{"id":25115,"date":"2026-11-02T18:59:08","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T18:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/?page_id=25115"},"modified":"2026-11-02T19:23:19","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T19:23:19","slug":"research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/en\/treatments\/heit-magnetic-therapy\/research\/","title":{"rendered":"HEIT: how does it work and what does the research say?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"heit-pagina\"><style>.heit-pagina{--groen:#227722;--groen-d:#1a5c1a;--groen-l:#eef6ee;--tekst:#2b2b2b;--grijs:#6b6b6b;--lijn:#e3e3e3;--zacht:#f7f8f7;color:var(--tekst);line-height:1.65}.heit-pagina .wrap{max-width:1080px;margin:0 auto;padding:0 20px}.heit-pagina .hero{background:var(--groen-l);padding:44px 0}.heit-pagina .hero .wrap{display:block;gap:36px;align-items:center}.heit-pagina h1{font-size:40px;line-height:1.15;margin:0 0 12px;color:var(--groen-d)}.heit-pagina .lead{font-size:19px;margin:0 0 22px}.heit-pagina .knoppen{display:flex;gap:12px;flex-wrap:wrap}.heit-pagina .knop{display:inline-block;padding:12px 20px;border-radius:6px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;font-size:16px}.heit-pagina .knop.vol{background:var(--groen);color:#fff}.heit-pagina .knop.rand{border:2px solid var(--groen);color:var(--groen);background:#fff}.heit-pagina main section{padding:34px 0 6px}.heit-pagina h2{font-size:28px;color:var(--groen-d);margin:0 0 12px}.heit-pagina h3{font-size:20px;margin:22px 0 8px}.heit-pagina .twee{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:32px}.heit-pagina .kader{align-self:start;background:var(--zacht);border-left:4px solid var(--groen);border-radius:6px;padding:18px 22px;margin:20px 0}.heit-pagina .kader h3{margin-top:0}.heit-pagina .let{background:#fff8ec;border:1px solid #f0dcb3;border-radius:10px;padding:18px 22px}.heit-pagina .let ul{margin:8px 0 0;padding-left:20px}.heit-pagina .cta{background:var(--groen);color:#fff;border-radius:12px;padding:30px;margin:40px 0;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:20px;flex-wrap:wrap}.heit-pagina .cta h2{color:#fff!important;margin:0 0 4px}.heit-pagina .cta p{margin:0;color:#fff!important}.heit-pagina .cta .knop.vol{background:#fff;color:var(--groen)}.heit-pagina .cta .knop.rand{background:transparent;border-color:#fff;color:#fff}.heit-pagina .upd{font-size:14px;color:var(--grijs);margin:0 0 14px}.heit-pagina .vink{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:12px 0}.heit-pagina .vink li{padding-left:30px;position:relative;margin-bottom:10px}.heit-pagina .vink li:before{content:\"\u2713\";position:absolute;left:4px;top:0;color:var(--groen);font-weight:800}.heit-pagina .samenvatting{background:var(--groen-l);border-radius:12px;padding:22px 26px}.heit-pagina .tabel{overflow-x:auto;margin:14px 0}.heit-pagina .tabel table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;min-width:640px;font-size:15.5px}.heit-pagina .tabel th{background:var(--groen);color:#fff!important;text-align:left;padding:10px 12px}.heit-pagina .tabel td{border-bottom:1px solid var(--lijn);padding:10px 12px;vertical-align:top}.heit-pagina .tabel tr:nth-child(even) td{background:var(--zacht)}.heit-pagina .incontinentie{border:2px solid var(--groen);border-radius:14px;padding:26px}.heit-pagina .incontinentie h2{margin-top:0}.heit-pagina .klein{font-size:14px;color:var(--grijs)}.heit-pagina .bronnen{font-size:14.5px;color:#444;padding-left:20px}.heit-pagina .bronnen li{margin-bottom:8px}.heit-pagina .foto-echt{margin:8px 0 0}.heit-pagina .foto-echt img{width:100%;height:auto;max-height:420px;object-fit:cover;border-radius:12px;display:block}.heit-pagina .foto-band img{max-height:340px;object-position:center 12%}@media (max-width:820px){.heit-pagina .twee{grid-template-columns:1fr}.heit-pagina h1{font-size:32px}.heit-pagina .incontinentie{padding:18px}}<\/style><section class=\"hero\"><div class=\"wrap\" style=\"display:block\"><p class=\"upd\">Last updated: November 2026<\/p><p class=\"lead\">HEIT is a form of magnetic stimulation. On this page you can read how it works, what scientific research says about it, and what you can realistically expect. Including for urine leakage (incontinence).<\/p><div class=\"knoppen\"><a class=\"knop vol\" href=\"tel:0703251647\">Call 070 \u2013 325 16 47<\/a> <a class=\"knop rand\" href=\"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/en\/treatments\/heit-magnetic-therapy\/\">Back to HEIT<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<main class=\"wrap\">\n<section>\n<div class=\"samenvatting\">\n<h2>In brief<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"vink\">\n<li>HEIT falls under <strong>repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation<\/strong> (in research: rPMS). A strong magnetic field makes nerves and muscles respond, without causing pain.<\/li>\n<li>For <strong>long-term back pain and muscle pain<\/strong>, studies show less pain and better function than with a sham treatment. The studies are still small, so the evidence is cautious.<\/li>\n<li>For <strong>urine leakage<\/strong> the results are mixed. That is why we always use HEIT <strong>together with pelvic floor training<\/strong>, never as the only treatment.<\/li>\n<li>We always review after a few sessions. If it does not help you enough, we will tell you honestly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"foto-echt foto-band\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/fysio-uitleg-patient.jpg\" alt=\"Physiotherapist giving explanation and advice to a patient\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"twee\">\n<div>\n<h2>How does HEIT work?