Satisfaction and Feasibility Evaluation of an Electronic Massager Compared to Massage Therapist-delivered Massage (EMMA2)

Mayo Clinic

Status: Begins enrollment in 1 month

Conditions: Massage Therapy

Treatments: Device: EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation); Other: Therapist-delivered massage

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07042776

25-002916

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of this study is to evaluate the practicality and acceptability of using an electronic massager. Additionally, it aims to compare user satisfaction between the experience with an electric massager and a massage provided by a professional massage therapist.

Full description

This study is being done to understand how practical and acceptable EMMA, an electronic massage device, is, and the satisfaction of the EMMA massage compared to massage therapy given by a certified massage therapist. Participants will also be asked to have two massages, one given by EMMA and another delivered by a massage therapist. The order in which participants will receive each massage will be determined by randomization.

Enrollment: 20 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 years or older
• Ability to provide informed consent
• 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
• Ability to complete all aspects of this trial

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Patients with inability of staying in a prone position
• Patients with bleeding disorders
• Patients with a current diagnosis of cancer or being treated for cancer
• Patients with allergies and/or local skin affectations
• An unstable medical or mental health condition as determined by the physician investigator

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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20 participants in 2 patient groups

EMMA treatment, then therapist-delivered massage

Experimental group

Description:

Subjects in this arm will first undergo massage therapy utilizing the EMMA Massager (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation). A minimum of 24 hours later, the subjects will undergo a massage therapist-delivered massage.

Treatment:

Other: Therapist-delivered massage

Device: EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation)

Therapist-delivered massage, then EMMA treatment

Experimental group

Description:

Subjects in this arm will first undergo a massage therapist-delivered massage treatment. A minimum of 24 hours later, the subjects will undergo massage therapy utilizing the EMMA Massager (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation).

Treatment:

Other: Therapist-delivered massage

Device: EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation)