Help or Hinder: What Will This Gadget Do? A blog series dedicated to covering products that promise relief. 1. – Review of The Neck Hammock
Imagine this:
You’re scrolling along on Facebook or Instagram, passing photo after photo of cats/babies/plates of food, before your monotonous feed is interrupted by a sponsored ad for something that, well, you just might actually HAVE to HAVE! Don’t worry, there’s no need to feel shame. It happens to anyone that spends even a minute amount of time on the Internet, and I am telling you this from a very real place called Experience. (How on earth was I supposed to turn down a little lion mane for my cat?? I’m only human!)
Now, this can be harmless when the ad is for something as inconsequential as a pair of leggings, a fancy watch, or some random kitchen doodad that promises to change the way you cook…forever! It’s no secret that these popular social media platforms and other big names (*cough* Amazon.com *cough*) of the World Wide Web use your search history to market things that are, more than likely, of some interest to you. It’s like late night infomercials on steroids. Beneficial? Sometimes! Dangerous? Same answer.
Say you’ve been experiencing some neck pain. You mention it a few times to your spouse or coworker and each have provided you with different insight.
“Maybe you’re sleeping wrong?”
“Are you stressed?”
“Maybe it’s your lifting technique at the gym?”
You’re not sure, though. Maybe it’s one or none or all of these things! You head to Google.
SEARCH: Reasons for neck pain?
ENTER.
You read a blog or two (heck, maybe that’s how you found this one), and likely zero in on an answer you find suitable. You discover stretches that could aid in alleviating your pain or, if it’s severe enough, you schedule an appointment to see a nearby PT. (Shameless plug: if you’re in the greater Atlanta area, contact us- we can help you! If you’re not, contact us anyway! We can also provide services via Telehealth or recommend someone!)
Anyway, this situation explains why something like the Neck Hammock may be promoted to you.
So, this blog series is dedicated to answering the questions that arise after you come across an item such as this.
Does it work? Why or why not? Is it worth the money?
Since we’re already here, let’s kick things off with the Neck Hammock!
DOES IT WORK?
YES! We are happy to report that the Neck Hammock is indeed a total winner and Functionize PT approved!
WHY OR WHY NOT?
Because this device is used while lying down, it can eliminate the effect of gravity. The muscles you would normally use to hold your head up against gravity get a break and are offered true relaxation. This allows your vertebrae to open, releasing joint, muscle, and ligament tension. With no compression on your joints, it’s likely that your pain will melt away.
A similar mechanism is over-the-door neck traction.
Unfortunately, this device does not allow for that sensation of true relaxation we mentioned above. Because the user is in a seated position, they are still working against gravity while the neck/jaw are pulled up.
IS IT WORTH THE MONEY?
Yes, especially if your neck pain is persistent. You can purchase the Neck Hammock for less than $60 while other, similar devices retail about $370.
With a simple design that takes up virtually no space and is easy to use, we can’t imagine anyone would have Buyer’s Remorse. I mean, just look how relaxed this happy customer is:
Current mood, indeed.
Remember to check with your PT or physician before using anything claiming to heal symptoms or eliminate pain.
Have you come across the Neck Hammock? What about another physical therapy-related product or gadget? Let us know if there’s something you’d like for us to investigate for our next Help or Hinder post!
Thanks for reading!
Mary Kathleen is our in-house Wordsmith and Social Media Manager.