NCT07040397

Electronic Approach to the Human Massage Therapist

Comparing an Electronic Approach to the Human Massage Therapist.

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Mayo Clinic · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

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.

Conditions

• Lower Back Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
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 warmed to a temperature of between 38℃ and 40℃ to mimic human touch.
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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-28
• Primary completion: 2026-10-01
• Completion: 2026-10-01
• First posted: 2025-06-27
• Last updated: 2026-01-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study