Contoured Massage Tool for Deep Tissue Nerve Relief
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current massage therapies are ineffective in treating lower back pain caused by misaligned vertebrae, bulging discs, and impinged nerves due to the inaccessibility of anatomical structures like the psoas and iliacus muscles, and lack of skill or strength to properly manipulate these areas.
Innovation Solution
A massage tool with contoured blades designed to apply cross-fiber pressure and deep tissue pressure on the ventral rami of the lumbar plexus, femoral nerves, and iliacus muscles, featuring adjustable blades and linkage assemblies to target specific areas for relief.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If massage therapy is applied to treat lower back pain, then relaxation and general pain relief may be achieved, but the treatment is ineffective due to inaccessibility of deep anatomical structures like psoas and iliacus muscles
Solution Approach 1:
The massage device is divided into multiple independent blades (first blade, second blade, third blade) that can be positioned at different locations and angles to access various deep anatomical structures. Each blade can be independently manipulated to target specific muscles and nerves that are otherwise inaccessible to conventional massage techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from superficial two-dimensional massage to three-dimensional deep tissue manipulation by using contoured blades that can penetrate and manipulate structures at multiple depth levels. The linkage assembly allows the blades to move in coordinated three-dimensional space to access deep anatomical structures.
2Reliability
If deep tissue pressure is applied to manipulate psoas and iliacus muscles, then scar tissue adhesions can be broken and nerves can be re-lengthened, but significant skill and strength are required that most practitioners lack
Solution Approach 1:
The contoured blades act as intermediaries between the practitioner and the deep anatomical structures. The blades are designed with specific contours that concentrate and direct force precisely to scar tissue adhesions and contracted muscles, allowing practitioners to achieve deep tissue manipulation without requiring exceptional manual strength or skill.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the physical parameters of force application by using rigid contoured blades that can transmit and concentrate force to specific depth and location. This transforms the practitioner's input force into precise, high-intensity localized pressure that would be difficult to achieve with hands alone.
3Ease of operation
If chiropractic adjustments are performed without skillful massage manipulation, then spinal alignment may be attempted, but the treatment is ineffective and causes further muscle spasming
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary massage manipulation and soft tissue preparation before chiropractic adjustments are applied. By using the contoured blades to first relax contracted muscles and break scar tissue adhesions, the subsequent adjustment can be performed more effectively without causing additional muscle spasming.
Data Source
AI summary
A massage tool that provides direct therapeutic pressure to the ventral rami and femoral nerves, and/or the psoas and iliacus muscles is disclosed. The tool includes upward pointing blades that may be properly aligned with the nerves and/or muscles to gently lengthen the nerves and relax the muscles. This in turn may lessen pressure to associated joints and bones thereby providing relief to chronic back and/or leg pain.