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Therapeutic Product Reviews
The Center for Injury Assistance®
provides reviews of products that will improve your life! Many of the products reviewed here will be of tremendous benefit
to people with neck, back, knee and extremity injuries. I have received many emails from people thanking me for literally
changing their life after they tried some of the products. By providing reviews, I hope to save you from making costly
mistakes and save you valuable time by doing the comparison shopping and testing
to find the best quality products to ease your pain and improve your life. The items listed on this page which I have personally comparison shopped
for quality, function and effectiveness are marked with
.
If I bought it and continue to use it, it will also be marked with
.
Other products listed which I have not tried, are listed because of the possibility that they may be helpful to you. When pain is concerned, quality, function and effectiveness is my
only concern. When possible, I will let you know where you can buy at a discount.
Philip L. Franckel, Esq., President
1-800-HURT-911, Inc.
The Center for Injury Assistance® Presents the following selected products:
If you have a suggestion for a product, please let me know.
Bee Venom Therapy (Apitherapy)
Palm, Wrist, Forearm, Elbow & Knee Protectors
Lumbar Supports, Lifting & Weight Belts
Treatments & Exercises for Back Injuries at HURT911®
Please use our new
Message Board
Bee Venom Therapy (Apitherapy)
Apitherapy is the use of products from the bee (usually the European honey bee apis
melliferra) to promote health and healing. The products used are honey,
royal jelly, pollen, propolis, beeswax and bee venom. I have no idea if
these work and have never tried it, but thought I would provide a few links.
The American Apitherapy Society
Bee
Venom Therapy Journal - An extensive journal by someone with Multiple
Sclerosis (MS).
The
European Association for Apitherapy- Association Europeenne D'Apitherapie
Pfeeiffer
Center - The Pfeiffer Center is dedicated to education, research and
outreach in farming, gardening and beekeeping.
The absolutely best thing I found for back and hip pain is to sleep on visco-elastic memory foam
and it also feels like sleeping on a cloud.
I had a very hard mattress
and realized that the hard mattress caused a lot of my
back and hip pain. After hearing Dux Bed commercials on the radio claiming that a hard
mattress is bad for your back, I looked at two mattress pads at Costco (they now have several other
products which I have not looked at). I bought both the
Visco-elastic memory foam was designed for the seats NASA astronauts sit in.
It is designed to mold to your shape, and when you move or get up,
to slowly spring back to it's original shape.
Sleep Innovations informed me during a telephone call that the Novaform®
Mattress
Topper sold at different stores is actually a different product although it
looks the same. The Novaform®
Mattress
Topper sold at Costco is a better quality visco elastic memory foam (a heavier
density is better), thicker and less expensive then Linen-N-Things or Bed Bath &
Beyond. As of this writing, the Queen size Novaform®
mattress pad costs $111.79 at the
Costco store or online at
Costco,
is 2 1/2" thick and made with 4lb density visco-elastic memory foam;
Linen-N-Things sells a Novaform®
Mattress
Topper that is 2" thick and made with 3lb density visco-elastic memory foam for
$299.99;
Bed
Bath & Beyond sells a Novaform®
Mattress
Topper that is 2" thick and made with 3lb density visco-elastic memory foam for $329.99.
The best bargain in mattress pads is at
Bergad
where you can get even better quality visco-elastic foam (5lb density) and a thicker mattress
pad (3" thick Queen size with a cover for $202 or 4" thick Queen size
with a cover for
$258). If you buy a mattress pad from Bergad, I recommend that you buy the
3" or 4" pad rather than the 2" pad which they also sell.
What is Foam Density? Sleep
Innovations' web site says "Density is a measurement of the mass per cubic unit
volume. It is measured and expressed in pounds per cubic foot(PCF) or kilograms
per cubic meter(KG/M3). Density is largely the determining factor in judging the
quality of foam products. The lower the density the lower the quality, thus
reducing the durability and the life expectancy of the product." Foam
with a higher density will give an initial feeling of a firmer mattress when you
first sit down on it, but has better pressure relieving properties. Bergad says that it's harder to expand foam with a
density over 4 pounds and that sometimes the foam does not expand properly,
resulting in product that has to be thrown out.
