Electronic Approach to the Human Massage Therapist
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: EMMA massage therapy, Clinical massage treatment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Lower Back Pain. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Comparing an Electronic Approach to the Human Massage Therapist.
Overview
The purpose of this study is to gather information about patient experience receiving a massage through a robotic EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation) compared to receiving a massage from a massage therapist.
Detailed description
Patients being evaluated in an outpatient service will be invited to participate in this study if they report a primary pain point in Low Back. Once they are enrolled in the study, they will be randomized to the type of massage therapy they will receive. Direct massage therapy through a certified massage therapist or indirect massage therapy through EMMA operated by a certified massage therapist.
Interventions
- Device EMMA massage therapy
Expert Manipulative Massage Automation (EMMA) is equipped with sensors to measure muscle stiffness and uses 3D vision technology to measure muscle stiffness and identify pressure points while delivering a massage to patients. Following that, the electronic massager will determine the best course of action for our patients based on the information stored by our Artificial Intelligence and EMMA's robotic arm will perform the massage. EMMA executes massages through soft treatment modules that are w - Other Clinical massage treatment
The direct person clinical massage treatment will be delivered by a clinical licensed massage therapist. The type of massage will follow the EMMA massage in that it will be a deep tissue massage (to mimic the Tuina massage) and generally will be for about 30 minutes to once again mimic the duration of massage therapy of the EMMA.
Primary outcome measures
- Number of patients enrolled [Time frame: baseline to end of study (year 2)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- be 18 years of age or older.
- report a primary pain point in the lower back.
- Pain intensity reported at baseline
- Women of childbearing potential who self-report not being pregnant and agree to employ an effective method of birth control (surgical sterilization or oral contraceptives, barrier method with spermicides, intrauterine device, etc.) during the study period
- be able to participate fully in all aspects of the study.
- have understood and signed study informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Patients with the inability to stay in a prone position
- Patients with bleeding disorders
- Patients with allergies and/or local skin affectations
- have used pain medications or participated in a pain treatment within three days of study enrollment.
- have an implanted device (including a lap band) in the targeted area of massage therapy.
- have used an investigational drug within 30 days of study enrollment.
- have a history of any major cardiovascular events including heart valve disease, ongoing angina, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, transient ischemic attack, or peripheral vascular disease.
- have clinically significant acute or chronic progressive or unstable neurologic, hepatic, renal, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, metabolic disease (such as uncontrolled diabetes type 2) active cancer, actively receiving treatment for cancer or within 1 year of cancer remission.
- surgical intervention for pain within 1 month prior to enrollment.
- active infection, wound or other external trauma to the areas to be treated with massage therapy.
- have a known history of any condition or factor judged by the investigator to preclude participation in the study or which might hinder adherence.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Other
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Mayo Clinic in Rochester — Rochester
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07040397 · 25-002863