Participants
pain
SECONDARY
This study included individuals who cooperated in a survey conducted by Japan Broadcasting Corporation (Nippon Hoso Kyokai [NHK]). We received anonymized data (e.g., the intensity of symptoms of neck and shoulder discomfort, ROMs of joints, etc.), and conducted secondary data analysis. The survey implementation and anonymized data utilization in the present study are in line with the Ethical Guidelines for Medical and Biological Research Involving Human Subjects established by Japanese government organizations in 2022. This study was approved by the institutional ethical review board of Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Medical Center (project identification number; R22-056).Twelve participants were enrolled, between 27 and 62 years old of both sexes, who provided informed consent including the use of the collected data for scientific research. Inclusion criteria were: persistent or repeated neck and shoulder discomfort for at least 3 months, willingness to participate, ability to come to the study site for 2 examinations before and after the self-care, and ability to use a gentle skin stimulation. Of the 70 potential participants recruited for the study, 12 met these criteria. The sample size was estimated based on the variability of subjective pain intensity in adults with chronic neck and shoulder discomfort [