Roll away your aches and pains (Omni Massage Roller)

Member Name: sakura8

Product:	Omni Massage Roller
Date:	10/04/09 (101 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: easy to use, can use it on yourself

Disadvantages: not as good as the real thing

Hands up if you love receiving massages!

Now hands up if you like giving massages.

Not so many. Just as I suspected.

To give a decent massage I think it has to last a minimum of 30 minutes, but that means the person giving the massage can get very sore and aching hands and they feel like they need a massage afterwards!

When I used to have a desk-bound job I suffered from really bad knots in my back and shoulder muscles, as I had poor posture from slouching due to the work boring me into a stupor! My fiancé spends his life working on the computer, and he finds his work quite stressful, so every once in a while my fiancé and I like to treat each other to a massage to relieve all the tension.

I bought the Omni Massage Roller to make it easier for the person giving the massage, as there can be a lot of strain on the hands when giving a deep-tissue massage. The design of it is quite simple, as it's a marbled ball encased in plastic that you roll over the body in all directions (a bit like the ball inside the old style computer mouse). The plastic part is shaped so that it is comfortable and easy to grip. It's difficult to apply too much pressure, so you're unlikely to hurt the person you're massaging.

When we first got the Omni we were really enthusiastic about using it, but the novelty factor quickly wore off. It's not that it's a bad product, it's just the unfortunate fate of gadgets that aren't quite as good as the real thing. For us, the main purpose for the Omni was for it to be used to loosen the muscle tissue before we broke out the oil and used our hands to massage. But we must have pampered each other too much in the past, as the Omni just couldn't quite beat the soothing feeling of a hands-on massage. So it just sits on the shelf, as we prefer to give each other a proper massage even though it hurts our hands a bit.

So even though we don't use it anymore, I'm still going to give this product 4 stars because it is good. You can use it on yourself and you don't need to use massage oil as it rolls over the skin really smoothly. You can also use it when you're fully clothed, so if you needed a quick massage whilst you're hunched over your desk at work then it's ideal. Or you could use it on a friend to help them to relax without them getting the wrong idea if you suggested giving them a massage (nudge, nudge, wink wink!).

It comes with a little booklet explaining the different ways you can use it. One nice idea is to put it on the floor and use it as a pressure point tool by rolling your foot over it. This is perfect for your circulation on an aeroplane to prevent DVT and its small size (7 X 7 X 6cm) makes it easy to carry around.

It can also be used in the bath, so it is really easy to clean as well with warm soapy water.

For more information please visit www.omnimassage.uk.com

It is available from www.iwantoneofthose.com for £9.99.

Summary: A good gadget for a lazy masseur/masseuse