<\/h2>\n<p>The treatment head contains a coil. A strong current runs through it in short pulses. This creates a magnetic field that passes through clothing, skin and fat. In the tissue underneath, that field induces a small electrical current. This is called <strong>induction<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>That current stimulates the nerves. What happens next depends on the setting:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Motor nerves:<\/strong> the muscles contract by themselves and relax again. We use this for weak muscles and for the pelvic floor.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sensory nerves:<\/strong> the stimuli can dampen the pain signals to the brain. We use this for pain and tense muscles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Because the magnetic field does not stimulate the skin directly, it feels less unpleasant than electrical stimulation with pads. You stay fully clothed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kader\">\n<h3>What HEIT does not do<\/h3>\n<p>You sometimes read that magnetic therapy &#8220;recharges cells&#8221; or &#8220;heals&#8221; tissue. This has not been shown in humans. What has been shown: magnetic stimulation can activate nerves and muscles. The effects on pain and function described below were measured in studies in patients.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<h2>What does the research say?<\/h2>\n<p>Below are the most important reviews and studies. Under &#8220;certainty&#8221; you can see how the researchers themselves rate the strength of the evidence. &#8220;Low&#8221; means: the results are promising, but new research may still change them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tabel\">\n<table>\n<thead><tr><th>Complaint<\/th><th>Study<\/th><th>What was found?<\/th><th>Certainty<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td>Long-term low back pain<\/td><td>Review of 6 randomised studies, 139 patients (Diao et al., 2023)<\/td><td>Less pain (on average almost 2 points on a scale of 0\u201310) and fewer limitations in daily life than the control group.<\/td><td>Low to very low<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Long-term muscle and joint pain<\/td><td>Review of 8 randomised studies, 177 patients (Pan et al., 2025)<\/td><td>Less pain and fewer limitations than the control group. No effect on fear of movement.<\/td><td>Very low<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Knee osteoarthritis<\/td><td>Review of 8 studies, 421 patients, using a related, weaker magnetic field therapy (Chen et al., 2019)<\/td><td>Better functioning in daily life; pain and stiffness not clearly reduced.<\/td><td>Not rated; few studies<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Stress incontinence (leakage when coughing, sneezing, exercising)<\/td><td>Sham-controlled study, 120 women (Lim et al., 2017)<\/td><td>After 2 months 75% reported improvement, compared with 22% after sham treatment. In most, the effect lasted a year.<\/td><td>One study<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Stress incontinence<\/td><td>Network analysis of 31 studies of non-surgical treatments (Li et al., 2024)<\/td><td>Magnetic stimulation did not give a clearly better result than placebo on the pad test. Electrical stimulation with biofeedback scored best.<\/td><td>Not rated; varying quality<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Urge incontinence (sudden strong urge)<\/td><td>Sham-controlled study, 70 women (Lukanovi\u0107 et al., 2025)<\/td><td>After 6 months clearly fewer complaints than after sham treatment.<\/td><td>One small study<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"klein\">The studies used different devices and settings, so results cannot be transferred one-to-one to every device. We work with the Compact-II by Enraf-Nonius (up to 3 Tesla).<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<div class=\"incontinentie\" id=\"incontinence\">\n<h2>HEIT for urine leakage (incontinence)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"twee\">\n<div>\n<h3>What is incontinence?<\/h3>\n<p>With incontinence you involuntarily lose urine. The two most common forms are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Stress incontinence:<\/strong> leakage when coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting or exercising. The pelvic floor muscles do not close off the urethra firmly enough. This is common after pregnancy or childbirth and around the menopause.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Urge incontinence:<\/strong> a sudden, strong urge to urinate, where you do not always reach the toilet in time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Many people have a combination of both.<\/p>\n<h3>How does HEIT help?<\/h3>\n<p>You sit fully clothed on a chair or treatment table. The treatment head makes your pelvic floor muscles contract by themselves and powerfully, dozens of times a minute. Many people then feel clearly for the first time <em>where<\/em> their pelvic floor is. That makes it easier to train the muscles yourself afterwards. In urge incontinence, the stimulation can calm the nerves of the bladder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>What does research say about incontinence?<\/h3>\n<p>Several good studies show improvement compared with a sham treatment, in both stress and urge incontinence. Other studies and reviews find no clear difference. The Dutch guideline for hospitals (2015, reassessed in 2024) advises against magnetic stimulation as a standalone treatment, because the evidence was not convincing at the time. The newer studies from 2017 and 2025 are more positive.