Consequently, there is more waste in the manufacturing process and increased
manufacturing costs.
Now that my two mattress pads made such an improvement, I decided to get rid of
my old mattress and by a visco-elastic memory foam mattress. I looked at
two companies for a mattress.
Tempur-Pedic
which is advertising heavily on TV, makes a very good visco-elastic memory foam
mattress, but probably because they spend so much money on advertising, their
mattress is very expensive.
Tempur-Pedic said, on the telephone, that the visco-elastic foam density in their mattress
is 5.3 pounds. The Tempur-Pedic Queen Classic mattress is $1,599.
The other company I looked at is
Bergad
which makes a mattress with 5.5 pound density visco-elastic memory foam.
Bergad sells their Queen size mattress for $699 (with a cover).
Concerns: Several people who wrote to me have indicated that the Novaform® mattress
pad has a strong odor, one person described as kerosene, and have asked me
if this smell will go away. I found that the smell is initially strong,
but disappeared after several days. The comfort and pain elimination
is well worth the initial smell. if the smell bothers you after opening, I
would suggest that you let it expand and air out in another room for three to
five days. You should also note that the Novaform®
mattress pad comes very compressed using vacuum and that it will start to
decompress almost immediately, but can take 24-72 hours to fully decompress.
Allow it to decompress and air out in a warm room. I recently bought two
more Novaform® mattress pads at Costco, both of which
failed to expand properly. Sleep Innovations told me that sometimes occurs
and told me to return them to the store. Costco took them back without any
questions.
One person recently wrote to me asking how the mattress pad
has held up and whether it has lost its elasticity. The pad I bought in
January 2002 shows no signs of wear and has not lost any elasticity or
resiliency. Two pads I purchased at Costco in January 2005 did not expand
properly and I returned them.
Some of my sheets have trouble staying on the mattress, while some
seem to have more room and stay put. You will probably have to use deep pocket sheets
with the Novaform® mattress pad.
The Novaform® mattress pad comes with a 10-year warranty from Sleep
Innovations, so be sure to keep your box and staple your receipt to the inside
of your box. I've been using it since January 2002. It does what
it's claimed to do, is very comfortable and I wouldn't sleep
without it. It substantially improved my hard mattress and I found that it
helped to substantially reduce my pain.
Updates: May 12, 2005:
After considering several mattresses, I finally decided to get a mattress from Bergad. Bergad says their mattress is 5.5 pound density, which is just
slightly better than Tempurpedic. Bergad has the best quality
and price. I will update my review after sleeping on it. I can't
wait!
January 2005: I decided to buy a memory foam mattress, but haven't bought
one yet. I will update after getting one. November 2004: I just bought a second Novaform®
mattress pad so now I have two on top of my mattress. Now, it's twice as
comfortable! This time the pad is now made a little larger and 2 1/2
inches thick instead of 2 inches thick. Again, the smell went away in a
few days.
Product Variations: Costco also sells a Novaform®
Mattress Topper with a goose down quilted cover. I haven't tried this
because adding anything on top of visco elastic memory foam will eliminate the benefits of
the memory foam. Placing anything on top of memory foam will
inhibit its ability to conform to a particular shape, such as your body.
Additionally, placing an insulating material such as goose down, will inhibit
the temperature sensitive qualities of memory foam. Therefore, my belief
is that the memory foam is most effective with direct contact to your body.
While it would likely be uncomfortable if used without a sheet and you would
want to keep it clean, I believe that there should be as little as possible
between you and the memory foam. Therefore, I would personally choose not
to have anything of any thickness or with insulating qualities, such as goose
down, on top of a memory foam pad or mattress.
I tried the Novaform®
Manufacturers Using Memory Foam
(in alphabetical order):
Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSN:
I found that taking 2-3 tablets per day is extremely helpful for my back
pain. Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSN has been widely recommended for all
types of joint pain.
