, Theragun was officially launched to allow more people to benefit. Now the Theragun is used world-wide by athletes, trainers, therapists, and the general public to reduce muscle tension, accelerate recovery, and improve performance.

Rebranded to Therabody in 2020, Wersland’s company has continued its mission to provide natural wellness solutions through innovation. Its newer products include its vibration therapy Wave device series and its clinical pneumatic compression device RecoveryAir. Therabody has even expanded into the CDB field with its own U.S. grown and USDA Certified Organic CBD line, TheraOne.

Now the PowerDot is part of that passion. Benjamin Nazarian as CEO and co-founder and Dr. Jason Wersland as co-founder and chief wellness officer have both been recognized as Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2021 Greater Los Angeles Award winners. As Nazarian said in a joint interview with Wersland for Forbes, “Our mission is to help everybody live a better, healthier life using products that are an alternative to traditional medicine.”

Pros

  • Provides easy set-up and use
  • Takes only 20-30 minutes per session
  • Uses a great app that walks you through everything
  • Allows you to work recovery at home (or wherever) into your own schedule
  • Syncs with your workouts and recommends the sessions for you if you have an iPhone
  • Works on many muscle groups
  • Portable and great for travel
  • Bluetooth connectible 
  • Free standard delivery in the United States

Cons

  • Expensive for a casual athlete (though not as expensive as getting injured!)
  • Additional costs of continually buying new stickies

PowerDot Duo Performance and Experience

PowerDot is the first wearable smart muscle stimulation device that provides the therapeutic benefits of EMS (electronic muscle stimulation) on the go. The PowerDot EMS uses both Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) to send electronic pulses to stimulate your motor nerves to create muscle contraction in targeted areas, and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to stimulate sensory nerves to temporarily relieve pain. This is thought to provide both therapeutic and performance benefits.

The portable PowerDot allows workouts wherever the user wants, controlled and customized from a connected iOS or Android. The Smart Muscle Stimulator programming uses a Bluetooth connection and an intuitive mobile app to control various electric muscle stimulation programs designed to help you:

  • Decrease pain
  • Increase strength
  • Improve performance
  • Rehab injuries
  • Speed up recovery times
Theragun Pro Case

Source: Therabody

The design is sleek and lightweight. It comes in either red or black. You can order the Duo with two pods to work different muscle groups at once, or the Uno with one pod.

Once I unboxed it, I was using it within 10 minutes. The PowerDot has multiple uses, including recovery, as a massage, for injury prevention, to free up muscles, and more. Just put the pads on various muscle groups, and you control the pulses yourself, learning what works with your body.

I have been using it for a few months now and its performance has been dependable. You can set it up and let it work to help you actively recover while you are watching TV, reading a book, eating, or just hanging out with friends/partners. It isn’t too obtrusive, and it stays on the body easily. All you need is your phone.

Theragun App

Source: PowerDot

You can also walk around with it on to get the full benefits of it. I would spend the 20 minutes or so recovering and lounging (watching TV or reading, even working sometimes) but you can use it actively or passively.

The PowerDot comes with a small carrying case, making it great for travel whether loosening up muscles after a long trip or during a cool down at the gym. This holds up for multiple uses; all you have to do is replace the pads every 25 uses or so.

The PowerDot syncs with your phone to recommend recovery based on your workouts logged on your watch/phone and activity levels as well as your overall health goals. If you don’t do it, it sends push notifications to remind you. Link it to your Apple or Android smartphone with the dedicated app.

Theragun Shoulder Test

Source: Therabody

The PowerDot app takes the guesswork out of EMS by guiding intensity and pad placement. It will notify you to stop increasing intensity once it senses the muscle contractions getting to a certain strength. Some users might find it a little worrying if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, but they guide you well on the app.

I would do research about the type of simulation and how to use it before doing it yourself, just to ensure you don’t hurt yourself. I felt confident that this is not going to hurt me, and they do a good job educating via the app.

Theragun PRO Shop

Featured In This Review

Powerdot 2.0 Duo

$349

This powerful muscle stimulator packs the proven concepts of NMES & TENS into a sleek lightweight pod you can use anywhere. Fully controlled by the PowerDot app, it takes the guesswork out of electrical muscle stimulation by guiding and customizing your intensity and pad placement. 

SHOP NOW

How To Use The PowerDot Duo

You don't have to use the app to use the tool, but it is recommended by Therabody to get the most bang for your buck. The app shows you many educational articles, guided workouts, and more to ensure that you are getting the most out of it. You also can sync it with your other workouts on your phone and it recommends sessions for you, learning your body and working with your health data over time.

Every time I used it after heavy workouts when my body was feeling heavy/stiff, using the PowerDot really loosened them up. My legs didn’t feel heavy after doing a 20 minute recovery. My legs also didn’t feel as heavy the next day so that I could continue in my workout schedule without potentially hurting myself.

