Relieving Back Pain With A Heated Massage - Forbes

[massage]

Minor back pain is a byproduct of life for many of us. I can’t tell you how many times my wife and I have traded back massages after a long day. But to be honest, while it’s great receiving them, I hurt my thumbs giving massages. Maybe I press too hard. A better option for me, I often have my daughter walk on my lower back, where most of my pain recurs. Afterwards, it feels great.

But why does it always seem that when my back hurts the most, no one else is around to lend two hands — or feet? My wife has pleaded with me to buy one of those pricey electric massage chairs, but I’d rather not invest that much into a product that we have no room for. What’s an aching guy to do?


Venom heated lower back massager


I may have found a solution — the Venom by HyperIce. It’s a heated, foot-wide soft neoprene belt that you can wrap around your torso, positioning its four vibration control pods to focus on an area of your lower back that you want to home in on. Its rechargeable, 16.8 volt, four-cell lithium ion battery clasps on via magnets, allowing you to turn on the sewn-in control touch screen. On that, you can set the heat to one of three settings; set the vibration pattern in three ways; and monitor the timer. It’s also where you turn the unit on and off.

The company claims the combined force of heat and vibration loosens the muscles of the lower back, increasing circulation and blood flow, and helping to alleviate pain caused by tight, stiff muscles. Venom taps nanotechnology to generate heat pretty quickly — much like a heating pad on steroids. I find it extremely helpful after going running in the morning. I also plan on trying it prior to runs — to just loosen up. And I’ve found it to be very relaxing while both sitting at my desk during the day, and while watching TV at night on the couch.

The once-size-fits-all waistband adjusts easily and as tightly as I need. I’m not quite sure what the edge of the waistband is made of; while it’s not Velcro, it works exactly like it for a snug fit. My only complaints about the product are that I wish the vibrations were a touch more intense, and that the battery stayed more secure to the belt. Several times as I was adjusting my body position on the couch, the battery fell off. That said, battery life is supposed to last more than one hour at the most-intense heat setting. I used this test unit many times over the course of a week for a few minutes at a time and never needed to recharge. In fact, the battery life indicator claims there’s still 75 percent battery life left.

The unit sells for $225 and I believe will help soothe a lot of aching backs. I also highly recommend taking an essential oil-infused soothing cream that smells like subtle menthol and applying it to your pain area first, before turning on Venom. It feels amazing.

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