Nature Made® Triple Strength TripleFlex
contains Glucosamine
1,500 mg, Chondroitin 1,200 mg, plus MSM 250 mg. Costco also sells
another brand which is almost three times the price and doesn't have MSN
Cosamin® DS (Double Strength). Both are available at the Costco store
and online.
Please use our new forum
Novaform®
Mattress
Topper (made with visco-elastic memory foam) by
SleepInnovations
and the
Down Feather Bed. Both mattress pads are meant to go
on top of your mattress. I returned the Down Feather Bed pad without sleeping on it because
it didn't compare to the Novaform® mattress pad
in comfort or in relieving pressure and hence, pain. I initially purchased a 2" Novaform® mattress pad
at Costco. Later when other stores
started selling the Novaform® mattress pad, Costco started
selling a thicker 2 1/2" pad. I then purchased one of those and and
stacked them on top of each other, so now I
sleep on a total of 4 1/2" of memory foam. pillow, also available at Costco. It's interesting,
but I found it to be too thick for my comfort. They now have another natural
shape pillow. I tried the natural shape
Tempur-Pedic pillow at a
Brookstone store
and found that to be much more comfortable than the shaped pillow.
Abed Abed compares their mattress to Tempur-Pedic®. Abed claims that their mattress has 3 inches of 5.3 pound density memory foam, as does the Tempur-Pedic, but they claim to have a breathable mattress cover, longer warranty and a lower price. Their memory foam mattress pad is 2 inches thick.
Isoform® by Bergad: (I haven't tried any of their products) Their web site says that their mattress foam is 5.5 pound density. The page showing their mattress pads indicates that the foam is 5 pound density and that the pads are available in 2 inch, 3 inch, and 4 inch thicknesses. Their prices are very competitive. Their products are only slightly more expensive than Costco, however, they have a higher foam density and thicker pads than Costco.
Isotonic® by Carpenter:
Novaform® by Sleep Innovations said, on the telephone, that the the Novaform® Mattress Topper at Costco is a 4lb density memory foam, however, the Novaform® products sold in other stores have only a 3lb density. Their web site does not have any information on the Novaform products. Costco sells a 2 1/2 inch thick pad. Bed Bath and Beyond's web site says its pad is 2 inches thick. Linen-N-Things does not indicate how thick their pad is.
Osim®
Sensus® by Foamex:
Tempur-Pedic®: I tried the bed in a Brookstone store and thought it was very comfortable. I have not tried this at home. Their web site is not very helpful. It doesn't provide any useful information and their comparison tab does not compare their products. They said, on the telephone, that the foam density of their mattress is 5.3 pounds, but I cannot find this information on their web site.
Important Insurance Note: If prescribed by your physician to reduce back pain, hip, knee or joint pain or to promote better circulation, a pressure relieving memory foam bed may be covered by your medical insurance policy. Check with your medical insurance plan for eligibility requirements. Additionally, if you were injured in a car accident in a no-fault insurance state, you may be able to obtain coverage for your pressure relieving memory foam bed if prescribed by your doctor. A no-fault insurance company may deny the claim, however, if properly supported the claim will have to be approved. To properly support a no-fault insurance claim to pay for a pressure relieving memory foam bed, you need:
1) A prescription from your doctor prescribing a pressure relieving memory foam bed. It will also be helpful to get a written report from your doctor explaining why you need a pressure relieving memory foam bed;
2) Medical documentation to prove you have an injury that will be relieved by a pressure relieving memory foam bed. An example of good medical documentation would be an MRI report showing a herniated disk or a bulging disk and an EMG report, performed by a neurologist, which shows a nerve injury;
3) You need to prove that the injury was caused by the car accident. This is accomplished by a written report from your doctor and can be addressed in the same report mentioned above. To prove that your injury was caused by the car accident, the doctors report should say "the patient's injury is causally related to the motor vehicle accident", causally related being the magic words.
Many times, the no-fault insurance company will require your doctor to write a report, before the doctor can be paid. If the insurance company requests your doctor to write a report, you do not have to pay for the doctor's report. When asking your doctor to write you a prescription for a pressure relieving memory foam bed, make sure includes in his report why you need the bed. If the insurance company does not request the doctor to write a report and you need the doctor to write a report so that you can get reimbursed for a pressure relieving memory foam bed, you will probably have to pay your doctor to write the report.
