In this segment of Keeping It Real, real-life customer Christopher shares a detailed review of his new Novo XT Massage Chair.
"I purchased this chair to replace an Osim iMedic 380 that was very worn. At almost ten years old it still worked perfectly, but the vinyl covering was ripped from heavy usage. When I started researching a replacement chair, I learned that some of the newer chairs have an L-track which allows the chair to massage the glutes. As a cycling enthusiast, I decided that my new chair should have this feature as I had always wished my old chair could do this.
Although I had read that the Japanese chairs tend to be a bit more sophisticated and of better quality, I had to rule them out as they don't have this feature or foot-rollers—another feature I wanted. Given that my previous Chinese-made chair never had technical issues, I don't consider this overly risky. I settled on the Novo XT as it was the only chair to my knowledge that had a 3D L-track at the time of purchase. I did not try the chair in-person before ordering.
Following are some of my opinions of the Novo XT. Keep in mind that I also get weekly massages from a massage therapist, so my standards for massage are high.
The chair looks good and seems well-built. In my opinion (very subjective) it's the best looking massage chair I've seen. That may not be saying much, though, as I think massage chairs are pretty ugly as a whole. This, at least, is not an ugly chair. The upholstery is tasteful and convincingly leather-like. Definitely a step-up from the vinyl-like material on my previous chair. Hopefully it will be more durable as well.
The L-track does not reach the upper hamstrings, but it does reach the upper to mid-buttocks. You get a decent glute massage with the Novo XT. Additionally, the hip airbags press the IT bands to a certain extent and on some settings can be quite powerful.
Neck, shoulder, back massage is good. It's nice to have the 3D feature which brings the rollers in or out to adjust intensity and as a massage technique. Helpful, because not every user prefers the same level of intensity.
I had initially thought that it was not possible to adjust the intensity for Auto Programs. While this is true for the 3D rollers, I want to mention that adjusting the intensity of the airbags massage (called Cloud Touch on this chair) is possible in all programs, manual or automatic. In fact, Cloud Touch intensity is easily adjusted by pressing the left or right arrow keys on the circular pad of the remote. It's not necessary to enter the settings menu to make an adjustment, although it can be done there as well. In addition, the display does a good job of showing you what the current Cloud Touch intensity setting is.
Although it seems as though the remote allows you to adjust 3D roller intensity with the auto programs, you'll notice in use that after you make a change, the auto program will quickly take over. In other words, if you choose "soft," in the auto program, it won't stay on that level. Now that I've used the chair more, I understand why it's designed this way. When choosing an auto program, the 3D rollers are used at various levels during the massage. At certain times and positions the massage will be deep, and others times it will be soft. This better mimics the techniques of a massage therapist.
In addition to intensity, the 3D feature is used as a massage technique with the automatic and deep tissue programs. The rollers can push into the tissue and not just roll or tap over it to create a stretching or hand-pressing sensation. This chair also has a true 3D mechanism. The effect is not created by simply inflating or deflating the surrounding airbags. Very nice.
Hand/forearm airbags work well. I don't have a lot of experience with these systems, but can't imagine them working much better. They inflate the different zones of the hand, wrist and forearm sequentially which is relaxing and therapeutic.
At first, I did not find the stretch feature to be very useful, but I've been surprised to find that I'm actually using the it. It's not an intense stretch, but I'm starting to like it, nonetheless. The default is to have the leg extension go down when stretching, but I've switched it to go out instead and this seems better to me.
The chair is specified for users up to 6'-9", but at 5'-10", trim and average build, I need to use the second-to-tallest setting for the proper neck height. I'm sure someone taller/heavier can use the machine, but even I find the chair to be a bit more cramped than expected. My understanding is that this is one of the larger chairs, so I'm glad I didn't get one that was smaller.
Calf, leg, foot massage is good. Foot rollers can be a little intense, but adjusting the overall massage intensity in the settings seems to be able to lessen the pressure. This is only possible in the manual program, though. Moving the leg module out with the remote also helps and that's possible at any time with any program.
