What is the Thera Cane?
In short, it’s an amazing tool that allows you to get at those hard to reach areas and provide a deep pressure massage feeling without the help of a partner. I absolutely love mine and have traveled with it for around the last seven years now. I don’t leave home (on a trip) without it. The Thera Cane was developed by a patient suffering from chronic pain in an attempt to relieve his own discomfort that resulted from neck surgery and a herniated disk in his back. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention, and in this case, the creator hit a home run.
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The tool has an ergonomic design and is a therapeutic massager with seven perfectly placed balls used to apply pressure to any given trigger point, knots, and areas suffering general muscle aches or stiffness. You achieve this by leveraging the Thera Cane at various angles and positions to work out the muscle tension and provide temporary relief, or put the issue to sleep altogether if it is just a general sore muscle.
For me personally, most of my muscle pain and aches revolve around my upper back and neck, and the Thera Cane truly is perfect for achieving a pain relieving deep compression when I can’t have my wife hit it for me via an actual hand massage or with our Theragun (Different company I believe; also an amazing tool I’ll review at some point).
What is the Thera Cane Made Of?
The Thera Cane weighs in at one pound and is constructed of durable fiberglass material. Over the years I have put quite a bit of strength and flex into mine while massaging muscle tension out…(in particular on the area of my shoulder blade as I can tolerate it quite hard there) and have yet to break one. I expect mine to last a lifetime.
Item Specifications
| Size | 24″L x 15″W |
| Diameter | 1″ |
| Weight | 1 LB |
Thera Cane Models
There is a Thera Cane and a Thera Cane Max. From what I can tell the primary difference seems to be that the Max breaks down for easier storage or transportation. They also advertise an interactive DVD for the Max as well as promote that the ‘Link Ball’ which is used to connect the two halves has its own unique uses.
How Do You Use the Thera Cane?
As I mentioned in the intro you use the Thera Cane by leverage. Essentially, you place one of the attached balls on the area needing relief, and through applying pressure and movement on the rest of the cane you’re able to effectively massage out the sore muscle. The manufacturer recommends stretching your muscles ahead of time for maximum benefit. Each cane actually comes with a simple user manual that shows you various methods you can utilize it. Also, the Thera Cane website has the owner’s manual available online for download. If I’m being honest I don’t know that I’ve actually read it as it is pretty self-explanatory once you have it in your hands. That said it wouldn’t hurt to browse through it…who knows I may be missing out on a technique that would make me experience with it even better.
How Does the Thera Cane Work?
According to the Thera Cane website, the utilization of the massager helps to maximize oxygenated blood flow to the muscle. Such pressure helps to break up adhesions in the tendons and muscle fibers. I believe this to be similar in principle to using a foam roller for myofascial release, but a physical therapist or massage therapist would be better educated on the exact process occurring in the body than myself.
What Does it Feel Like?
Outside of the discussion of how it ‘works’ to do what it does, I can certainly chime in on how it feels. It feels very similar to getting a hand massage where they are using their thumb. Depending on the applied leverage (pressure) you use will obviously directly impact how that feels. Varying anywhere from a light relaxing to deep pressure massage. Personally, I primarily use it for the latter to hit muscular tension in my shoulder and neck. .
Comparable Cost
2 Money Symbols is average in the market for the item types.
Value for the Money
The Theracane massager is an excellent value for the money. It is one of the cheaper (cost wise) massage tools I own and one of my most used products. In fact, between this and the Theragun, I rarely use any of the other tools in comparison. It is well worth the purchase cost.
Is it Right For Me?
I would almost certainly say yes unless you are an unusually lucky individual that never has soreness or body aches and pains that could be relieved via massage pressure. Of course if for some reason you have a medical issue that would somehow make using the massage cane problematic you’ll probably fall in love with it relatively quick (ie. the first time you use it). You can probably tell I’m a huge fan of this self massager.
Alternatives
There are a number of self massage alternatives on the market. Many of which I have tried and yet to find one even close to as versatile as the Thera Cane. Additionally, there are some look-alikes (I’m sure they don’t look too much alike to avoid pattent issues) that may work well. I can’t really speak to those as I haven’t tried any.
In Closing
The Thera Cane self massager is an excellent tool to add to your fitness products. It’s amazing at getting to those minor muscular aches (or not so minor) regardless of where they are located on your body.
Shane Blevins
Modern Warrior Project Co-Founder
As a 20-year Army Special Operations veteran with numerous deployments and extensive S.E.R.E. and Personnel Recovery expertise, he is a respected leader and trainer with extensive experience in planning and executing high risk, low visibility evolutions in volatile and austere areas across the globe. He is married to Jennifer Blevins of Beaumont, Texas and is the father of five.
