HEIT stands for high energy inductive therapy. It sends a strong magnetic pulse into one sore joint or muscle, deep enough to make the muscle underneath contract, and you stay fully dressed the whole time.
We run it on a Zimmer emField Pro, which peaks at 3 tesla, at all three CORE Chiropractic offices in Houston: Galleria, Greenway Plaza and Memorial City. Because the pulse is so targeted, we use it mostly on shoulders, hips and knees.
HEIT at a Glance
What HEIT Therapy Is
Inside the HEIT applicator is a coil. Each time it fires, it sends a short, powerful magnetic pulse through your clothes and skin, and that pulse sets off a small electrical current in the tissue underneath. The current is strong enough to make the muscle under the applicator contract, which is why you feel HEIT working.
The emField Pro has two applicators. The large one locks onto an arm and holds still over one spot, like the front of a shoulder or the side of a hip. The medium one moves across a wider area, like the muscles around a knee. We set the pulse rate for your problem and the intensity to what you can comfortably take.
HEIT vs PEMF: How They Differ
Both use a magnetic field, and you stay dressed for both. The difference is dose and focus. Our PEMF therapy spreads a gentler field across a full-body mat or a broad applicator. HEIT puts a much stronger pulse into one spot.
Header | HEIT | PEMF |
|---|---|---|
Equipment | Zimmer emField Pro | Pulse Centers XL Pro |
Field Strength | Up to 3 tesla, aimed at one spot | Lower intensity, spread over a mat or applicator |
What it covers | One joint or muscle group | Your whole body, or one region with the applicator |
What you feel | Strong, rhythmic muscle contractions | A ticking sound and a light twitch |
Where we use it most | Shoulders, hips, and knees | Low back, discs, arthritis, and widespread soreness |
Sessions run 16 minutes on both, and every office has both machines. We often use both. A patient on PEMF and spinal decompression for a disc problem may also have a shoulder that's been stuck since spring. PEMF works on the back, and HEIT goes after the shoulder.
What We Use HEIT For
HEIT is so targeted that it works best on one joint at a time. We use it most on shoulders, hips and knees.
Shoulder Pain and Frozen Shoulder
Some shoulders ache every time you reach for the top shelf. Others lock up so badly that getting a jacket on takes two tries. The large applicator sits right over the joint and reaches the deep muscles around it that hands can't get to. We pair it with adjustments to the neck and upper back, since a stiff mid-back often keeps the shoulder from moving well.
More on shoulder pain and frozen shoulder. If the cuff itself is strained or torn, see rotator cuff injury.
Hip Pain
The muscles that move the hip, including the piriformis, sit under thick layers of tissue, and a focused pulse reaches them without anyone digging an elbow in. When a hip keeps flaring on one side, we may order our leg length x-ray study: short exposures taken in sections from hip to ankle with a ruler in the shot, measured to the millimeter. A few millimeters of difference can load one hip more than the other for years.
More on hip pain and piriformis syndrome.
Knee Pain and Knee Arthritis
We see runners who log miles on the Memorial Park loop and people whose arthritic knees ache going down stairs. HEIT works the quad and the muscles around the kneecap while you sit with your leg supported. For knee pain on one side only, we check leg length too.
More on knee pain and degenerative knee pain. Still hurting after a replacement? See failed knee replacement.
When one other spot needs a focused dose, we use HEIT there too. That includes tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, wrist pain and an ankle that stays stiff and achy.
What the Research Shows
HEIT is a newer name, and there isn't much research on the emField Pro by brand. The closest studies call this kind of treatment repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation, or rPMS: a strong pulsed magnetic field aimed at muscles and joints. Here's what the larger reviews found.
That fits how we use it. HEIT supports your adjustments and the exercises you do at home. It isn't a cure on its own, and we'll tell you if we don't think it fits your case.
Sources (via PubMed): Pan et al., European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 2025, doi.org/10.23736/S1973-9087.25.08442-4. Diao et al., Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2023, doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2023.03.016. Silva et al., Frontiers in Pain Research, 2026, doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2026.1760721. Bednár et al., Biomedicines, 2026, doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14030722.
When Our Doctors Recommend HEIT
You can come to us for HEIT alone or as part of a care plan. For HEIT on its own, you start with a consult and evaluation with one of our doctors, and you don't need x-rays.
