By David & Ann Schissler – As a veteran of over 50 years of skiing, contact football, tennis, basketball, baseball and so on, I’ve experienced more than my share of wear and tear, literally. In the last two decades I’ve had seven joint replacement and repair surgeries, largely due to the combination of arthritis and sports.
I’ve run the gambit of pain management. I ruled out opioids long ago for obvious reasons and after limited success with over-the-counter pain relievers several of my doctors recommended my state’s medical marijuana program. I discovered CBD topical creams, roll-ons and liquids. The relief was an improvement but short term, usually good for a half-day or so of skiing. Not too long ago that changed for the better when I was shown a powerful new weapon against muscle pain.
My son, a massage therapist, brought home a Hyperice Hypervolt hand held massager. Wow. In just a couple of minutes this device destroys muscle knots, reduces stiffness and soothes tender spots. It comes with five differently shaped attachable heads. I find the pointed, conical, and flat most useful. These shapes allow you to customize the device’s fit to the area in need of relief. The Hypervolt also has three speed settings. It’s so powerful I’ve never needed more than setting one. It even knows the difference between muscle and bone. When on your muscles it penetrates the tissue but when you move toward a bone it bounces off the denser area a bit which means move on.
At only 2.5 pounds the Hypervolt is lightweight which makes it easy to place it where you need it most. It travels well and is TSA approved. It’s also very quiet compared to other percussion devices on the market. It’s rechargeable and has a long-lasting lithium ion battery. It will last three-hours when fully charged. I generally use the massager for only two or three minutes at a time which means it holds a charge for days.
My son gets about $100 an hour for a real massage. The Hypervolt goes for between $250 and $300 so it doesn’t take long for it to pay for itself. It’s no replacement for a traditional massage but it does the job in a pinch. I use it for a few minutes before heading to the lift and generally need it again for a few minutes at the end of the day. Combined with my CBD treatments I find I’m able to do more for longer periods than previously possible.
