Core blimey

Let’s face it, we’ve all had a sore back at some stage, and finding the time for a professional massage can be a pain in itself. Metropol’s Gadget Guru Ian Knott puts one home solution to the test.

So you had a productive weekend in the garden, stacked the firewood, or dashed around the tennis court all Saturday afternoon. Ka pai! But, now it’s Monday and your back is more than a little annoyed at you. Sure, you can keep filling up the hotty, or microwaving the wheatbag, but then you have to sit still while you apply it. Yes, you can take some anti-inflammatories – but they don’t agree with everybody.

What you need is something that will apply heat to the area, while giving you a relaxing, yet blood-circulating massage, all while you go about your daily business.

The clever HeatPulse Back & Core Massager from Hydragun wraps around your mid-section and secures snugly with velcro. The control pack, which is USB-C rechargeable, simply attaches magnetically to the front of the belt.

Once turned on, you have a choice of three heat settings and three vibration settings, all of which can be combined. Heat and vibration can be applied to the back, while heat can also be applied to the front of the belt, making it a great reliever of period pain.

Vibration can be short and intermittent pulsing like a percussion massage, or a constant steady vibration. The third, some might say ironically, is similar to an SOS pattern. Supplying up to 3.5 hours of use, the control pack is easily removed and comes with a USB-C cable for quick recharging.

As someone who plays a lot of sport throughout the year, the HeatPulse has been a miracle worker. And even if I don’t have any aches and pains, it’s just nice to use the belt to melt away any build-up of tension the day may bring.