The chair does not do a body scan before each program. Instead, it allows you to choose your height setting before each program begins. Fortunately, it generally remembers the last setting that was used. I prefer this, as it's faster than having to wait for a body scan simply to figure out your height. You can quickly adjust the back rollers so they don't hit the top of your head or miss your shoulders and you still have the option to change the setting at any time. It takes a little experimenting to figure out your "number," but then it becomes easy.
The chair does self-adjust for leg length which does not take much time and works pretty well. Leg setting is also easily manually adjusted at any time, if necessary. As I wrote above, extending the leg module outward can help if the roller effect is too intense.
To sum up, this chair has the ability to give a very good massage that is relaxing and therapeutic. It is good-looking, sturdily built and the upholstery feels and looks great. The 3D L-track is what separates this chair from most others and it works well to reach the glutes and as an added massage technique. The chair is comfortable while massaging and creates a nice cocoon-like feeling. Used as a lounger, the chair may feel hard and uncomfortable and the cocoon-like design works against it. It's a bit noisy, but not a deal-breaker. Remote control is good when using automatic programs, but just OK when using manual selections. The remote's intensity settings are confusing until you figure out that they're only applicable to the manual program. The remote's display, though, is very good."
-Christopher, Real-Life Cutomer
Words cannot express my gratitude towards the Novo Massage Chair, but I will try my best to tell my brief story which I have never expressed to anyone in complete details.
I just turned 27 last week and have lived a very active life style. I grew up working in construction, racing motocross, working out etc. I was blessed at the age of 19 to meet my soulmate who I have 2 beautiful young children with. I started my own company and was living the picture perfect life up until when I started experiencing back pain. I kept powering through them thinking they would eventually pass.
After 6 months of continuing to decline I elected to see a chiropractor. After a few X-rays their opinion was there was a fracture or defect in my L5-S1 that I was born with. After some MRIs and meeting with a neurosurgeon I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis, and was told that I was limited by my pain and would eventually need a spinal fusion, but was last resort due to my age.
I continued to work through the pain with the hopes one day it would start to subside. I downplayed how I felt to doctors (which was not a good idea) but at I time I thought I did not have a choice as I had an obligation to my employees, current customers and to provide for my family. I continued to do less physically but things continued to decline and I will never forget the day when things hit rock bottom.
I walked up a single flight of stairs twice to check on one of my jobs, and was in so much pain. That night my 2 year old son was crying for me to pick him up, which I could not physically do for the first time because of the pain. Listening to my wife try to explain to a 2 year that I could not pick him up absolutely crushed me, and I ended up going to the hospital in excruciating pain. I was discharged with pain meds and received an expedited appointment to see my neurosurgeon.
I met with my neurosurgeon with the hopes of immediately getting surgery but was informed to do more PT and start pain management, which I was not happy with at all as I felt I had exhausted all my options. I started dieting, having specialized physical therapy, and taking pain management all at once. I started to slowly feel better and would get massaged on my worst days, but then started getting them once a week as I realized they were helping. I realized the days after my weekly massage I felt the best and wish I could get more massages, but mentally could not bring myself to spend more on them as they were only temporary relief.
One day I was walking through Costco and noticed the massage chairs but elected just to walk by. Curiosity got the best of me and I ended up checking out Human Touch’s website. The stretch feature is what really got me wondering if it worked. I tried zero gravity massage chairs in the past at Brookstone, but never heard of one that could do a spinal stretch. I waited until the last day of the sale to take a look but had no intentions of purchasing one. I sat in the chair and 2 minutes into the massage the airbags squeezed my legs and stretched my spine while the rollers ran down and I was blown away. I stopped the massage a minute later and purchased one.
Although I have been very fortunate I am nowhere near a millionaire so I did not take the purchase of the chair lightly. Human Touch generously expedited the chair to me after I explained that I had purchased it for medical issues, and since then my quality of life has greatly improved. The chair has helped me recover faster and get the blood pumping in muscles on the tough days.
I started feeling better and better each week, and thought my recovery was the typical story until I met with my neurosurgeon for a follow up 2 months after my last appointment. The look of shock on his face about not experiencing pain and feeling great made me realize and his exact words of "you were very rough 2 months ago and whatever you are doing continue to do because it is working. You still have back problems so keep that in mind, but if you have no pain then you have no reason to see me.”
I find myself sitting on the chair answering emails on my laptop due to the comfort and I feel as I am the most relaxed and focused. Words cannot express how thankful I am to everyone at Human Touch. Your product has helped me get through one of the most challenging times in my life. I have enclosed a photo of myself using the chair, playing with my son, so others can see this is a real story. I am able to now enjoy doing things with my family that pain prevented me from doing before.
Robert O'Neil
Cape Coral, FL
“I‘ve been a Computer Programmer, a heads-down coder, for 35 years. After spending about 20 years in the poor posture encouraged by a traditional workspace, I began to experience severe neck and shoulder pain. I am 100% convinced that the ergonomics of the “cubicle” office is what caused my back problems.
My doctor recommended that I have a C4-C5 cervical fusion, which I hoped would completely dissolve the pain. But as time went on, I discovered that my pain was still affecting my quality of life on a daily basis. After a lot of research, I found the Human Touch Perfect Chair, and have been using it for over 10 years now. Not only is it extremely comfortable, but it prevents the poor posture that caused my back pain.
Before I found the Perfect Chair, I was at a point where I would have to end my career due to my spinal issues. Since buying my Perfect Chair, I’ve actually purchased another that I take to work with me. I’m an independent contractor, and I’ve tried sitting in the “ergonomic” desks and chairs that many offices offer now. I can’t emphasize enough how passionately I feel that the Perfect Chair is the best desk option, and I ALWAYS insist on bringing my Perfect Chair into my offices in order to work from my laptop. My chair has received a lot of attention from friends and colleagues, including a friend who had her C4-C5-C6 vertebrae fused together, and now loves the Perfect Chair almost as much as I do!
I believe that if I.T. continues the way it’s going with their long, heads-down hours spent working, they will start to see serious ramifications to their health. These are folks who sit in a chair, without moving, for 10-12 hours at a time, and I can tell you first hand that the results can be detrimental.
The Perfect Chair is an incredible tool for people who spend a lot of time at their desk, and I believe that it has the ability to completely change the way we manage our work space. I would love to see more offices eliminate the traditional cubicle set-up and encourage their employees to use Perfect Chairs with laptop desks, or even a type of dual laptop desk. I am so grateful for my Perfect Chair. It has changed my life.”
Sandy Jeakins
California
Human Touch was recently able to show support for the American Cancer Society at the 2016 Relay for Life event. There, we donated two HT-Reflex 2 Foot and Calf Massagers to the team Beautiful Feet, which was captained by 16 year-old Carissa Dahlia. These Reflex2’s were featured in the Beautiful Feet booth at their May 1st event, offering some much-needed relief to its participants.
Relay for Life is an event that raises money for the American Cancer Society to put toward cancer research, as well as patient resources and programs. Beautiful Feet is a chapter of Chapman University’s event, in which the goal of each team was to have someone on the track walking to raise money for cancer for a full 24 hours. Carissa Dahlia also made it her goal to walk roughly 16 miles barefoot, despite the hot cement of the sidewalk route, in tribute to the hardships that cancer patients go through every day. In 2016, she increased that goal to 26 miles.
Carissa’s story is truly inspirational, as this young woman formed her team in memory of her maternal grandfather, Terry Borchard, who lost his battle with Multiple Myeloma cancer in 2014. Borchard had been a missionary and Bible translator in Papua New Guinea for over 40 years, and led a generous lifestyle that inspired Carissa and her family to also lead similar purpose-filled lives. Carissa’s team raised approximately $900 for Relay for Life in 2015, and another $1209 (so far) in 2016.
Here are a few quotes directly from Carissa throughout her experience:
"Once again I have created a Relay for Life team called Beautiful Feet. Last year I walked 16 miles barefoot at Relay for Life. Everyone thought I was crazy. It was hot. We were walking on cement. And yet I had ditched my shoes in our tent. At the time I didn’t have a real answer for why I was walking barefoot, I just knew deep down that I needed to do it. I now have the answer to why. The pain I experienced from walking barefoot on that hot cement for 16 miles was fleeting. Of course it hurt at the time and for a week or so afterwards, but it was nothing compared to the pain experienced by those fighting cancer or any other diseases. The pain I experienced was momentary and my choice. Theirs is not.”
“Walking barefooted reminds me of the real reason that we relay. We relay for the people. The people we’ve lost, the people still fighting, and the future people who might have to hear those fateful words. Relay is not just about the cancer and funding research. It’s about the people who will benefit from that research. The people it will save.”
“26+ miles completed barefoot and I am done walking. Or rather my legs are done walking. So I am reflecting on the reason that I have done this to my legs. Because of my Grandpa, both my grandmas, and countless others, I relay for them. I relay for the hope of a cure, the hope that one day all cancers will be treatable. I relay for love, the love I have for all those I've lost. And finally, I relay to help kick cancer into the past so that no one else has to hear those three words, "You have cancer."
"It has been one week since Relay for Life and my reasoning for walking barefoot has changed so much. As I walked so many more reasons came flooding to me, especially at night with the luminaries surrounding the track. I realized that as you watch a loved one suffer through their treatment you constantly say that you wish you could take some of their pain from them, walking barefoot allowed me to feel as though I had taken some of that pain from them. It also allowed me to physically feel the progression as my legs went from strong to weak to unable to walk. Walking barefoot for me was similar to my grandfather's cancer journey, like Multiple Myeloma, the pain would go away or subside, but it would always come back. I felt really connected to my grandpa during this experience, and while it hurt a lot, I will definitely do it again next year."
Human Touch was recently able to donate a massage chair to Peyton White, who lives in Texas. Peyton and his mother, Lynne, plan to conduct a study to determine the effects that a massage chair will have on Peyton’s Autism, including regular updates from Peyton where he will discuss the results from his perspective. We are excited to follow along with Peyton on his journey, and invite you to join us with his updates as well! Here is an excerpt from Peyton’s latest post:
A couple weeks ago, I got a new Human Touch massage chair. It helps me reduce anxiety, get rid of muscle soreness and have better sleep at night. When I sleep better, it helps me with my autism, as I don’t stress as much. When I do stress, I sit in the chair, and it helps me calm down. I use the massage chair about 2 or 3 times a day. My favorite parts of the massage chair are using foot and calf and rolling and kneading which really makes me relax to help me become confident. While I’m sitting and relaxing on the massage chair, I can study my notes when I’m worried about a quiz or test so that I’ll do better at it. Whenever I’m stressed or need a better sleep, I sit on the massage chair for 15-25 minutes. I just wanted to tell you how awesome and comfortable my chair is and how much it is already helping me.
Read Peyton’s Full Blog Post Here.
We recently took our new Human Touch Novo Ascent Series massage chairs to a product launch event in Santa Monica, California. There, we invited people to test out the massage chair, and asked them what they thought. Here’s what they said:
For more information on the Novo massage chair, click here.
We’re pleased to share this post from Peyton White, who is conducting a research study on the effects that his Human Touch massage chair has on his Autism. This original post can be found on his blog here. Being Autistic sometimes I have trouble sleeping, and that isn’t good. The Reason why sleeping is important is because it helps you be healthier and increase your brain function to positively think and learn. It also helps prevent heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. When having little sleep, people feel less positive and can have a rough day at school or work. Having 2 or 3 hours of sleep is never a good thing to do at night, especially when you have to focus. When having too much sleep, it can also increase the risk of having heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. Having proper sleep actually helps people do well in sports, quizzes, math and music and more. A short period of sleeping is called a nap, many people take something called a “power nap” during the day. Naps also help people become healthy and increase their brain function. The difference between sleep and nap are that sleep is for nighttime and people usually spend 8-11 hours of sleeping and nap is usually for daytime and people spend at least 30-90 minutes of napping. Why am I telling you all of this? Because sleep is very important for me, so I can focus better. When I focus, I learn better and have fewer meltdowns. Every day and night, I sit in my massage chair to help me calm down, it helps me have good sleep at night and do well on my schoolwork. I did very well on my final quizzes after I sat in my massage chair and studied my notes before I took my final tests. When I relax I make better eye contact, speak well and become more aware, as well as get a good night’s sleep. Before I go to bed, I watch something on TV in the media room and sit in my massage chair to relax. I turn on the programs and sometimes have the lights off a bit, turn on the massage chair and relax. This helps me get ready for bed and allows me to sleep sound. I love having this massage chair as it is helping me in so many ways.
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