The Research Behind the Pain Relieving Pad

The Pain Relieving Pad combines focal vibration and acupressure. The studies below cover how vibration and pressure affect pain signals, blood flow, muscles and soft tissue, and what research has found for conditions such as back and knee pain. They are about these therapies in general, not about the Pain Relieving Pad itself. The reference numbers match the numbers used on our other pages.

How Vibration Reduces Pain

1. Melzack R, Wall PD. Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science. 1965;150(3699):971–979. doi:10.1126/science.150.3699.971
2. Lundeberg T. Vibratory stimulation for the alleviation of chronic pain. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1983;523:1–51.
3. Guieu R, Tardy-Gervet MF, Roll JP. Analgesic effects of vibration and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation applied separately and simultaneously to patients with chronic pain. Can J Neurol Sci. 1991;18(2):113–119.
4. Casale R, et al. The analgesic effect of localized vibration: a systematic review. Part 1: the neurophysiological basis. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2022. doi:10.23736/S1973-9087.22.07415-9
5. Lupowitz L. Vibration therapy – a clinical commentary. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2022;17(6):984–987. doi:10.26603/001c.36964
6. Cerciello S, Rossi S, Visonà E, Corona K, Oliva F. Clinical applications of vibration therapy in orthopaedic practice. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2016;6(1):147–156.
7. Saggini R, Ancona E. The applied mechanical vibration as whole-body and focal vibration. In: The Mechanical Vibration: Therapeutic Effects and Applications. Bentham Science Publishers; 2017:25–88.

Vibration, Blood Flow and Muscles

8. Lohman EB 3rd, Petrofsky JS, Maloney-Hinds C, Betts-Schwab H, Thorpe D. The effect of whole body vibration on lower extremity skin blood flow in normal subjects. Med Sci Monit. 2007;13(2):CR71–76.
9. Lu X, Wang Y, Lu J, You Y, Zhang L, Zhu D, Yao F. Does vibration benefit delayed-onset muscle soreness?: a meta-analysis and systematic review. J Int Med Res. 2019;47. doi:10.1177/0300060518814999
10. Imtiyaz S, Veqar Z, Shareef MY. To compare the effect of vibration therapy and massage in prevention of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8(1):133–136. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2014/7294.3971
11. Marotta N, Lopresti E, Prestifilippo E, et al. Mechanical focal vibration therapy for muscle injury recovery in a runner. Appl Sci. 2025;15(4):2022. doi:10.3390/app15042022

Vibration for Back and Joint Pain

12. Li Q, Liu P, Wang Z, Li X. Vibration therapy to improve pain and function in patients with chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res. 2023;18(1):727. doi:10.1186/s13018-023-04217-2
13. Barati K, Esfandiari E, Kamyab M, et al. The effect of local muscle vibration on clinical and biomechanical parameters in people with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2021;35:124.

Acupressure and Pain

14. Hsieh LL, Kuo CH, Lee LH, Yen AM, Chien KL, Chen TH. Treatment of low back pain by acupressure and physical therapy: randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2006;332(7543):696. doi:10.1136/bmj.38744.672616.AE
15. Murphy SL, Harris RE, Keshavarzi NR, Zick SM. Self-administered acupressure for chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled pilot trial. Pain Med. 2019;20(12):2588–2597. doi:10.1093/pm/pnz138
16. Chen YW, Wang HH. The effectiveness of acupressure on relieving pain: a systematic review. Pain Manag Nurs. 2014;15(2):539–550. doi:10.1016/j.pmn.2012.12.005
17. Hsiu H, Hsu WC, Chen BH, Hsu CL. Differences in the microcirculatory effects of local skin surface contact pressure stimulation between acupoints and nonacupoints: possible relevance to acupressure. Physiol Meas. 2010;31:829–841.
18. Yasuda A, Sasajima S, et al. Effects of stimulation conditions and subcutaneous tissue properties on acupressure-induced changes in blood circulation of human tendons. J Phys Fitness Sports Med. 2023;12(6):147–154.

Muscles, Tendons and Tissue Repair

19. Khan KM, Scott A. Mechanotherapy: how physical therapists’ prescription of exercise promotes tissue repair. Br J Sports Med. 2009;43(4):247–252. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.054239
20. Thomopoulos S, et al. Mechanisms of tendon injury and repair. J Orthop Res. 2015.
21. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). What are tendons and tendon sheaths? InformedHealth.org. 2018.
22. Roberts TJ, Konow N. How tendons buffer energy dissipation by muscle. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2014.