Stainless Steel Gua Sha Scraping Massage Tool - IASTM Tools Great Soft Tissue Mobilization Tool,Therapy Used for Back, Legs, Arms,Neck,Shoulder (S Shape)

My rating of 5 stars is based on my initial impressions of this product. I have only had a chance to use it briefly, but have been very pleased so far. I am a physical therapist and purchased this recently as a way to practice some Graston and IASTM (instrument assisted soft tissue massage) on my wife both for her benefit and to further my skills. My workplace owns a nice Hawk Grips kit, which are very expensive, but I didn't want to invest anywhere near that much for my own tool. I researched and looked into a lot of the cheaper alternatives to a nice stainless steel. I look into jade, buffalo horn, etc. The things that impressed me about the tool initially are the nice rounded edges that have been problematic when I have purchased plastic massage tools in the past. It also has a nicer feel and feedback when working soft tissue that I don't feel like I get when using a cheaper plastic tool. It also seems like it will be much more durable than a jade or buffalo horn tool. The smaller size has me concerned my hand will fatigue when using for long periods, but I think it sure will save my hands versus not using any tool at all. Overall, I am very pleased, but time will be the true test. I plan on updating in a few months after I have had more time using the tool. Hopefully this review proves helpful for others evaluating and looking for a low to mid range IASTM tool.

I've been doing gua sha since I lived in Asia for six years while serving in the Army. I've used this for almost a year now.Pros:1.Versatile thicker rounded edge as well as an extremely aggressive tip on the other end.2. The sharper end can be used lightly over your clothes, and it breaks up tough knots with light pressure3. Rounded edge can be used on body, neck and face4. Sharper edge is great for those crunchy nodules on back of scalp that get tight from working on computer5. Price is much better than competition6. High qualityCons:1. For some, the sharp end may seem too aggressive. I thought the same thing until I found out how useful it is if you do it over your clothes.Overall, this thing has been a life saver since I can get the blood flowing through tight muscles on my back with minimal effort. I usually need to massage arm/shoulder of the side I'm using to do the gua sha, but not with this one. I still use other tools, but this is the first choice for quick relief.

The device itself is great. The only complaint that I have, is that the holster that was provided had a broken snap.

Absolutely wonderful tool. It's not magic so don't expect to feel 100% better after a single use but if you give it some time, you'll absolutely experience improvement. I've been dealing with soreness in my quads and hip flexors for years and in just two weeks, I'm feeling some incredible differences. I always stretch, foam roll, etc. but this is far and away the best thing that's worked for me. It's a great quality tool and will probably last your lifetime. I typically use coconut oil but I'm sure any lubricant with sufficient viscosity will work just fine. I can feel every bump and ripple as the tool glides across my muscles making it easy to identify my trouble spots. It can hurt at times but it's definitely the good kind of hurt. The tool is worth every penny when you consider how much a single appointment for Graston costs. My house has practically turned into a physical therapy clinic. My wife, mother and I each use the tool on ourselves and each other. To that point, I sometimes find it difficult to hit every spot on my own so you'll likely get a lot more out of the tool if you have someone else willing to use it on you from time to time. The only negative I can think of is that the handles can get very slippery depending on what kind of lubricant you use. I would absolutely purchase again. Zero regrets!

I love using this to help release muscles

This thing is great! Why and how did I get here? I used be a very active soccer player. Then, went inactive for couple of years... too busy with work and family. When I recently returned to the field, I pulled a thigh muscle (Rectus Femoris) and turned into a big lump and a knot. I tried all sorts of techniques: massages, warm water, rollers, electrodes, etc. But, nada! When a co-worker mentioned “Graston Technique”, I looked and found this tool. I like the nice aluminum protective where it came. And the tool itself is very well made, smooth, semi-sharp edges, and curved shape that wrap around nicely on the thigh or calf muscles. With plenty of leverage, it took only few tries and I began noticing a major difference. Now, I’m only have a small knot left to work off of my thigh. What makes this an effective tool is the amount of steady pressure you can exert on a given spot(s), which rollers can't do. True, it can be painful but it works. A massage cream of some sort helps it slides easier on the skin. It seems to work best if someone else does it on you, especially someone who is very pissed off at you or something of a sort.

Exactly what I expected

This tool is not like the heavy-duty graston tools, but it is an excellent budget tool. It is far better than plastic graston tools, and it gets the job one.