PowerDot Muscle Locations

Source: Therabody

I’ve dealt with injuries because I haven’t put proper care into my recovery and stretching, but that has changed over the last few years and I spend time stretching, rolling, using a massage gun, and now using PowerDot.

 The PowerDot has been a great addition to my active lifestyle and routine because it easily fits into my recovery. I can do it while watching TV or even working. It fits into my tracking, and provides support to my muscles that I need so I can get better “gains” and not get plagued by another injury.

I also am not very flexible, and this has increased my flexibility when paired with my other stretches and exercises.

Note: You do need to buy additional stickies after a certain number of usages, since the pads do gradually lose their adhesiveness. The app shows how much life the stickies have, which is good so that you can plan accordingly.

An added benefit is that you can use the PowerDot with other Therabody products like the Theragun. You can also use it with many Apple products.

PowerDot Duo Ordering Process And Options

PowerDot devices are now purchased via the Therabody website.

The Duo model currently costs $349, while the Uno is less expensive at $199 but comes with only one electrode pod. Both Duo and Uno come in red and black, and come with:
- One set of electrode pads (2 rectangular pads, 4 round pads)
- 1 set of lead cables (10 cm and 30 cm)
- 1 micro USB charging cable
- Protective carrying case

Replacement electrode pads can be ordered at any time ($18/set).

Ordering Powerdot

Source: Therabody

Choose your model and color, and pay via credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), PayPal, or Amazon Pay. You can also arrange to pay over time with monthly payments through Affirm at 0% APR.

Standard Delivery is free with an estimated arrival in 1-2 business days in the US. P.O. Boxes, military addresses, and addresses in GU, PR, VI and AS shipped via FedEx International Economy®.may take up to 21 business days.

Therabody offers returns within 30 days of the date of receipt with original packaging and accessories.

Theragun PRO Shop

Featured In This Review

Powerdot 2.0 Duo

$349

This powerful muscle stimulator packs the proven concepts of NMES & TENS into a sleek lightweight pod you can use anywhere. Fully controlled by the PowerDot app, it takes the guesswork out of electrical muscle stimulation by guiding and customizing your intensity and pad placement. 

SHOP NOW

Is the PowerDot Duo a Good Quality Product?

Yes. The PowerDot is easy to use, convenient, and therapeutic. The muscle stimulation really seems to work. I love that it makes it so much easier to benefit without having to go to a physical therapist or personal trainer.

PowerDot Case

I've had this product for over a year with no issues so far. I've had to reorder replacement pads twice now. The website says to replace after 25-30 uses. I've probably let that slip over 30 without noticing any diminished performance.

Is the PowerDot Duo Worth It?

While slightly more pricey than other imitation models online, the PowerDot is worth the investment for the flexibility of integrating recovery safely at home.

If you compare it to the amount of money you can spend on personal trainers, massages, physical therapy and more, this is nothing, especially since it lasts so long. This shouldn’t replace the recovery that you are doing or seeking medical attention, but it is a great addition.

How PowerDot Works

Source: PowerDot

You’ll likely want to buy the Duo so you can work on two muscle groups at once (e.g., both legs or both arms). You’ll have to buy the pads after 25 or so uses, which is an extra cost.

If you are someone who works out a lot or deals with many muscle injuries, this is definitely worth the price to prevent injury and help your body recover. But if you are not someone who pays attention to recovery, it may not work for you

PowerDot Coupons & Discounts

Therabody offers various exclusive offers when you sign up for their email list

The Military, Medical, and First Responders Discount provides 20% off select regularly priced items and access to shop the open-box devices (after verification through ID.me).

20% off TheraOne orders with auto-ship (this is more for products in their CBD line, but it is good to know it is there).

FAQs

The PowerDot Duo Summary

PowerDot allows anyone looking for better performance, speedier recovery, and reduced tension to experience the benefits of Electrical Muscle Stimulation. Adding PowerDot to the Therabody product lineup is part of the company’s commitment to allowing everyone access to medical technology usually only available to elite athletes or medical professionals.

PowerDot Review Summary

Source: PowerDot

The PowerDot is a convenient, effective tool that you can easily use on the go. Phone and app syncing provide education, extensive programs, and integrate your past usage to recommend personalized workouts. Customizable and convenient—what more can you ask for?

When Jason Wersland first created and shared his products, he wanted to help patients connect more with their own bodies, to relieve pain and reduce tension. PowerDot now supports Therabody’s mission of increasing easy access to wellness, recovery and performance enhancement tools. He takes pride in the fact that “that is truly what we all come to work to do, every day and it’s what keeps us inspired to grow our portfolio of natural product solutions.”