INNOVO pelvic floor shorts review: status, evidence and alternatives

INNOVO was one of the few pelvic floor devices you didn’t have to insert, which is why so many people searched for it. It used shorts with built-in pads that sent electrical impulses to make the pelvic floor contract. If you searched for it recently, you probably saw the notice: INNOVO’s US store says it’s shutting down and no longer accepting orders. Here’s what you can use instead.

What INNOVO was

• How it worked: wearable shorts delivered neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The maker described 180 pelvic floor contractions in each 30-minute session.
• Recommended use: 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for about 12 weeks, according to the manufacturer’s materials.
• Clearance: INNOVO received FDA clearance for stress urinary incontinence in women, later including over-the-counter use.
• Status now: the US store says it’s no longer taking orders, and points existing customers to customer care for questions and warranty claims. INNOVO’s UK site has separately said the kit is no longer sold there, with some replacement parts still offered — check current status.

If you already own INNOVO, contact INNOVO customer care through the official site before replacing anything.

INNOVO’s UK site also marketed the shorts as unisex, for men with bladder weakness. If that’s you, see INNOVO for men.

INNOVO review: pros and cons

We haven’t tested INNOVO ourselves (hands-on testing: coming soon, if we can still get a unit). Based on the maker’s materials and its FDA clearance:

• Pros: non-insertable — you wear shorts over your skin; does the contractions for you; cleared by the FDA for stress urinary incontinence in women, including over-the-counter use; a clear 12-week routine.
• Cons: a big time commitment (30 minutes, five days a week); stimulation is passive, so it doesn’t teach you to squeeze before a cough or lift; not for people with pacemakers or during pregnancy; and now, no US store — so new purchases, replacement parts and support are uncertain.

Buying INNOVO on Amazon, eBay or secondhand

You may still see INNOVO listed by third-party sellers. Before you buy:

• Check it’s new and complete. Electrode pads and shorts are personal items; used ones may not be hygienic or work well.
• Ask about warranty. With the US store closed, warranty support may be limited. Contact INNOVO customer care through the official site first.
• Check sizing and replacement parts. Shorts and pads wear out; make sure you can replace them.
• Price sense-check. Compare the total cost with alternatives below before you pay.

INNOVO vs Kegel8

	INNOVO	Kegel8 Ultra 20 V2
Type	Electrical stimulation	Electrical stimulation
How it’s applied	Pads built into wearable shorts	Internal probe
Insertable	No	Yes
Availability (US)	Store says it’s no longer taking orders	Listed on Kegel8’s US site
Price (checked September 2026)	Check third-party sellers	$240
For men	US clearance is for women; UK site marketed unisex shorts	Versions for men available

INNOVO alternatives compared

Prices checked September 2026. Check current price — sales are frequent.

Option	How it works	Insertable?	Where	Price	Best for
Guided kegel training (app or timer)	You contract the muscle	No	Home	Free to low-cost	Almost everyone, first
Kegel8 Ultra 20 V2	Electrical stimulation via a probe	Yes	Home	$240 (US site)	People who want home e-stim
Yarlap	Electrical stimulation (“AutoKegel”) via a probe	Yes	Home	About $299 (check current price)	Women wanting FDA-cleared OTC e-stim
Perifit / Elvie	Biofeedback: shows your own squeeze	Yes	Home	$149–$199	Women who can squeeze but need feedback
kGoal Boost	Biofeedback cushion you sit on, clothed	No	Home	Check current price	Non-insertable feedback
Emsella	Electromagnetic chair, clothed	No	Clinic	About $1,200–$3,000+ per course	Non-insertable, if cost isn’t a barrier

The alternatives, one by one

1. Guided pelvic floor training — the first-line option

Before any device, NICE recommends a supervised program of pelvic floor muscle training for at least 3 months for stress or mixed leaking. It’s free or cheap, and unlike stimulation, it teaches you to squeeze on purpose before a cough, sneeze or jump.

• Pros: free; strongest evidence; builds real-life control.
• Cons: needs daily effort; hard if you can’t feel the muscle — a physio can help.

2. Kegel8 — the closest home e-stim option

Kegel8 sells electronic pelvic toners that use an internal probe to stimulate the pelvic floor. The Ultra 20 V2 was listed at $240 on Kegel8’s US site in September 2026. There are versions for men too.

• Pros: home e-stim like INNOVO; many programs.
• Cons: insertable probe; not for people with pacemakers or during pregnancy; e-stim isn’t a routine first step in NICE guidance.

