Massage TherapyEMMA2NCT07042776
Satisfaction and Feasibility Evaluation of an Electronic Massager Compared to Massage Therapist-delivered Massage
A study testing EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation) and Therapist-delivered massage in people with Massage Therapy, run by Mayo Clinic at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Massage Therapy
- What is being tested?
- EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation) and Therapist-delivered massage
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 2 Jan 2026to 31 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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
Who cannot join
- 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 locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Satisfaction and Feasibility Evaluation of an Electronic Massager (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation -EMMA) Compared to Massage Therapist-delivered Massage
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.
Read the detailed 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.
- Conditions
- Massage Therapy
- Being tested
- EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation), Therapist-delivered massage
- Keywords
- EMMA, Expert Manipulative Massage Automation, Massage Therapy, EMMA@TREATMENT
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation)Device
For the EMMA massage, the subject lies down on the robot platform in a prone position. A therapist sets the robot parameters. The EMMA electronic massager applies massage to the focus points on the back of the participants guided by cameras and computer programs. Treatment lasts approximately 20-30 minutes.
Therapist-delivered massageOther
For the therapist-delivered massage treatment, the licensed massage therapist will follow standard of care protocol. Treatment lasts approximately 20-30 minutes.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| EMMA treatment, then therapist-delivered massage | Experimental | 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. Receives: Device: EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation); Other: Therapist-delivered massage |
| Therapist-delivered massage, then EMMA treatment | Experimental | 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). Receives: Device: EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation); Other: Therapist-delivered massage |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of patients enrolled
Feasibility will be determined by the total number of patients screened in order to accrue the 40 needed to complete the study.
Measured: Duration of study, approximately 2 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Jun 2025
- Study start2 Jan 2026
- Primary completion2 Jun 2026
- Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Massage TherapyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Mayo ClinicThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- Two different massage therapies will be experienced by subjects: EMMA electronic massage and massage therapy by a massage therapist. The order in which the massages will be experienced will be determined by randomization.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Mayo Clinic
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Brent A. Bauer, Mayo Clinic
- Investigators
- Brent Bauer, MD, Principal investigator, Mayo Clinic
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07042776
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 25-002916
- Acronym
- EMMA2
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 5 Jun 2025
- Last updated
- 13 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Satisfaction and Feasibility Evaluation of an Electronic Massager (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation -EMMA) Compared to Massage Therapist-delivered Massage
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07042776
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- EMMA2 / 25-002916
- Conditions
- Massage Therapy
- Keywords
- EMMA, Expert Manipulative Massage Automation, Massage Therapy, EMMA@TREATMENT
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Mayo ClinicUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 2 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 2 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed 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.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Two different massage therapies will be experienced by subjects: EMMA electronic massage and massage therapy by a massage therapist. The order in which the massages will be experienced will be determined by randomization.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| EMMA treatment, then therapist-delivered massage | Experimental | Device: EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation), Other: Therapist-delivered massageSubjects 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. |
| Therapist-delivered massage, then EMMA treatment | Experimental | Device: EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation), Other: Therapist-delivered massageSubjects 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). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 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
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- 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
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation)For the EMMA massage, the subject lies down on the robot platform in a prone position. A therapist sets the robot parameters. The EMMA electronic massager applies massage to the focus points on the back of the participants guided by cameras and computer programs. Treatment lasts approximately 20-30 minutes. | Device | EMMA treatment, then therapist-delivered massage, Therapist-delivered massage, then EMMA treatment |
| Therapist-delivered massageFor the therapist-delivered massage treatment, the licensed massage therapist will follow standard of care protocol. Treatment lasts approximately 20-30 minutes. | Other | EMMA treatment, then therapist-delivered massage, Therapist-delivered massage, then EMMA treatment |
Primary outcome
Number of patients enrolled
Time frame: Duration of study, approximately 2 years
Feasibility will be determined by the total number of patients screened in order to accrue the 40 needed to complete the study.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Brent Bauer, MD principal investigator
Mayo Clinic
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation) and Therapist-delivered massage in people with Massage Therapy, run by Mayo Clinic at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of patients enrolled (time frame: Duration of study, approximately 2 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Aug 2026.