Over the last six months or so, I've developed tension and pain in my back and arms (probably from too much computer use) that never quite goes away no matter what I do. Occasionally, I get acupuncture, and I'm sure that weekly massages to work out the really big knots near my shoulder blades would provide some relief. But who has time to go see a massage therapist on a regular basis? I can barely make it to the grocery store once a month.

I have six or seven massage gadgets in my house, including a Shiatsu massage chair attachment, a neck roller, an odd-looking massage cane, and one of those percussion massagers that looks like a big hammer. By now, I know that no single instrument is going to cure me of my aches and pains, but I still try every new thing I come across.

My next purchase is this Healthy Body Ball recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil, my favorite holistic health expert. Based on Trigger Point Therapy, the ball has nodules which act like thumbs to press on various trigger points on your body. The idea behind it seems to be similar to the idea behind the massage cane, which also has nodules that you press into problem muscles. But the Healthy Body Ball is more portable and looks a lot less like a torture device than the cane. Like everything else I've tried, I know this won't be an adequate substitute for a pair of skilled hands, but for $21.95, I may as well add it to my arsenal.