Rockport®
- These are the most
comfortable and lightweight shoes around. They even look good.
Rockport® has all sorts of styles including dress shoes to wear with a
suit. They have the only dress shoes I have found that are very
comfortable, lightweight and look just as good as my expensive imported
uncomfortable dress shoes! Buy Rockports® and improve them even more!
Take out the insole and replace it with the
"Sorbothane
Insoles"®
to further absorb shock. Tip: Buy your shoes 1/2 size larger
to accommodate the Sorbothane Ultra Sole.
Walking/Running Shoes
- Good walking shoes or running shoes will absorb shock better
than regular shoes. Wearing walking or running shoes whenever possible
will help to reduce the stress and shock to your back. I tried out
a couple of brands and found that
asics® was the most shock absorbent
of the ones I tried. Most shoes have removable insoles which can be
replaced with the Sorbothane
Insoles (see below) to further absorb shock. Tip: Buy your shoes
1/2 size larger to accommodate the Sorbothane Insoles®.
How to pick "your" running shoe
PALM, WRIST,
FOREARM, ELBOW & KNEE PROTECTORS
LUMBAR
SUPPORTS, LIFTING
BELTS & WEIGHT BELTS
IEM Medical Technologies Lumbar
Support
IEM Medical Technologies Sacroiliac
S-1 Support
Herman
Miller Aeron Chair - Highly
Adjustable Model $799 Herman
Miller Aeron Chair - Highly Adjustable Model floor
sample $699 Herman
Miller Aeron Chair - Basic
Model $599 Read about
the Aeron
chair at Herman Miller
When I built my house, I installed a
Pearl whirlpool tub
in my bathroom.
I purchased a Pearl tub because they licensed the Hydro therapy
pump system from Jacuzzi,
but I was looking
for a particular shape, like an emerald cut diamond, which Pearl manufactured.
Jacuzzi uses very large diameter water supply pipes with patented water jets, designed for therapeutic action, which moves more water and requires larger pump motors.
I found that using my bathroom whirlpool tub or taking long hot showers really helps my
back pain. I also found that it's much easier to do my stretching exercises
afterwards, so I decided that I wanted to get a hot tub for my backyard.
If you don't have a place to put a hot tub or it's just not in your budget right
now, try taking long hot showers or hot baths and do stretching exercises right
after (keep in mind that heat is not
recommended within the first 48 hours of injury).
I spent quite a few hours researching various hot tub manufacturers on the
Internet and several web sites with information about hot tubs:
PoolSpa
The Hot Spring hot tub is more expensive than other hot tubs, but is
substantially superior in many ways. It seems clear to me that the Hot
Spring hot tub will require less routine maintenance, be less likely to break
down, cost less to operate, and has a far superior warranty. The slightly
higher price will be recovered because of reduced maintenance costs due to
advanced technology and further offset by reduced operating costs.
Some of the advantages of the Hot Spring hot tub, and the reason I decided to
buy a Hot Spring, over other
manufacturers are the following:
Warranty: Hot Spring has the best hot tub
warranty
that I have seen.
Water Heater: Hot Spring gives you a 5 year No-Fault water heater warranty no
matter what you do to the water chemistry! This is because Hot Spring uses a heat exchanger
which uses a titanium element and titanium housing. Besides using titanium,
with a heat exchanger the water never touches the heating element. There
is nothing you can do to damage the heater! One of the two problems I
always hear about with hot tubs is the water heater breaking down because the
water chemistry was off. When this happens, the hot tub warranty will not
cover the water heater.
Hot Tub Insulation: High-density closed-cell polyurethane foam insulation (the
same insulating foam used in commercial freezers) provides better insulation and
keeps out water (closed cell foam is waterproof, while open cell foam used by
other manufacturers will absorb water if the hot tub leaks. This can cause
a mildew smell which may never go away). Additionally, Hot Spring removes
hot air generated by the jet pumps, so the pumps operate in a cooler
environment, and re-circulate that heat back into the water to save energy.
