In a lifestyle where many of us find ourselves dealing with chronic muscle tension and discomfort, finding effective self-care tools is more important than ever. Enter the PSO-Rite, a unique device designed to offer deep tissue massage and relief in the comfort of your own home.
This review delves into the features and real-world application of the PSO-Rite, providing insights into how it might fit into a routine focused on maintaining physical health and alleviating muscle strain.
What is the PSO-RITE?
The PSO-Rite is a self-care tool that aims to replicate the pressure and technique used by massage therapists for deep tissue and muscle relief. It is particularly designed to target the psoas complex, also known as the “soul of our body,” which plays a crucial role in various bodily functions such as the fight or flight response, supporting digestive organs, aiding in breathing, and helping circulate blood and lymph.
Structured to mimic the shape of a therapist’s hand and the firmness of an elbow, the PSO-Rite’s design is intended to allow users to apply pressure to relieve pain and dysfunction in the hip area and other parts of the body. The tool’s design suggests that it can be used on nearly any muscle group, including hamstrings, thighs, calves, glutes, lower and upper back, and even arms and chest, by adjusting the applied pressure and positioning.
The PSO-Rite promotes itself as a firm and direct approach to muscle relief, distinguishing itself from softer alternatives by emphasizing that pressure is key to releasing tight muscle tissue.
My Experience with the PSO-Rite
When you first receive your PSO-RITE, nothing overly special about it stands out. It comes wrapped up in clear plastic with a disclaimer on it, alongside one sheet of card with images of the different areas of the body the PSO-RITE can be used on. It doesn’t come with any box except the box it is delivered in. The first impression of the whole package of the PSO-RITE is… basic. It’s as basic and bare-bones as you can get.
When analysing the actual PSO-RITE itself, it doesn’t get any more exciting than what you see in the sales pictures. It is simply one piece of large moulded plastic.
But what it looks like doesn’t matter as long as it works, but does it?
Using the PSO-RITE
Whenever I try out a myofascial release tool, I have set areas of my body I always try them on first. These are my trouble areas, which are the adductors/inner thigh area and my calves. Also, certain areas along my back especially the muscles along my spine (Erector Spinae). These are noticeably fleshy areas where many massage tools, such as foam rollers and massage balls don’t seem to work for me.
On the other hand, the PSO-RITE did work pretty well in my trouble areas. The PSO-RITE hit the deepest parts of these fleshy areas and allowed me to apply my body weight. That’s what I liked most about the PSO-RITE. The ridges are raised quite high off the ground and the product is strong and sturdy enough for me to apply a lot of pressure and not have to worry about it toppling over.
At first, I was using the PSO-RITE in one direction. However, when I started getting a little more inventive (rotating it 90 degrees) with it, I realised just how versatile it really is. I found the PSO-RITE worked best for me on my calves, adductors, and my back. However, the PSO-RITE is called the PSO-RITE for a reason, it is primarily designed to be used on the PSOAS. So does it work in that area?
To be honest, I didn’t feel any benefits. I massaged the area and found it didn’t really do anything for me. So, I don’t really understand the hype it gets. Perhaps I’m not tight in that area, or I’m not the right size for the tool, but it really did nothing for me in this area.
Conclusion: Should You Buy the PSO-RITE?
If you scour the web, you’ll find a lot of satisfied users of the PSO-RITE who have successfully used it to release their PSOAS and gained all kinds of benefits beyond what they ever imagined. I have to admit, I’m not one of these overly exuberant users. I didn’t find the PSO-RITE did anything for my PSOAS muscle, but then again, it’s such a mysterious hidden muscle that maybe I never needed a PSOAS release in the first place (when I stretch my PSOAS using a traditional hip flexor stretch I never find it overly tight anyway).
Therefore, if you remove the PSO-RITE’s main selling point, it’s just another massage tool like many others already on the market. I did find it useful in other areas of the body, particularly since it has such high ridges and is sturdy enough to apply a lot of your own body weight onto it, but I didn’t think it was particularly life-changing. You’ve also got to factor in the price of the PSO-RITE. It’s not exactly a cheap massage tool. In fact, it’s pretty expensive for what it is. When you first take it out of the box, you may even be a little annoyed, as, at the end of the day, it really is just a piece of moulded plastic.
That being said, it is well constructed and made so that it is sturdy and will not wobble when you’re using it. I think a much fairer price would be around $19.99, which is way lower than what it costs at the time of writing (currently $79.99). Over time, I imagine the cost will come down because competitors will start flooding the market with cheaper alternatives. Keep an eye out for competitor products to flood the market and perhaps for the PSO-RITE price to drop. For now, the PSO-RITE brand can get away with charging high prices.
Ultimately, if you know you have trouble with your PSOAS muscle and you’ve tried many tools and nothing works, then the PSO-RITE may well be worth a go. Furthermore, if it works for you, the high price may be justified in the end. On the other hand, if you’re someone who doesn’t have chronic hip tightness and is just looking for another massage tool, you may be better off saving your money and trying something else.