DESIGN OF AN INNOVATIVE PNEUMATIC MASSAGE DEVICE FOR LOW BACK PAIN TREATMENT Michele Gabrio ANTONELLI*, Pierluigi BEOMONTE ZOBEL*, Francesco DURANTE* and Terenziano RAPARELLI** * DIMEG, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila Via Giovanni Gronchi 18, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy (E-mail: pierluigi.zobel@univaq.it) ** Dipartimento di Meccanica, Politecnico di Torino Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy (E-mail: terenziano.raparelli@polito.it) ABSTRACT 80% of healthy world population, with no sex distinction, suffers low back pain. Massage is an alternative method to pharmaceutical and surgical treatment for the low back pain. Massage is an hygienic and therapeutic method consisting of mechanical manipulation of human body surfaces. Traditionally, massage is practised manually; nevertheless several massage devices device can be found on market, sorted as regards method by which massage is exerted. Some robotic massage devicis can be found in scientific literature. This paper presents a new massage device for lumbar region in order to treat the low back pain. Massage is practised by air pocket actuators made of silicon rubber. The design of air pocket actuators, the design of the massage device frame and the control system design are described. Finally, experimental test on actuators and on the massage device prototype are described. KEY WORDS Massage device, pneumatic actuators, low back pain INTRODUCTION Spine can be affected by several pathologies: over 30 years old, it was demonstrated that spine elements are subjected to irreversible changes whose intensity is strictly correlated to subject age. Low back pain is certainly the more diffused. 80% of healthy world population, with no sex distinction, suffers low back pain whether the subject performs stressful activities or sedentary one. In order to treat low back pain, an alternative method to pharmaceutical and surgical treatment is represented by massage therapy [1]. Massage is an hygienic and therapeutic method consisting of mechanical manipulation of human body surfaces; specifically of back. Massage provides a relaxing effect on body: it acts directly on the local area in which is applied and acts indirectly on the nervous and vegetative systems [2]. Traditionally, massage is exerted by hands. It is possible to distinguish several kind of massage techniques on the basis of the region of the hand used for manipulation, of the exerted pressure intensity and of the movement performed by hands. Massage by hands requires patient to be relaxed on a bed, in order to avoid loads acting on the spine and to allow the physiotherapist to work better. The most common kinds of massage for low back pain treatment are: surface palmar touch (fingers exert light pressure on back, with both hands simultaneously 64 Proceedings of the 8th JFPS International Symposium on Fluid Power, OKINAWA 2011 Oct. 25-28, 2011 1A2-3 Copyright © 2011 by JFPS, ISBN 4-931070-08-6