The Hot Spring hot tub is so thermally efficient that Ocean Spray Pools and
Spas, the Long Island hot tub dealer for Hot Spring, provides a guarantee in
writing that the largest Hot Spring hot tub will cost less than $35 per month
for electricity or they will pay the difference.
Filtration: Hot Spring seems to have the best filtration
system. Additionally, they use a
separate pump for the filtration system relieving the main jet pumps from double
duty. The filtration system does not have a bypass, so the water is being
filtered 100% of the time. Starting with some of the 2005 hot tubs, they
now have a substantially improved filtration system using ceramic filters.
This is an incredibly impressive filtration system.
Hot Tub Drain: Hot Spring is the only manufacturer
which has a bathtub drain, which allows you to easily empty the hot tub without
bailing.
Lighting: Hot Spring uses LED lights which uses far
less energy and is rated to provide up to 100,000 hours of illumination.
Programming: Hot Spring uses a "set-it-and-forget-it" system
which allows you to set the programming according to your preferences once.
If there is a power loss or you shut down the hot tub for several months, your
preferences are set in the memory and you do not have to reprogram your hot tub.
Hot Spring spas are manufactured by a subsidiary of Masco
Corporation, the company that also manufactures Delta faucets. Hot Spring
claims it is the only company whose hot tubs have been named a best buy each of
the five times that Consumer's Digest has rated spas.
I have called Hot Spring several times. It has never taken me long to get
a live person on the telephone and every time I call them, the person who
answers the phone is extremely knowledgeable about their products. They
not only can explain everything about their hot tubs, but they can also explain
how various parts work and why they work that way. Additionally, they have
always been very patient and have never tried to rush me off the phone.
Their customer service is a pleasure. Go ahead, call them at
1-800--999-4688, press 2 for consumers then press 3 for a customer service
representative, and ask some technical questions or questions about water
chemistry. Doris was incredibly helpful, if she answers the phone, tell
her Phil Franckel at HURT911.org says hello.
Tip: If you buy a hot tub, make sure you get a
cover removal system. This will not only make it very easy to use your
hot tub and more likely that you will, but lifting up a heavy cover can further
injure your back. These cover removal systems eliminate any strain on your
back.
You can find the Hot Spring dealer near you
here. Be sure to bring a bathing suit when you try out their hot tubs.
Important Tax and Insurance Note for Hot Tubs: You may be able to deduct the expense of the purchase and
installation of your hot tub on your IRS and State tax returns.
For more information please see
Will the IRS or Insurance Company Pay for Your Hot Tub? You may be able to obtain insurance reimbursement for the
cost of your hot tub and installation from any one of three insurance
companies: 1) Health insurance; 2) Third-party liability insurance (the
insurance company for the person or company you are suing, if you had an
accident due to someone else's fault); or 3) No-Fault
insurance (when an injury is sustained due to the operation of a car in a
No-Fault State). For more information please see
Will the IRS or Insurance Company Pay for Your Hot Tub?
IBOT Wheel
Chair - Now you can buy the most revolutionary invention ever created for
the disabled, invented by Dean Kamens.
See
3 movies of the IBOT Wheel Chair
MSNBC News on
the IBOT Wheel Chair
Sorbothane
Insoles -
I take out the insoles in my shoes and running shoes and put in Sorbothane®
insoles. If I wear sneakers without Sorbothane®
insoles, I get tired very quickly and my back starts hurting. If you have
back pain, you have to try these. If you don't have back pain, you'll
still be more comfortable with them. These are the only inner soles that
use
pure Sorbothane® to absorb as much shock as possible.
What is Sorbothane®?
Other inner soles
use air which is basically useless when compared to Sorbothane®. The difference is
well worth the extra dollar or two over the price of air cushioned inner
soles and you will agree with that every hour of every day! While other "gel" products offer little, if any, additional
cushioning or protection, Sorbothane® provides protection against 94.7%
of harmful road shock.
