The Original Backnobber II Index Knobber

This is the tool I've been looking for. Well made, lightweight, smooth, easy to hold Great for neck pain self-massage, especially the trapezius and SCM muscles. It's like your thumb on steroids. I wish the ball portion was about 50% larger, but that's a minor complaint. Grade: A

Liegt gut in der Hand. Punktgenaue Massage

Perfect for pressing on shoulder where it’s hard to put full pressure through thumbs to massage.

I am a licensed massage therapist; while use of the Indexknobber doesn't replace professional massage from a human, I recommend this item (and/or another item from the same people, the Jacknobber) to my clients because I use it on myself. It's great for loosening tight areas. If you've used a foam roller on tight muscles, then you've possibly also given up after one or two tries because, frankly, that HURTS. Foam rollers are great, and I recommend tgem, too, but not as a place to start; it's too difficult to control the pressure. An Indexknobber or a Jacknobber is easier to use and more gentle on the tissues than a foam roller, and thus a better place to start. After regular use for a few weeks, you can then start working with a foam roller pain-free. The *knobbers are not just a precursor to foam roller use. They're portable, so you can use one at your desk to help your sore neck, shoulders, or low back (hint: for neck and shoulders, use it to stretch out and loosen your pecs [chest, just below collar bone]; for low back, use it on your hamstrings [underside of your thigh, just above your knee] and glutes) over your clothes. I use mine on myself frequently. Sometimes, I use one on clients to help me put more pressure on knots without damaging my thumbs.

I'm a licensed massage therapist. At the time of this review, I've been working for about four and a half years. I regularly perform deep tissue massages and have always had a good reputation and following for my abilities. However, my hands can no longer tolerate the levels of abuse my style of working inflicts upon them. I've never wanted to work using tools, as I thought it would feel too unnatural, but nonetheless I begrudgingly ordered the Indexknobber II in hopes that I would be able to tolerate it enough to use it and preserve my hands, and thus, my career. To my surprise, this tool is not only tolerable, it is a real pleasure to use, and I am finding more and more applications for it as I become increasingly familiar and comfortable with it (I just received it and and have only performed five massages with it). I'm using it mostly for deep, penetrative work and with probably a tenth of the effort I'm able to get considerably deeper, hold points significantly longer and and release stuck areas more quickly and efficiently than ever before. I have nothing but positive things to say about this tool, but it is not for everyone. What makes a tool complicated to use, in my opinion, is that it requires the user to feel what he or she is doing through the tool, which demands a very sensitive touch sense, something which the body I occupy has been blessed with. However, not all therapists have this gift, and if this is you (and I hope you know who you are because there are a lot of you out there), this tool could be quite dangerous. Essentially, if you're a crappy therapist with your hands, this tool isn't going to up your game any, and you might hurt someone too. If you are a skilled therapist whose hands or body has take too much of a beating, I strongly urge you to consider implementing this tool into your work.