The physioacoustic chair improves blood circulation, reduces pain and relaxes muscles where applied and is effective for insomnia and stress-related symptoms. Next Wave Oy has internationally patented the sound direction used in the method.

"The starting point for the innovation was to develop a form of treatment that operates on low frequencies and which could affect the musculo-skeletal system by resonating various tissues," says managing director Ilkka Turunen.

The physioacoustic method was developed through cooperation by experts in physiology, psychology, medicine and electroacoustics. It uses low-frequency sinusoidal sound waves that are led into the body on frequencies of between 27 to 113 Hz.

Tissue resonates

The equipment has been placed in an ergonomically designed, adjustable reclining chair inside which have been placed six audio speakers and a central computer or in a specially manufactured mattress that uses lateral speakers developed in Finland.

"The computer makes it possible to set the ideal wavelengths for each type of tissue and to allocate them to the desired area in the body. The physioacoustic method has three important sound parameters: pulsation, scanning and direction. When the sound reaches the frequency of the targeted tissue, the tissue starts to resonate in a natural way," Turunen says.

Also installed in the equipment is software that relaxes or activates in different ways according to the customer's individual needs. Music or spoken instructions can also be added.

From football to occupational health care

Physiacoustic treatment is used on a wide scale in Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the USA and in several other countries for occupational health care, sports medicine and training, psychotherapy and rehabilitation for the aged and handicapped. Many private users have observed the effectiveness of the method. The FDA in the USA has registered the chair for treatment purposes.

The biggest individual physioacoustic chair clinic, with 22 chairs, is at the English football club Derby County. Several big companies use the chairs for the occupational health care of their personnel.

Next Wave's markets are in the big European countries such as Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, and also in the Far East, particularly Japan. "The Russian market is also extremely interesting."

>> www.nextwave.fi

Physiacoustic therapy is even possible at home. The cheapest chair costs about 4,100 euros and the most expensive, with all the accessories, costs about 6,500 euros.