Oh, let's see - I do have some questions for you - have you or your wife actually experienced a physical therapist or massage therapist, whether using a device or by hand manipulation, perform myofascial release? Does she have a specific diagnosis for her chronic pain, such as an underlying disease or prior injury, or has it just increased over time due to unknown causes?

Here's the reason I am asking - I'm not a medical expert but I have lived with pain as my friend & enemy for a very long time. What causes my pain is definitely different than what causes it for others. And I have underlying issues as well. So what works for me, well, it works for me. But it may or may not work for any other person on the planet.

And what is safe for me is not necessarily so for anyone else. And that safety question is the most important. People with certain issues, implants in their bodies, heart problems, seizure disorders, and a whole host of other medical issues should never try electrical stimulation (part of what this tool does) except with expert care and instruction.

Remember, the hand held tools "as seen on TV" or in other settings are only as effective as the technique of the user. So even if it works for the therapist, the home version may not help, and ends up as an expensive paperweight.

Myofascial release, which this promotes, is a highly skilled process, and practitioners spend years learning to do it. I would be skeptical that a device could replace it.

Please share a few more details, and maybe we cah make some suggestions to help your wife.
Sue

@ssiem37 @sueinmn I took a look at this tool. It looks like it is trying to combine functions of tools that are used by physical therapists and do multiple things at once.

My PT has a Powerplate which is a vibrating platform large enough to stand or sit on that is about 10 inches off the ground. It has multiple settings for the vibration amplitude and duration and may even have patterns that change the vibration which is geared to allow a user to do stretching with vibration that is supposed to be able to help stretch the fascia, but the person is doing the stretch and it is just assisted by vibrations.

My PT also has a Dolphin Neurostimulation devices which is 2 hand held devices that send a current between them. That current is programmed for different patterns. Some are targeted to block the pain signals from neurotransmitters in the nerves, and using this helps release built up electric charges held in muscles that are spasming. Electric charges can also cause muscle contraction and spasms, so the setting is very important for what program the device is set to do.

The John Barnes methods for myofascial release work by first pressing into the body, and pushing in a direction causing a gentle shearing motion across fascia, and that depends on having a stretching force between 2 points, usually the therapists hands. Sometimes a person will lay on a ball and have a stretching force in a particular direction and that ball is holding the stretch because of using their their body weight to work for them. Holding a tool against the body, is not going to provide a lateral shearing force unless it is pressed in and then pushed sideways. This toll would be vibrating and providing some type of electric stimulation, so that isn't really myofascial release. It's possible using it with an additional hand providing a lateral shearing force could be helpful, but I don't know if the device can be pressed comfortably into muscle to hold pressure. I also don't know if the electrical stimulation will cause muscle contractions which kind of defeats the purpose of stretching if muscles start contracting.

Myofascial release has become a buzzword for marketing, and real MFR is a hands on manual therapy provided by a highly trained professional. There are other ways to stretch fascia like suction cups, but those are more aggressive. If you try to forcibly stretch fascia, it can tear creating more scar tissue and creating a bigger problem. The body tries to resist and brace against too much force, and that is why MFR works so well because it is under the body's reaction threshold. For professional tools, there should be scientific unbiased studies that demonstrate the benefit of what the device is supposed to do.

Would you consider consulting a therapist who does MFR work? That may be more beneficial, and they may have an opinion about this kind of a device being marketed to the public.