<\/p>\n<div class=\"let\">\n<strong>How we therefore use it<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Pelvic floor training remains the first choice.<\/strong> It is the best studied. Expect at least 3 months of exercise.<\/li>\n<li>We use HEIT <strong>as extra support<\/strong>: to learn to feel the muscles and build strength faster, especially if contracting them yourself does not yet work well.<\/li>\n<li>After <strong>6 sessions<\/strong> we review together whether you are making progress, for example with a bladder diary or questionnaire. No improvement? Then we stop HEIT.<\/li>\n<li>If there is blood in the urine, pain when urinating or fever, we first refer you to your GP.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"twee\">\n<div>\n<h2>What can you expect?<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"vink\">\n<li>HEIT is a <strong>supplement<\/strong>: it works best together with exercise.<\/li>\n<li>Some people notice less pain or more control after a few sessions. For others the effect is small.<\/li>\n<li>We agree in advance when we will review, usually after 3 to 6 sessions.<\/li>\n<li>Costs: \u20ac 55.00 per 30-minute session, or \u20ac 300.00 for a package of 6 sessions. HEIT is not reimbursed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h2>Is it safe?<\/h2>\n<p>No serious side effects were reported in the studies. Sometimes temporary muscle soreness occurs, as after a workout. There are situations in which HEIT is not possible, for example with a pacemaker or other electronic implant, or with epilepsy. We go through these with you during the intake. Read more on the <a href=\"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/en\/treatments\/heit-magnetic-therapy\/\">HEIT page<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"bronnen\">\n<li>Diao Y, Pan J, Xie Y, et al. Effect of repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation on patients with low back pain: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. <em>Arch Phys Med Rehabil<\/em> 2023;104(9):1526\u20131538. <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37116558\/\">PubMed<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Pan J, Jia Y, Li K, et al. Repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation for pain, disability, and kinesiophobia in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. <em>Eur J Phys Rehabil Med<\/em> 2025. <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/40501206\/\">PubMed<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Chen L, Duan X, Xing F, et al. Effects of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy on pain, stiffness and physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. <em>J Rehabil Med<\/em> 2019;51(11). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicaljournals.se\/jrm\/content\/html\/10.2340\/16501977-2613\">Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Lim R, Liong ML, Leong WS, et al. Pulsed magnetic stimulation for stress urinary incontinence: 1-year followup results. <em>J Urol<\/em> 2017;197(5):1302\u20131308. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0022534716317955\">Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Li M, Qiu K, Guo H, et al. Conservative treatments for women with stress urinary incontinence: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. <em>Front Med<\/em> 2024. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/medicine\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2024.1517962\/full\">Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Lukanovi\u0107 D, et al. Magnetic stimulation in the treatment of urgency urinary incontinence: a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial. <em>Int Urogynecol J<\/em> 2025. <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00192-025-06491-6\">Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Dutch guideline Urinary incontinence, secondary and tertiary care, module Magnetic stimulation (2015, reassessed 2024; in Dutch). <a href=\"https:\/\/richtlijnendatabase.nl\/richtlijn\/urine-incontinentie_ui_2e-_en_3e-lijnszorg\/conservatieve_behandeling_ui_2e-3e_lijnszorg\/magnetische_stimulatie_ui_in_2e-3e_lijnszorg.html\">Richtlijnendatabase<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"cta\"><div><h2>Questions about HEIT?<\/h2><p>Call or WhatsApp us. We are happy to discuss whether HEIT could help you.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"knoppen\"><a class=\"knop vol\" href=\"tel:0703251647\">Call 070 \u2013 325 16 47<\/a> <a class=\"knop rand\" href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/31648000270\">WhatsApp us<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/main>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How does HEIT (magnetic stimulation) work and what does scientific research say? Including HEIT for urine leakage (incontinence), with sources.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":25110,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-25115","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","grid-sizer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25115"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25138,"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25115\/revisions\/25138"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fysiotherapiekijkduin.nl\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}