The Hummingbird device, from North Carolina-based Vital Motion, has received the 2018 Innovative Product of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan for fibromyalgia therapy.
The device works by applying a gentle micro-mechanical vibration which is placed under the plantar (or front part) of the feet. This vibration in turn activates the calf muscles, increasing blood flow throughout the body and significantly relieving the pain and “symptoms associated with diseases such as fibromyalgia, orthostatic hypotension (posture-related dizziness), and poor circulation.
An accompanying Hummingbird App can be installed on any smartphone or tablet to allow the patient to control the stimulation time and vibration levels throughout the treatment period, according to Frost & Sullivan, in a media release.
“Many medical device therapies available in the market are designed to address various chronic pain indications, most are alternatives to suppressing the intake of opioids or other pain medicines. In contrast, the Hummingbird is a specialized therapy that has been scientifically evaluated and clinically demonstrated to address the critical physiological disabilities strongly correlated with fibromyalgia,” explains Bradley Saveth, co-founder at Vital Motion.
“The Hummingbird is an industry innovation because it stimulates the foot’s plantar nerve endings by delivering varying intensities of vibrational energy, thereby increasing the function of the calf muscle pump. This unique type of therapy is gradually being accepted by the community of pain physicians as an emerging standard of care for treating fibromyalgia symptoms,” states Arjunvasan A, healthcare analyst at Frost & Sullivan, in the release.
[Source(s): Frost & Sullivan, PR Newswire]
