The Affordable Tool That A Physical Therapist Uses For Her Own Back Pain

Reviewers say this oddly-shaped massage tool requires “minimal effort” and “feels amazing” on tight necks, backs and shoulders.
The Thera Cane self-massager from Amazon.
Amazon
The Thera Cane self-massager from Amazon.

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When you think of a beloved personal massager, you’re likely picturing something like Samantha’s prized vibrator on “Sex And The City.” While the Thera Cane is completely G-rated, it will soothe knots and tightness in your back and neck so well, you may be moved to shout some profanities.

Boasting a 4.7-star overall rating on Amazon, this cane-shaped massager has six treatment balls placed at different heights to give targeted pressure to hard-to-reach sore spots on your back. It’s made in the U.S. from fiberglass material and was designed by someone dealing with chronic pain after neck surgery. While plenty of happy Amazon customers recommend it, you’ll be glad to know trained physical therapists and rehabilitation physicians like the Thera Cane as well.

“This is a convenient tool for working out tension and muscle knots that sit in hard-to-reach places of the shoulders and upper back,” Monica Frydach, a Wisconsin-based physical therapist and founder of Moving Like A Mother, previously told HuffPost. “I love to use it while watching TV at the end of a long day. Easy to use and great for anyone who works a desk job.”

Amazon

Dr. Ai Mukai, a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Texas Orthopedics in Austin, also previously recommended a Thera Cane for “trigger point and muscle-based pain.” She advised users to go slow, read the directions and pay attention to their body as they go. “You can definitely overdo it and cause more pain,” Mukai previously told HuffPost. “It’s meant more for trigger point release, so to apply pressure and wait for it to release rather than constant movement and massaging.”

The Thera Cane’s Amazon listing offers diagrams for different ways to use the tool, though it also comes with a 12-page instruction manual.

Grab one for yourself and enjoy relief from your own home. If you’d like to read more about how it helped other folk with back pain, check out these additional Amazon reviews.

Gets hard to reach places on my back that are chronically sore.” — Linda E

“Bought this after using in laws a few times. Cannot say enough good things about it. It is extremely durable & easy to use. Takes minimal effort to reach any area ony back & feels amazing. Bought one for my sister & she has recommended it to many of her friends as well. The two that have Bought it after her recommendation have provided positive feedback as well. A must have at my house!” — B

“This product allows me to take care of myself better. I live with chronic pain and I stretch and do yoga to manage. My neck and shoulders and back would always have knots that I could do nothing about. The Theracane allows me to work out the knots and live a more comfortable life. THANK YOU!!!” — Kevin Di Benedetto

“I remember seeing this advertised on TV many years ago, and always thought about getting one. I’m a wiry kind of guy with tight muscles, and this was one of the most helpful tools when it came to myofascial release. I tend to get achy shoulders, and need the pressure under my wing, which is easy to reach using the straight or curved knobs. It also worked great to unlock my lower hips and back after I sprained them. It does take some learning and getting used to, you have to just play with it and figure out what positions work. Funny enough I don’t even need to use it much anymore because it helped moved my seized-up muscles back into place. But any time I get an achy back or hips, a few minutes with this is all it takes to sort me out.” — DDeazy

“I saw a coworker who had one of these so I got one for myself and I love it! Great for getting in those hard to reach spots and be able to apply pressure. Definitely recommend!” — Nicole

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