Sorbothane® is the ONLY insole
material available that absorbs up to 94.7% of impact shock. Ailments
such as Achilles tendinitis, runners knee, shin splints and lower back pain
can occur as a result of impact shock. That's why doctors,
sports medicine specialists and professional trainers widely recommend
Sorbothane® as the most effective barrier against
impact related injuries. Sorbothane®
insoles come with a complete 30 day satisfaction guarantee. Descriptions
of the various insoles Sizing
Chart Tip: I buy shoes
1/2 size larger to accommodate the Sorbothane Insoles®.
I tried two of their insoles. One was a flat solid Sorbothane and I
definitely preferred the other which was the Sorbothane® Performance
Series Ultra Work-Sport™ Insole. Dr.
Scholl's Massaging Gel
Insoles -
I tried these in my sneakers. They are a substantial improvement over
the sneaker insoles and probably better than other insoles, however, they do not
compare to the Sorbothane® insoles. I bought
them for $9.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond and never use them. The Sorbothane®
insoles made a big difference and are well worth the extra price.
Sorbothane®
Product
Guide of palm, wrist, forearm, elbow & knee protectors, kneeling pads &
tool wraps. I haven't tried these products, but they use my favorite
shock absorber, Sorbothane®, and look well made.
VALEO Lifting Belts & Weight Belts
- If you have low back pain, you will find this to be a tremendous help!
On the VALEO® web site, you can see various style belts. I would suggest
that you go to your local sports store and try one on. Buy one that
is not one of the wide belts. The wide belts are uncomfortable and
you will end up not wearing it. The narrower belts work very well and
are much more comfortable. Wear the belt when sitting at a desk, while
traveling in a car, plane or train, while working around the house and any
other time you want to. While you should never lift anything when you have
previously injured your back, there is always something that you will lift
anyway, such as lifting groceries out of the car. Always wear a VALEO®
belt when lifting anything five pounds or more.
HermanMiller
Aeron Chairs® -
Combining distinctive looks with pioneering ergonomics, Aeron
performs like no other chair. It adapts naturally and adjusts precisely to fit people of all sizes and postures doing all kinds
of activities. Its imaginative design gives superior comfort and body support
all day long (description on Herman Miller website). This chair is used in
most of the television production studios, I have seen, where people have to sit for long hours.
I bought this chair at Costco for $600 and it's very adjustable,
comfortable and durable. I have also seen the chair for sale on the internet for $599
with free shipping. The only complaint I have is that it should come with
a second back support which can easily be added on, since it is a reversible
support and designed to just slide on and off. It can probably be
purchased from HermanMiller inexpensively. Although
we do not sell this chair, I just had to recommend it!
Neutral Posture Ergonomics's model
9000 series This chair is excellent for working at a
desk either at the office or at home for anyone who wants maximum comfort
and back support. It is a must for anyone with a bad back or just wants to
avoid getting one from sitting improperly. It is adjustable in every
direction imaginable, and then in even more directions, and has an inflatable
lumbar support. Available in a large variety of fabrics & leathers, we
recommend ordering the chair with either fabric or leather on the top of
the adjustable arms for added comfort and looks. The chair is extremely well
made for a lifetime of use and comes with a limited lifetime warranty from
the manufacturer, Neutral Posture Ergonomics Inc., which is a publicly traded
company. You can not find a chair this well made at the average store. I
tried out many chairs and having found this chair to be the most unbelievably
comfortable and supportive, I bought the model 9700 for myself! Although
we do not sell this chair, I just had to recommend it!
PoolandSpa
Pool&SpaNews
HotTubsToGo
Hot Spring
Jacuzzi
I decided to buy a
Hot Spring
hot tub, so I went to the local dealer on several occasions to try it out.
While I expected to feel invigorated and to enjoy the massaging effects of the
water jets, I found another even better effect. Since the hot tub is large
enough to stretch out, I was able to do my exercises while in the hot tub. I give myself
chiropractic adjustments or traction by pulling my spine in opposite directions
(pulling the disk apart sucks the disc material back in and reduces pressure on
the nerves).
The combination of heat and buoyancy made this easier to do while in the hot tub and
the result felt much more effective. When I got out of the hot tub, I really felt great.