A Certified Personal Trainer’s Review of the PowerDot 2.0: Is It Effective?

 

From smartwatches and other wearables to percussive devices and even smart home gym systems, the wellness technology space continues to expand, providing consumers with deeper insights into their health and fitness than ever before.

Once reserved for professional athletes, high tech recovery tools are now gaining in popularity among everyday consumers, offering a way to help with post-workout recovery and even manage chronic pain and soreness.

Sold by Therabody, the PowerDot 2.0 is a smart muscle stimulator that claims to have multiple benefits for muscle recovery, pain management, and athletic performance — but does it actually live up to the hype?

This article provides a comprehensive review of the PowerDot 2.0 and whether it’s worth the investment.

Pros

• may aid in recovery and pain management
• may help improve strength
• lightweight and compact
• guided programs via an app
• FDA-cleared

Cons

• expensive
• potential connectivity issues

What is the PowerDot 2.0?

Therabody, a wellness technology company, acquired PowerDot in early 2021.

Joining products like the Theragun Pro and RecoveryAir compression system, the PowerDot fits the company’s mission to make wellness tech available for everyone, not just professional athletes.

The PowerDot uses electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), also known as e-stim, to send electrical impulses to your muscles and cause them to contract.

This type of treatment is frequently used in physical therapy to help with muscle recovery, improve strength, and boost athletic performance.

 

It may also help with chronic pain management, though more research is needed.

How does the PowerDot 2.0 work?

The PowerDot combines two types of EMS into one unit: neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

TENS helps mainly with pain relief and targets sensory nerves. The electrical impulses from a TENS unit can block pain signals sent to the brain. TENS also promotes the production of endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemicals.

NMES, on the other hand, targets muscles through motor nerves, using an electrical current to make muscles contract and relax. These currents work at a higher frequency, which enables them to stimulate both slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers.

NMES may help increase strength and aid in recovery by encouraging the delivery of nutrients to the affected muscles.

To use the PowerDot 2.0, you place pads on the area you’d like to target and select your intensity and desired time.

Once it’s up and running, electrical impulses travel to the nerves and muscles of the affected area. Many users describe feeling a tingling sensation.

The device comes with access to a free app that helps the user dial in their experience by inputting their fatigue level and recent activity. Using this information, the app recommends ideal pad placement, intensity level, and session time.

When purchasing the PowerDot 2.0, you can choose either the Uno, which features one receiver (also known as a pod), or the Duo, which comes with two pods. The Duo allows you to focus on both sides of your body at once or to cover a larger area.

Specs And Accessories

A quick look at the PowerDot 2.0 specs

Available colors: black, red

Included accessories:

• 1 or 2 PowerDot pods
• 1 set of electrode pads (2 rectangular and 4 round)
• 1 or 2 sets of lead cables
• 1 USB charging cable
• carrying case

Size: 2.37 × 1.71 × 0.54 inches (6.02 × 4.34 × 1.37 cm)

Weight: 0.06 pounds (0.03 kg)

Battery life: up to 20 hours per charge

To use the PowerDot 2.0, you’ll first need to download the PowerDot app, which is available on Apple and Android devices. It requires iOS 10.0 or later or Android 7.0 or later.

Powerdot App

The app includes 10 programs. Here’s an overview of each program’s intended use:

• Muscle Endurance: improve performance for endurance-oriented sports disciplines
• Strength Endurance: improve performance in strength endurance-focused sports disciplines
• Resistance: improve capacity to sustain intense and prolonged effort
• Strength: improve performance in strength-oriented sports disciplines
• Explosive Strength: improve performance in explosive strength- and speed-oriented disciplines
• Active Recovery: improve and accelerate muscle recovery after an intense endurance exercise — ideally used within 2 hours after a high endurance workout or competition
• Extended Recovery: same use as Active Recovery but runs for longer
• Light Recovery: low frequency, non-fatiguing recovery intervention
• Potentiation: increase contraction speed and prepare muscles for max power output — ideally used 5–10 minutes before important competitions or sporting events
• Massage: improve blood circulation, relax muscles, reduce muscular tension, and help eliminate muscular toxins

How Much Does the Powerdot 2.0 Cost?

Here are the current prices of the PowerDot 2.0:

• PowerDot 2.0 Uno: $199
• PowerDot 2.0 Duo: $349

The company also offers monthly financing through Affirm for qualified customers.

Keep in mind that the pads need to be replaced after every 20–25 sessions. Replacement packages cost $18 each and come with 2 rectangular electrode pads and 4 round electrode pads.

The PowerDot 2.0 is covered by a 1-year warranty and ships for free.

How to use the PowerDot 2.0

Getting your PowerDot 2.0 up and running requires a few steps. First, you’ll need to download the PowerDot app and create an account.

Next, you’ll follow these instructions:

• Turn on the pod and pair it to your phone via Bluetooth.
• Choose the program and body part you want to focus on.
• Plug the cables into the pod.
• Place the adhesive pads on the area you want to treat, following the photo guide in the app.
• Place the pod and cables on the pads.
• Start the machine, slowly increasing the power level to your liking.
• Sit back and relax in a comfortable position, allowing the PowerDot 2.0 to work its magic.

Reviews of the PowerDot 2.0

The mission behind the PowerDot is to bring EMS to the masses, not just to serious athletes — and customer reviews of the machine are overwhelmingly positive.

In particular, reviewers with chronic pain share that the PowerDot 2.0 helps them manage their symptoms.

Others mention that they find the device effective for warming up their muscles before a tough workout and aiding in recovery afterward. Several reviewers say the PowerDot 2.0 has greatly helped reduce post-workout muscle soreness and relieve joint tension.

Many also comment on the ease of use compared with a traditional TENS unit, which typically has hanging wires and prohibits movement while in use.

Still, no product is perfect, and a few reviewers feel that the PowerDot 2.0 is overpriced, considering that you can buy a traditional TENS unit for around $50.

The main complaint about the PowerDot 2.0, however, is connectivity issues. Some reviewers say the device occasionally loses Bluetooth connection and needs to be reset.

Alternatives to the PowerDot 2.0

There are several alternatives to the PowerDot 2.0, including the Compex Sport Elite 2.0 and the MyoPux. Here’s a quick look at how the key specs of these devices compare:

PowerDot 2.0	Compex Sport Elite 2.0	MyoPux
Price	• Uno: $199 • Duo: $349	$199.99	$295
Warranty	1 year	2 years	2 years
App	yes	no	no
Number of receivers	• Uno: 1 • Duo: 2	1	2
Number of programs	10	10	6
Wireless	no	no	yes