Haptic Patch Reduces Pain, Improves Mobility in Study

NARRAGANSETT, RI, UNITED STATES, October 8, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- A wearable, drug-free haptic patch has been found to significantly reduce pain and improve range of motion in a randomized, controlled study presented at the Business of Pain 2026 meeting. The study, conducted by Clarity Science, LLC, involved 118 adults with myofascial, musculoskeletal, arthritic, or neuropathic pain. Participants were randomly assigned to wear either the FREEDOM Patch, which incorporates Haptic Vibrotactile Transduction/Trigger Technology (VTT), or a similar-appearing placebo patch. The patch was applied near the source of pain and replaced daily for 14 days, with all 118 participants completing the study.

The study found that the active patch significantly reduced pain severity and interference compared to the placebo patch. Pain severity fell by a median of 2.75 points on a 0-10 scale, with a significant reduction in pain interference (P=.012) at Day 14. The active patch also improved range of motion and flexibility, as measured by the Schober test, goniometer, and inclinometer. Specifically, participants with low-back pain experienced a 2.17 cm improvement in the Schober test with the active patch, compared to the placebo (P=.0015).

By Day 14, 92% of active-patch users reported pain relief within 20 minutes of application, 95% reported using less oral pain medication, and 94% were extremely satisfied with the patch. In contrast, only 56% of participants in the placebo group reported satisfaction. No adverse events were reported in either group.

Jeffrey Gudin, MD, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Peter Hurwitz, President of Clarity Science, LLC, presented the findings at the Business of Pain 2026 meeting. Gudin noted that the study supports considering haptic vibrotactile technology as a non-drug option for pain management, on its own or alongside other therapies.

The FREEDOM Patch, which incorporates Haptic Vibrotactile Transduction/Trigger Technology (VTT), is a wearable device designed to stimulate mechanoreceptors in the skin. The resulting signal is thought to engage PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 mechanosensitive ion channels, the touch-sensing receptors recognized by the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. In pain, this signaling is theorized to disrupt the pain neuromatrix, the network of brain regions that shapes how pain is perceived.

The study was funded by SRYSTY Holding Co./The Super Patch Company, the patch manufacturer, and conducted by Clarity Science, LLC under independent Institutional Review Board oversight.