ReActiv8 Restorative Neurostimulation

ReActiv8 is a restorative neurostimulation treatment designed to address the underlying cause of mechanical chronic low back pain by helping patients restore neuromuscular control of the multifidus muscle. It targets muscle dysfunction rather than only treating symptoms, with the goal of improving spinal support and reducing compensatory overload of other back muscles.



How does ReActiv8 Restorative Neurostimulation Work?

ReActiv8 involves a minimally invasive outpatient implantation procedure - leads are placed next to nerves outside of the spinal canal and connected to an implanted pulse generator. The patient then controls the stimulation therapy with a handheld remote during two 30-minute sessions per day, which allows the system to contract and relax the multifidus muscle via the stimulation of the medial branch nerve. The ReActiv8 procedure is also reversible as it does not alter or change the structure of the spine.

Who may benefit / Indications

  • Patients with mechanical chronic low back pain associated with multifidus muscle dysfunction.
  • People who experience pain when sitting or standing for long periods or during everyday bending activities (e.g., brushing teeth, reaching, washing dishes).
  • Those who demonstrate clinical signs of impaired neuromuscular control and may show fatty infiltration of multifidus on MRI.

Is Muscle Dysfunction Causing my Low Back Pain?

Most people don’t know that the majority of back pain is actually due to muscle dysfunction. Mechanical chronic low back pain results from an injury or stress on the body's structures surrounding the spine, including joints, muscles, tendons or other bones. Often times, this type of pain is due to impaired neuromuscular control and neural inhibition of the multifidus muscle, which plays a critical role in stabilizing the back. This loss of neuromuscular control of the multifidus leads to overcompensation by the other muscles in the back (erector spinae) which then begin to overload – this process leads to significant low back pain, which may worsen over time.

How do I know my back pain is due to muscle dysfunction and not something else?

You could be suffering from multifidus muscle dysfunction if you experience pain while sitting or standing in the same position for extended periods of time, or during common everyday activities requiring bending such as brushing teeth, washing dishes, or reaching for items. Needing to use your arms to return to a standing position after bending is another common sign. Your doctor can assess the functionality of your multifidus muscle through a series of physical tests performed at an office visit in combination with an MRI to confirm the presence of fatty infiltration in the multifidus muscle. Testing for multifidus muscle dysfunction is 100% non-invasive.

Procedure & recovery

  • Minimally invasive outpatient procedure.
  • Leads placed next to the medial branch nerves and connected to an implanted pulse generator.
  • Therapy completed in two daily, 30-minute sessions using a handheld remote.
  • Reversible procedure that preserves future treatment options.

Expected benefits

  • Improved neuromuscular control of the multifidus muscle.
  • Reduced compensatory loading of other back muscles.
  • Potential long-term functional improvement, not only short-term relief.

Patient education videos

Watch educational videos to learn more about ReActiv8 Restorative Neurostimulation:





Resources & next steps

For more information or patient education materials, contact us at 805-351-0745.