Heat Therapy Market

Heat Therapy Market Research, 2031

The global heat therapy market size was valued at $1,422.80 million in 2021 and is estimated to reach $2,430.20 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2022 to 2031. Heat therapy, also called thermotherapy, is a form of treatment that involves the use of heat to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and promote healing in the body. Heat therapy can be applied to specific areas of the body or used more broadly to improve overall relaxation and comfort. Different types of products including packs, pads, wraps, patches, and others are used in heat therapy for pain relief and to promote healing. Heat therapy can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, including muscle spasms, strain, sprain, chronic & post-operative pain, arthritis, menstrual cramps, and fibromyalgia.

COVID-19 and the associated restrictions and lockdowns affected overall sales of heat therapy products, owing to cancellation of appointments with doctors. Moreover, huge number of medical colleges and hospitals across the globe were restructured to increase the hospital capacity for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Various companies witnessed decline in sales of heat therapy products due to the pandemic. For instance, according to the annual report of 2020 of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kobayashi Pharmaceutical registered a decline in revenue by 12.32% in body warmers segment (contain heat therapy product), from 2019 to 2020. Therefore, the COVID-19 outbreak was a negative impact on the heat therapy market.

Market Dynamics

The heat therapy market share has witnessed growth owing to a rise in incidence of chronic pain. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) report of June 2022, 570 million individuals suffered from low back pain, and 222 million individuals witnessed neck pain.

In addition, heat therapy helps in reducing pain, improving mobility, and faster healing times after soft tissue injury & fracture. Thus, rise in sports injuries and fractures increases the demand for heat therapy product. For instance, according to a John Hopkins Medicine article, 30 million individuals participate in organized sports, resulting in more than 3.5 million sports injuries annually in the U.S. In addition, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) report of 2022, 440 million people have fractures globally. 

Moreover, heat therapy is used for the management of pain associated with arthritis. Therefore, rise in the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders such as arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis drives the growth of the heat therapy market size. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2022, chronic pain caused by arthritis affects millions of people in the U.S. every year. As per the same source, in 2022, about 15 million people experienced severe joint pain related to arthritis. 

In addition, after surgery, heat therapy can be used to help relieve pain and stiffness in the muscles and joints surrounding the surgical site. This can be particularly useful for patients who have undergone orthopedic procedures or surgeries that involve the muscles and joints. Thus, the rise in number of surgeries performed globally propels the demand for heat therapy products. For instance, according to an article published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information in 2020, it was estimated that every year approximately 310 million major surgeries are performed globally; among which 40 to 50 million are performed in the U.S. and 20 million in Europe. 

Furthermore, aged individuals are highly susceptible to chronic pain due to natural changes, such as decreased bone density and muscle mass, which can lead to conditions that cause chronic pain. Heat therapy aids in managing chronic pain in the ageing population by increasing blood flow and reducing muscle tension, which can help to relieve pain and stiffness. According to review article “Chronic Pain in the Elderly” of National Library of Medicine, published in August 2021, chronic pain is a major issue affecting more than 50% of the older population and up to 80% of nursing homes residents. Therefore, rise in geriatric population is anticipated to drive the growth of the heat therapy industry during the forecast period.

Segmental Overview

The heat therapy market is segmented into type, application, end user, and region. On the basis of type, the market is classified into over the counter (OTC) devices and prescription-based devices. The OTC segment is further divided into packs, pads, wraps, patches, and others (belt, mask, warmers, pillow, ball, transport mattress, and spray). The prescription-based devices segment is subsegmented into heating units and others. Depending on application, the market is classified into musculoskeletal disorder, chronic & post-operative pain management, injury, and others. By end user, it is segregated into hospitals, physiotherapy centers, and others. Region-wise, the market is analyzed across North America (the U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Australia, India, South Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and rest of LAMEA). 

By Type 

The heat therapy market is segmented into OTC devices and prescription-based devices. The OTC devices segment generated maximum heat therapy market share in 2021, owing to high adoption of OTC devices and the availability of various OTC devices such as heat packs and wraps. The same segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to an increase in awareness of self-medication, increase in incidence of chronic pain and rise in prevalence of arthritis disease. 