If you're also starting chiropractic care or spinal decompression, your first visit covers the consultation, the exam and any x-rays. We take them in our office during that same appointment, with no referral to an outside imaging center. Your doctor goes over the findings on visit two, and that's when your first adjustment happens.
What a HEIT Session Feels Like
You sit or lie down fully dressed, and we position the applicator over the sore spot. We start the intensity low and raise it while you tell us how it feels. Expect a strong, rhythmic tapping as the muscle under the applicator contracts with each pulse. It should feel strong, never painful, and you can turn it up or down at any point.
A session runs 16 minutes.
The Zimmer emField Pro applicator over a shoulder, from Zimmer MedizinSysteme.
After Your Session
Most patients get up feeling loose. Some feel sore the next day after the first few sessions, the way a muscle does after a workout, and that fades as you go. Relief tends to build from one session to the next, so it often lasts longer near the end of a plan than at the start.
How Many Sessions and How to Pay
Most HEIT plans start at 12 to 25 sessions. Where you land depends on how long the problem has been there and what else is going on with your health.
Insurance doesn't cover HEIT, so it's cash pay. We offer packages that bring the per-session cost down, and your doctor goes over the plan and the options at your consult.
Who Shouldn't Have HEIT
HEIT isn't safe for everyone. We won't use it if you have:
Tell your doctor about any of these at your consult. If HEIT is off the table, we'll talk through other options, including PEMF.
Where to Get HEIT Therapy in Houston
All three CORE Chiropractic offices run the same Zimmer emField Pro, so pick the one closest to home or work.
HEIT at Our Galleria Office
1770 Saint James Place #210, Houston, TX 77056 · (713) 622-3300
Closest for Uptown, Tanglewood, Briargrove and Afton Oaks. Visit our Galleria office page or book at the Galleria.
HEIT at Our Greenway Plaza Office
3334 Richmond Ave #107, Houston, TX 77098 · (713) 929-4330
Closest for Upper Kirby, River Oaks, West University and Montrose. Visit our Greenway Plaza office page or book at Greenway Plaza.
HEIT at Our Memorial City Office
10497 Town and Country Way #100, Houston, TX 77024 · (713) 770-6990
Closest for Spring Branch, Hedwig Village, Hunters Creek and Piney Point. Visit our Memorial City office page or book at Memorial City.
HEIT Therapy FAQs
What does HEIT stand for?
High energy inductive therapy. It uses a strong, focused magnetic pulse to make the muscle under the applicator contract. We use it on one joint at a time, mostly shoulders, hips and knees.
What machine do you use for HEIT?
A Zimmer emField Pro. It reaches up to 3 tesla and has two applicators, one that holds still over a spot and one we move across an area.
Which CORE offices offer HEIT therapy?
All three: Galleria, Greenway Plaza and Memorial City. Each office runs the same Zimmer emField Pro, and sessions work the same way at every location.
What's the difference between HEIT and PEMF?
Both use a magnetic field. PEMF is gentler and can cover your whole body on a mat. HEIT runs at much higher energy and targets one area, so we use it when one spot needs a stronger dose.
Is HEIT the same as shockwave therapy?
No. Shockwave pushes a mechanical pressure wave into bare skin through gel. HEIT uses a magnetic field and works through your clothes. We don't offer shockwave.
Is HEIT therapy painful?
No. You'll feel strong muscle contractions, and we set the intensity to what you can comfortably take. You can turn it up or down at any point during the session.
How many HEIT sessions will I need, and how long is each one?
Most plans run 12 to 25 sessions, and each one takes 16 minutes. Where you land depends on how long you've had the problem and your overall health.
Does insurance cover HEIT?
No. HEIT is cash pay. We offer packages that lower the per-session cost, and your doctor walks you through them at your consult.
Can I come in just for HEIT, and do I need x-rays?
Yes, you can come in for HEIT alone. You'll start with a consult and evaluation, and you only need x-rays if you're also starting chiropractic care or spinal decompression.
Who shouldn't get HEIT?
Anyone with a pacemaker, defibrillator, cochlear implant, spinal cord stimulator or other implanted electronic device. We also don't use it during pregnancy or over broken skin.
Book a HEIT Consult in Houston
We've treated Houston patients since 2006, and Houston Chronicle readers have voted us Best Chiropractor five years running. If a shoulder, hip or knee keeps flaring up and you want to know whether HEIT fits, book a consult at the office closest to you.