Muscle Stimulator Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The muscle stimulator market is expected to register a CAGR of 3.5% during the forecast period, 2021-2026.

The pandemic has had a slightly positive impact on the market as there are many respiratory muscle stimulators getting launched used to treat patients with COVID-19. For instance, Liberate Medical's VentFree Respiratory Muscle Stimulator received FDA emergency approval in May 2020. The device delivers stimulation in a non-invasive fashion, and the therapy can be initiated immediately at the start of ventilation and continued until patients are weaned off ventilation. This reduces the time of ventilation of the patients.

This is attributing to increasing musculoskeletal disorders, technological advancement, emphasis on pain management therapies in sports medicine, and growing preference among physiotherapists for the disorders as muscle stimulators help in reducing muscle spasms, reduce discomfort and pain, restore muscle tone, and rehabilitate parts of the body. This advantage of muscles stimulator results in increasing adoption by a physiotherapist to treat the targeted patient pool. Moreover, unhealthy diets and lack of fitness activities among the population result in musculoskeletal disorders.

According to Sandul Yasobant in the article published in 2018, the global prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders ranges from 14% to as high as 42%. The incidence of these disorders increases as the geriatric population is at more risk, and their number is drastically increasing.

According to the United Nations Population Fund, 2020, the number of elderly people in the Asia-Pacific region is growing at an unprecedented rate and is at the forefront of global aging. By 2050, 1 in 4 people in Asia and the Pacific will be over 60 years old. The number of adults (over 60) in the region may triple between 2010 and 2050, reaching an estimated 1.3 million people.

Due to the large number of people suffering from these disorders, the market studied is growing. Furthermore, the launch of several technologically advanced products is boosting the market growth. For instance, in 2019, OMRON Healthcare launched Electronic Nerve Stimulator (model HV-F013), equipped with OMRON’s Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) technology in India. The rising demand for and adoption of wireless portable muscle stimulators and their compatibility with smartphones create a lucrative opportunity in the muscle stimulators market.

Key Market Trends

The Pain Management ​Segment is Expected to Witness Healthy Growth in the Future.

Rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19 (C-19) after long-term treatment (ICU) is complex and challenging for patients suffering from a wide range of physiological disabilities affecting respiratory, cardiovascular, nerve, intestinal, and skeletal muscle function. Paralysis of the skeletal and respiratory muscles, commonly referred to as a weakened ICU (ICUAW), occurs in approximately 40% of normal patients admitted to the ICU. The ability to walk and engage in activities of daily living and return to daily life is severely impaired. Neuromuscular stimulation (NMES) is a technique in which small electrical impulses are used in the skeletal muscle to create contractions when it is difficult or impossible for people to start. NMES is associated with benefits that include improved strength and muscle function, improved bone strength, improved blood flow, and reduced edema. Furthermore, the stimulators are used in the pain management of COVID-29 patients, and hence, the segment is expected to grow due to the pandemic.

One of the most common forms of electrical stimulation used in pain management is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, which provides temporary pain relief. Electrical nerve stimulation and electrothermal therapy are used to relieve pain associated with a variety of conditions, including back pain. Intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET) is a form of treatment for people with low back pain caused by intervertebral disc problems.

Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of conditions like arthritis, back pain, migraine, etc., are boosting the segment growth. According to WHO, 2021, the global prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis ranges from 0.3 to 1%, and it is more common in women and in developed countries. More than 23 million of the population are living with rheumatoid arthritis globally, and 1 in 100 people get rheumatoid arthritis, which can cause serious disablement issues if it goes undiagnosed and untreated. The estimates are predicted to double by 2030 due to the booming geriatric population.

North America is Expected to Hold a Significant Share in the Market in the Forecast Period

The region has been impacted hugely by the pandemic. The governments have taken measures to combat the pandemic in various forms. The market during the pandemic has been positively impacted in the region. FDA awarded a first-of-its-kind emergency use authorization to a respiratory muscle stimulator device designed to help wean COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation off of a ventilator.

North America is expected to hold a significant market share due to the growing healthcare expenditure for innovation and development of medical devices, increasing musculoskeletal disorders, and the presence of well-established healthcare infrastructure.

According to the Arthritis Society, 2021, about 20% of the population, that is 1 in 5 people, have arthritis in Canada. Pain affects a greater number of US citizens than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. Pain is cited as the most common reason for US citizens to access the healthcare system. It is the leading cause of disability and a major contributor to healthcare costs.​The huge burden of target diseases is boosting the market growth in the region.

Furthermore, the launches in the region give the region a cutting edge over others. In June 2019, the FDA granted De Novo clearance to a prescription nerve stimulation device, the IB-Stim device, which is a single-use electrical nerve stimulator for the reduction of functional abdominal pain, made by Innovative Health Solutions. The device is intended for use by adolescents and teens with irritable bowel syndrome, in combination with other therapies.

Competitive Landscape

The muscle stimulator market is fragmented and competitive and consists of several major players. In terms of market share, few of the major players are currently dominating the market. Some of the companies currently dominating the market are Beurer, NeuroMetrix Inc., DJO Global, EMS Physio Ltd, Zynex Medical, BioMedical Life Systems, and Omron Healthcare Inc.

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