Stability assessment of electromagnetic pulse neck massagers

Abstract

Electromagnetic pulse massage mimics the current signal of human nerve fibers by conducting a weak current to the deeper layers of the skin, which makes the muscle fibers contract and imitates massage techniques such as pounding and kneading, thus achieving a relaxing effect on the cervical spine. Wearing stability of such products largely affects the effectiveness and comfort of massage. This paper aims to investigate the wearing stability and influencing factors of electromagnetic pulse neck massagers. Three representative neck massagers were used for testing, and subjective ratings of fit were collected from 58 participants (29 males, 29females), along with measurements of wearing slipping distance and neck dimensions. The results showed that females wore the neck massager significantly more loosely than males and had a longer slipping distance of 10.256mm. Moreover, the correlation analysis indicated that the wearing fit was strongly correlated with Middle Neck Width (MNW), moderately correlated with Middle Neck Girth (MNG), weakly correlated with Root Neck Girth (RNG) and Front Neck Length (FNL), which was a guideline for the design of size and grading for neck massages.