Targeted Muscle Reconditioning with HIFEM Technology for Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Study on Pain, Function, and Disability.
- 1Royal Spine Surgery, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
Abstract
Background context
Low back pain (LBP) affects over 619 million people globally and is the leading cause of disability. Most cases are non-specific and linked to muscle impairment, yet effective, non-invasive treatments remain limited.Purpose
To evaluate the impact of back-targeted electromagnetic muscle stimulation (HIFEM) therapy on pain, disability, and function in patients with LBP.Design
Uncontrolled retrospective cohort study.Patients and methods
Patients (n=25; 72% female) with LBP who received a study device treatment were 33-76 years old. Because treatment was tailored to individual needs, many patients received therapies to other body regions. Medical records of patients who received at least one study device treatment on low back between April 1, 2024 and April 30, 2025 and completed Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after the last treatment were analyzed, with a 1-month (±14 days) interval between baseline and post-treatment assessments.Outcome measures
The outcome measures included VAS, Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and iliopsoas muscle strength measurements.Results
Significant absolute and percentage reductions were observed in VAS (mean change: -5.2 points; -75.7%, 95% CI [-83.4, -63.1]), PDQ (-49.3 points; -66.1%, 95% CI [55.1, 80.9]), and ODI (-11.9 points; -61.0%, 95% CI [44.7, 78.7]) scores (all p < 0.0001). The reductions in VAS, PDQ and ODI scores surpassed established minimal clinically important differences (MCID). Iliopsoas muscle strength improved by 124.8% post-treatment in the subgroup treated for the core.Conclusion
HIFEM therapy was associated with a significant reduction of pain, disability, and the impact of LBP on daily functioning while improving core muscle strength, offering a non-invasive option for managing LBP.
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BibTeX
@article{abdulhamid2026targeted,
title = {{Targeted Muscle Reconditioning with HIFEM Technology for Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Study on Pain, Function, and Disability.}},
author = {Mohamed Abdulhamid},
journal = {Medical devices (Auckland, N.Z.)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2147/mder.s621980},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928881},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Targeted Muscle Reconditioning with HIFEM Technology for Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Study on Pain, Function, and Disability.
AU - Mohamed Abdulhamid
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Medical devices (Auckland, N.Z.)
DO - 10.2147/mder.s621980
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928881
AB - Background context Low back pain (LBP) affects over 619 million people globally and is the leading cause of disability. Most cases are non-specific and linked to muscle impairment, yet effective, non-invasive treatments remain limited.Purpose To evaluate the impact of back-targeted electromagnetic muscle stimulation (HIFEM) therapy on pain, disability, and function in patients with LBP.Design Uncontrolled retrospective cohort study.Patients and methods Patients (n=25; 72% female) with LBP who received a study device treatment were 33-76 years old. Because treatment was tailored to individual needs, many patients received therapies to other body regions. Medical records of patients who received at least one study device treatment on low back between April 1, 2024 and April 30, 2025 and completed Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after the last treatment were analyzed, with a 1-month (±14 days) interval between baseline and post-treatment assessments.Outcome measures The outcome measures included VAS, Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and iliopsoas muscle strength measurements.Results Significant absolute and percentage reductions were observed in VAS (mean change: -5.2 points; -75.7%, 95% CI [-83.4, -63.1]), PDQ (-49.3 points; -66.1%, 95% CI [55.1, 80.9]), and ODI (-11.9 points; -61.0%, 95% CI [44.7, 78.7]) scores (all p < 0.0001). The reductions in VAS, PDQ and ODI scores surpassed established minimal clinically important differences (MCID). Iliopsoas muscle strength improved by 124.8% post-treatment in the subgroup treated for the core.Conclusion HIFEM therapy was associated with a significant reduction of pain, disability, and the impact of LBP on daily functioning while improving core muscle strength, offering a non-invasive option for managing LBP.
SN - 1179-1470
ER -