Patent ID: 7238161

Claim:
A method of treating a patient comprising: providing a container having an interior cavity and having an inlet opening providing access to said interior cavity, whereby the patient's extremity may be inserted into the container and be moved within the container, providing a plurality of massaging elements wherein each massaging element has a generally spherical exterior and has a plurality of projections extending from said generally spherical exterior, placing a sufficient number of massaging elements in the cavity that the patient's extremity will contact projections of several massaging elements during movement within the container, the massaging elements being freely disposed in the container, and placing the patient's extremity in the container through the inlet opening and driving massaging elements into motion, whereby the extremity is stimulated by the protrusions of multiple massaging elements contacting the extremity, and wherein there is a liquid medium in the container and the method comprises at least partially immersing the extremity in the liquid medium.