Naipo Shoulder Massager (Review)

I’m one of those people that suffers with back, neck shoulder and joint pain, and it has been ongoing for a few years now. I’ve tried it all: NSAIDs, painkillers, better desk ergonomics, heat packs, Pilates, and while all of this helps (particularly Pilates), none gives such immediate relief as a proper massage.

Being somewhat uncomfortable with the very idea of stripping off and having someone kneading my back with their bare, cold hands, I wanted something a little more private and less dependent on other people. So I was very excited to receive the Naipo massager in the post recently – thank you so much, Naipo, for sending me your massager to try out and review.

I don’t think I’ve talked about it before on this blog, but I suffer from Marfan Syndrome, which is a connective tissue disorder that can lead affected people to suffer with chronic joint problems, including dislocations, and cardiovascular problems, such as aortic dilatation (I had to have heart surgery for this 5 years ago, in my early 20s.) More recently this condition has caused me chronic back pain, as well as neck and shoulder pain, that I usually treat with anti-inflammatories and heat packs, and I’ve been working on building my strength and alignment through Pilates (which, by the way, has been a hugely beneficial experience.)

But I’ve always wanted to try massage and have never really felt I could justify the expense on a regular basis, so this little contraption by Naipo is an ideal solution for me as it’s a one-off cost for a product I can use as regularly as I like. I’m really keen to try this massager because the rotating nodes and the heat from the device is supposed to be really good at increasing the circulation in my connective tissues, which in theory will help them to recover more quickly when the pain from inflammation kicks in.

What is Shiatsu massage? A specialist style of Japanese massage that focuses on pressure points. It rotates and stretches the joints to release tension. Essentially, it uses the fingers to manipulate the affected joints or muscles into a more comfortable, relaxed position. While there’s no scientific evidence to suggest it can cure you of anything, but it is helpful in alleviating symptoms.

Benefits:

• Relieves tired and aching joints and muscles.
• Relaxes body through use of heat, massage, and taking a little time for self-care.
• Can be used in conjunction with other methods of pain relief to improve chronic conditions.
• Stress reliever.

The Naipo Shiatsu Kneading Massager: Neck & Shoulder Massager with Heat

Features:

• The Naipo massager has 8 nodes that rotate to knead aching muscles.
• Heat can be applied to intensify the effect and relax the muscles even more.
• It’s quite light and portable and can be used in the home, office, or even the car (though not while driving, of course).
• Ergonomic U-design with handles to manipulate the pressure applied by the rotating nodes.
• Made from sturdy material that can easily be wiped clean after use.
• Adaptable design – can be used on neck, shoulders, back, calves, thighs or abdomen.
• Improves blood circulation.
• 3D rotating nodes move clockwise and anti-clockwise, switching automatically after a minute.
• Timer set to 20 minutes to conserve power and built-in thermostat to avoid overheating.

I found the Naipo massager really easy and simple to use as all you have to do is position it where you want to use it and plug it in. It was slightly surprising that the nodes started rotating immediately at full pelt rather than gradually building up to full speed, but you can control this by pulling the handles to adjust the pressure applied to your muscles, which is a very useful feature. It really does feel like a pair of hands as you can feel the nodes getting right into the shoulder joints.

The heat gets to about 40 degrees so it’s a gentle temperature that won’t burn your skin. The package also comes with a dust guard cloth that you can put on over the nodes so you don’t get any friction from the mesh covering, though I didn’t notice that without the dust guard.

After my initial use, I ended up using the Naipo massager every day after work and it has really helped. I often get a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders purely from sitting at a computer desk all day long, so on a weekday evening this product has become an essential part of my de-stress routine. It’s so easy to use and you can just stick on your shoulders while you’re watching telly.

I cannot recommend this massager enough; it has been so helpful and relaxing and I’m so impressed by the quality of this Naipo product. I’ve just found out they have also released a really cute limited edition Christmas version, which you can also buy on Amazon here.