By Application

The heat therapy market is segregated into musculoskeletal disorders, chronic & post-operative pain management, injury, and others. The chronic and post-operative pain management segment dominated the market in 2021, owing to high demand of heat therapy for pain relief and surge in incidence of chronic pain. The musculoskeletal disorder segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to a rise in cases of musculoskeletal disorder such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. and an increase in cases of fibromyalgia globally.

By End User

The heat therapy market is segregated into hospitals, physiotherapy centers, and others. The others (home care, clinics, rehabilitation center) segment led the market in 2021, owing to high use of heat therapy products in home care for relief from regular pain, and increase in visit of patients in clinics due to discounted rates. The physiotherapy centers segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to rise in awareness regarding physiotherapy centers and availability of skilled physiotherapists.

By Region

The heat therapy market is studied across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. North America accounted for a major share of the heat therapy market in 2021 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. The presence of several major players, such as Enovis Corporation (DJO, LLC), Medline Industries, LP, Cardinal Health, Compass Health Brands (Carex Health Brands, Inc.), Ownes and Minor (Halyard Worldwide, Inc.), ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Mentholatum Company Ltd.), Thermo Tek Inc., TrekProof and advancement in manufacturing technology of heat therapy product in the region drive the growth of the market.

Furthermore, the existence of a sophisticated reimbursement structure that aims to reduce expenditure levels drives the growth of the market. Hence, such factors propel market growth. In addition, the U.S. is anticipated to contribute to a major share of the regional market and is expected to drive growth of the heat therapy market throughout the forecast period. The presence of well-established healthcare infrastructure, high purchasing power, rise in the adoption rate of heat therapy products, and a significant rise in capital income in developed countries are expected to drive market growth.

Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest rate during the heat therapy market forecast period. The heat therapy market growth in this region is attributable to rise in the number of arthritis, high incidence of chronic pain in this region, as well as increase in the purchasing power of populated countries, such as China and India. The countries in Asia-Pacific possess a huge population base, with China being the first having 1,397,715 population in 2020 and India is the second most populated country having 1,366,417.75 population in 2020.

Competition Analysis

Competitive analysis and profiles of the major players in the heat therapy market, such as Enovis Corporation (DJO, LLC), Dhama Innovations Pvt. Ltd., Medline Industries, LP, Cardinal Health, Compass Health Brands (Carex Health Brands, Inc.), Ownes and Minor (Halyard Worldwide, Inc.), Kobayashi Pharmacutical co., Ltd., ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Mentholatum Company Ltd.), Thermo Tek Inc., and TrekProof are provided in the report. There are some important players in the market such as Enovis Corporation (DJO, LLC), which have adopted partnership as key developmental strategies to improve the product portfolio of the heat therapy market. 

Recent Partnerships in the Heat Therapy Market

In June 2022, Enovis, an innovation-driven medical technology company, announced today a strategic partnership with Kelvi, an innovator of digital hot and cold therapy products, to deliver industry-leading heating and cooling therapies for rehabilitation, recovery and performance enhancement to patients and athletes of all abilities.  As part of Enovis, DJO, LLC entered into an agreement with Kelvi and will become the exclusive distributor in the orthopedic market of Kelvi’s heating and cooling therapy products.

Key Benefits For Stakeholders

• This report provides a quantitative analysis of the market segments, current trends, estimations, and dynamics of the heat therapy market analysis from 2021 to 2031 to identify the prevailing heat therapy market opportunity.
• The market research is offered along with information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities.
• Porter's five forces analysis highlights the potency of buyers and suppliers to enable stakeholders make profit-oriented business decisions and strengthen their supplier-buyer network.
• In-depth analysis of the heat therapy market segmentation assists to determine the prevailing market opportunities.
• Major countries in each region are mapped according to their revenue contribution to the global market.
• Market player positioning facilitates benchmarking and provides a clear understanding of the present position of the market players.
• The report includes the analysis of the regional as well as global heat therapy market trends, key players, market segments, application areas, and market growth strategies.

 Heat Therapy Market Report Highlights