3. Yarlap — FDA-cleared OTC e-stim

Yarlap is an insertable e-stim device that does the contractions for you. Its maker describes it as FDA-cleared for over-the-counter use for stress, urge and mixed incontinence. Listed at about $299 — check current price.

• Pros: does the work for you; HSA/FSA eligible according to the maker.
• Cons: insertable; cost; same e-stim caveats as above.

4. Perifit or Elvie — if you can squeeze but need feedback

These don’t stimulate the muscle. They show your own squeeze on screen so you can correct technique. See Perifit vs Elvie.

• Pros: builds voluntary control; free apps.
• Cons: insertable; won’t help if you can’t produce a contraction at all.

5. kGoal Boost — a non-insertable biofeedback cushion

You sit on it, clothed, and it measures your squeeze through an air-filled cushion, sending feedback to an app. Versions for men and women. Check current price on kGoal’s site.

• Pros: non-insertable, like INNOVO.
• Cons: biofeedback, not stimulation — you still do the work.

6. Emsella — non-insertable, but in a clinic

A clinic chair that uses electromagnetic energy to make the pelvic floor contract while you sit clothed. A course is usually six sessions and often costs more than $1,000, usually out of pocket. See Emsella cost and Emsella vs kegels.

What to look for in any replacement device

• Clear clearance and instructions. Check the maker’s regulatory status and read who the device is not for.
• A return policy. Intimate devices often can’t be returned once opened.
• Support for your goal. Stimulation devices make muscles contract; biofeedback devices help you learn the squeeze. They’re not interchangeable.
• A plan for the long term. Muscle gains fade if you stop. Whatever you choose, plan to keep a short routine going for months.
• Your safety conditions. Pregnancy, a pacemaker or other implanted electronics, and some metal implants rule out stimulation devices or need medical advice first.

How to choose

• Never had a pelvic floor assessment? See a pelvic health physio if you can. They’ll tell you whether you need strength, relaxation, feedback or stimulation.
• You can feel a squeeze: train first; add biofeedback if progress stalls.
• You can’t produce a squeeze at all: ask a clinician whether e-stim makes sense for you.
• You need non-insertable: guided training, kGoal Boost, or Emsella in a clinic.
• Pain, tightness or pain with sex: don’t start with stimulation — take the Tight or weak? check first.

Try a free program before you buy a device

Before you spend hundreds of dollars on a replacement device, give free training a fair try: learn the squeeze with our kegels for women guide, train daily with the kegel timer, and log leaks in the bladder diary. If things aren’t improving after a few months, that record will help a specialist choose the right next step.

Disclosure

This page may contain affiliate links: if you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That doesn’t change our recommendations. Dr. Kegel makes a pelvic floor training app. We have no relationship with INNOVO or Atlantic Therapeutics. Last updated September 23, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is INNOVO discontinued?

INNOVO's US website says the store is shutting down and no longer accepting orders, and directs existing customers to customer care for questions and warranty claims. We couldn't confirm the reasons. INNOVO's UK site has separately said the kit is no longer sold there. Check the official sites for the latest.

What is the closest alternative to INNOVO?

INNOVO used electrical stimulation through wearable shorts, so nothing is identical. Home e-stim units like Kegel8 or Yarlap work on a similar principle but use an internal probe. If you want non-insertable, Emsella is a clinic chair, and a kGoal Boost is a sit-on biofeedback cushion.

What if I already own INNOVO?

Contact INNOVO's customer care through the official website about warranty and replacement parts before buying anything new. Keep doing your own pelvic floor exercises between sessions — voluntary training is the first-line option and helps you keep control.

Do I need a device to fix stress incontinence?

Most women start without one. NICE recommends at least 3 months of supervised pelvic floor muscle training as first-line care for stress or mixed leaking. Devices can help some people who can't produce a squeeze, ideally after a physio assessment.

Is electrical stimulation better than kegels?

Not as a routine first step. NICE doesn't recommend electrical stimulation routinely; it may be offered with training for some women, such as those who can't contract the pelvic floor. E-stim makes muscles contract, but kegels teach you to use them when you cough, sneeze or lift.

Sources

1. myinnovo (INNOVO US website) — INNOVO
2. Atlantic Therapeutics Announces FDA Clearance for Over-the-Counter Use of INNOVO — BioSpace
3. Kegel8 Ultra 20 V2 Electronic Pelvic Toner — Kegel8
4. Kegel Exercise Device | Pelvic Floor Training Equipment — Yarlap
5. Boost by kGoal: Sit-On-Top Kegel Trainer For Women — kGoal
6. Recommendations: Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women (NG123) — NICE

This page is general education about exercise, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. Talk to a clinician about symptoms that are new, severe or getting worse.