This week the FDA banned the sale and use of a specific home massage unit (ShoulderFlex Massager). It’s one of those that you lie on top and it has these fingers that rotate and rub on your neck. Well, it turns out there was a death in Broward County (a doctor none the less) linked to strangulation using this machine. Her necklace got caught in the rotating fingers and strangled her.
While I’m sure that this was a fluke incident and there is no need to panic about most other home massage units, there is something we must all be cautious about when using these. For me, when discussing the use of these with patients, I always have to deal with people thinking these are the magic bullet that will release all their tension.
The real problem comes from over use of these machines. You can get caught in a little cycle of ‘pain-pleasure-pain’. What happens is that most people will use these for too much time because initially it feels good but due to the mechanical nature of the pressure, it can bruise or even cause soft tissue damage. So, you’ll feel better but shortly after the pain returns and might be worse. And then they use it again… Cycle continues…
My recommendations for any home massager or chair massage is to use it sparingly and in little spurts. Limit any vibrating or percussive pressure to 10-15 minutes max. Also, I usually recommend to stay away from these if you’ve recently developed a new problem or had something traumatic happen. It can be like rubbing a new blister and causing it to pop.
And finally, these units are meant to just help relieve some minor tension and should not be used as the only treatment for any condition. Remember, there is no magic bullet…
