The Best Back Massagers

There are infinite ways to cause yourself back pain. Exercise, sitting at a desk all day, or sleeping wrong are all common culprits. Some days, even yawning can cause pain to shoot through your back and neck for days afterward. Instead of letting back pain disrupt your workout routine, sleep schedule, or daily life, try treating pain with massage. A back massager is a preventive way to address knots and tight areas in your muscles, so you’re able to find a deeper and more balanced asana on the mat. Find a back massager that fits your lifestyle (they come corded, rechargeable, or powerless), your pain level, and provides the kind of massage you prefer. Popular models use shiatsu massage, trigger point, or percussive massage to relieve muscle tension.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

Best for Long Commutes

 Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager

None

Versatile and Reliable. The 13-inch by 9.5-inch pillow is portable and has two shiatsu nodes that automatically change direction every 60 seconds, plus advanced heating technology with a 20-minute auto-shutoff feature.

What We Liked: 

It comes with a car adapter and straps to the headrest, so you can turn a long commute, a road trip, or just waiting for kids at soccer practice into a mini spa session. The pillow also contours to the lower back for lumbar relief and support while driving. Buy it here.

Best Whole Body Massage

Naipo Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager 

None

Get a Deeper Massage. The unique shape adapts to the body from feet to neck with flexible straps to apply pressure, featuring eight shiatsu nodes with three speeds and auto-shutoff heat.

What We Liked: 

The cushioned straps help you hold the massager in the exact spot you need, even accessing places that are otherwise difficult to reach. Pull on the straps to add pressure to the nodes for a deeper massage. Combined with heat, this massager can relieve chronic muscle pain in the neck and back. Get it here.

Best for Trigger Point Massage

LiBa Back and Neck Massager 

None

Simple and Effective. No power required for this 14.5-inch by 23.5-inch, environmentally conscious, plastic self-massager, which targets trigger points and muscle knots.

What We Liked: 

You can use every node and spike anywhere on the body to bring blood circulation to knots and sore muscles. It’s a simple design that will relieve pain in sore muscles that are difficult to reach. Get it now.

Best Portable Massager 

 RENPHO Rechargeable Handheld Deep Tissue Massager 

None

Long-Lasting Deep Tissue Massage. Every charge lasts for 140 minutes, during which you can use five interchangeable massage heads. The motor generates 3,600 pulses per minute in four different percussion modes.

What We Liked: 

It weighs just a few pounds and is a little over a foot long, so it’s easy to throw into a gym bag or purse for treating sore muscles on the go, cordless. Simply choose the massage mode, and then adjust the intensity for a customized experience. Buy it here.

You Can Do This 15-Minute Yoga Flow Anytime, Anywhere

Ah the hour-long yoga class. It’s quite luxurious, isn’t it? But let’s be frank—some days, it seems impossible to carve out a large chunk of time for your practice. If you ever feel this way (and who hasn’t?) know this: even a few minutes of movement can make a huge difference in how you approach … Continued

Keywords: