So, the impact Human Touch has on my life, and the lives of all I know who own their products is uncanny.  I am assuming Human Touch is NOT tracking my physical health (as far as I know).  I recently purchased a Human Touch PC 8500 chair, and did so without knowledge of a circulation issue with one of my legs.  You know…varicose veins, but in my case they were severe and only on one side. Quite unusual.  I immediately went to my primary care physician, who stated that this was the worst case he had seen.  He recommended surgery, but in the mean time to get compression stockings to compensate for gravity.  He said: “You know, one good trick is to make sure to put the compression stockings on while in bed before gravity has had a chance to negatively impact the effect of the compression stockings.  He also recommended sitting with my leg raised. 

It hit me:  Not only does the PC8500 solve the problem of keeping my leg raised: It is one of the main features of the chair, but now I have a way to apply compression stockings which significantly improve their effectiveness.

For compression socks to be truly effective, it is best to put them on when in a position which puts your legs above your heart.  Ideally putting your feet in the air for 10 minutes or so prior to putting on compression socks helps by ensuring blood is not pooled in your feet prior to applying the compression socks.

Before starting my day, I grab a pair of compression stockings, get in the chair putting it in the position with my legs almost straight up, and sit for a few minutes while the blood drains from my legs.  It works so well that you can actually see the varicose veins disappear.  After this short period, I simply put on the compression stockings and start my day!  Watching TV or working in this position means putting off the need for surgery just a bit longer, and provides peace of mind, that I’m not further stressing my body for no reason.

Thank you Human Touch for such brilliant designs!  It is as though the designers at Human Touch are themselves human, and therefore seem to know precisely what “us humans” actually need.

David Marcarian, MA

Human Touch recently connected with Hiram Eugene, a former NFL free safety for the Oakland Raiders. He was signed in 2006, and played for six seasons before a dislocated hip forced him to retire early from his NFL career.

Though he was able to have surgery on his hip, his pain continued to resonate from that - as well as many other - injuries resulting from playing professional football. After an intensive regimen of both physical therapy and pain management medication, he finally found a more manageable form of relief in the Human Touch Ascent Series Novo massage chair. He has been kind enough to invite us along for his journey to recovery. Here, you can read Hiram’s first-hand account of how he’s using his Novo to feel his best: 

My NFL career started in 2006 as an undrafted free agent with the Oakland Raiders, where I played Free Safety during my tenure. My career lasted until 2012 with a career - ending injury, due to a left hip dislocation.

As most players in the NFL I have had numerous injuries. I suffered from hamstring pulls, both ankle sprains, a torn Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) on the left knee, left calf muscle pull, a torn Pectoral muscle on right arm, a hyperextended left elbow, jammed right hip, stingers (which resulted in me having the thoracic outlet syndrome), an L5 and S1 disassociation in my lower back, and lastly what ended my career which is a dislocated left hip.

Enduring these numerous injuries, I am mostly affected by tightness/stiffness/soreness in my lower back, joint tightness/soreness in left hip, and stiffness/tingling/inflammation/numbness in my neck.

My attraction to the Novo massage chair was that it really does have the touch of human hands giving you a firm massage, and it also has a recliner mode that helps you relax while you receive that massage.

I have been able to use my Novo massage chair 3-5 times a week, depending on my daily schedule. I usually try to get into the chair in the early afternoon, and if possible at night before bed. One particularly helpful way I’ve begun to use the chair is after a hot tub bath, since it helps me to find a more peaceful sleep. I mostly sit down, and put the auto-massage program to the cloud touch/manual knead with percussion and heat, and I love the foot and calf massage.

I have been seeing a doctor for pain medicine, muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatory medicines. I was also attending physical therapy two times the week and seeing a massage therapist and acupuncturist once a week. However, using my Novo regularly has decreased my pain levels and given me a little better mobility. With better mobility I don't have to take my medications as often, and the combined heat with low back massage generates blood flow which allows me to get a little more done throughout the day.

Hopefully this progress continues, so that I can cut even further back on my pain medication and decrease my need for physical therapy. I will continue to use my Novo massage chair regularly, and update you on my progress! 

Writen By Laura Gaskill, Houzz
Photo (Above): Louise de Miranda, original photo on Houzz

When you hear the word “retreat,” what comes to mind — writing in a cabin by a lonesome lake, engaging in spiritual study or practicing yoga on the beach? How about doing a retreat in your own home? It may at first seem like an improbable idea (although that yoga-on-the-beach thing sounds pretty good), but there are some surprising positives to crafting your own retreat at home. For one thing, it’s free. For another, you can decide exactly the sort of activities you want to focus on, including things that may not be combined in most retreats (novel writing and cupcake baking, anyone?). Check out these 10 steps to designing your own retreat in the comfort of your home.

Bonaventura Architect, original photo on Houzz

1. Decide on a focus. Are you craving a spiritual retreat? Time to work on your craft, write, do yoga or meditate? Make a short list of the things you want to incorporate into your retreat so you can start planning.

2. Get your household onboard. If you live with others, and especially if you have children, going on a retreat at home can be a challenge. Try to plan the retreat for a time when your family or housemates will be away, particularly during the day. At the very least, try to get everyone to agree to respect what you are doing. This includes not speaking to you too much if you decide to maintain silence (see No. 8) during your retreat. If you have children, it can be worthwhile to do a shorter (even a one-day) retreat when you know the kids will be out of the house.

3. Set an intention. An intention is different from a goal. A goal might be, “I will meditate two hours each day,” whereas an intention could be, “I will be mindful and appreciate each moment.”

To set an intention for your retreat, answer these two questions:

○     What do you hope to gain from your retreat?

○     What do you hope your experience will be?

Setting intentions before your retreat can help keep you focused on the experience you want to have.

Nicola O’Mara Interior Design, original photo on Houzz

4. Shop for groceries and plan meals. Retreats you travel to, no matter what the focus, tend to offer fresh, healthful food — so try to offer yourself the same. Get the main work out of the way before your retreat begins, so you can focus on the good stuff.

5. Gather other materials. Depending on what sort of activities you will be focusing on, you may want to pick up books, instructional videos, craft supplies, notebooks and pens, a yoga mat or meditation cushions.

The New Design Project, original photo on Houzz

6. Create a schedule. Any proper retreat has a schedule mapped out in advance, and there’s no reason you can’t do the same. Decide what time you would like to rise, eat, work on your project, read, have downtime and go to sleep each day. Of course, the beauty of having an at-home retreat is that you are free to leave your schedule as open or as structured as you like.

7. Prepare your space. There’s no need to go overboard cleaning and scrubbing, but beginning your retreat in a neat, clean home will help set a positive tone. Plan to spend a few hours getting rid of clutter and cleaning up before you begin your retreat. 

Pay special attention to clearing away clutter and electronic devices in the bedroom so you can sleep restfully. And elsewhere in the house, put away anything that reminds you of work or things you may be feeling stressed about.

rigby & mac, original photo on Houzz

8. Try silence. Consider going without speaking during some or all of your retreat — you may be surprised how refreshing it can feel to get a break from constant chatter.

Of course, the more people in your household, the more difficult it will be. Perhaps someone else would like to participate in silence with you, or you can enjoy a silent break during the times you have the house to yourself. And, of course, talk if you really need to! 

Nicola O’Mara Interior Design, original photo on Houzz

9. Unplug. If there is one thing that seems to be a given at a retreat, it’s that you disconnect your devices. No going online and no checking your phone or tablet. If you are used to being on your devices frequently, it can be a hard habit to break, but it’s worth trying!

10. Consider your media consumption. In addition to what you might be used to seeing online, consider taking a break from the magazines, newspapers and books you usually read. Be intentional about the material you choose to read or watch during your retreat. If you want to read a book or watch a film, pick one that meshes with the intention you set for the retreat.

More from Houzz:

Stock a Pantry Cabinet With Healthy Snacks
How Home Can Help You Recharge
Lamps to Brighten Your Reading Nook

Looking for a way to enjoy daily full-body massage on your retreat? Try the Human Touch Novo XT massage chair:

By increasing oxygen-rich blood to tired, sore muscles, Novo XT helps to restore your natural well being. You can also bet that the sleek, innovative design will serve as a conversation piece that captivates attention like that of your favorite sports car.

Once you’ve rejuvenated both your body and mind, you’ll experience a heightened sense of confidence, motivation, and clarity—all the tools you need be your best and keep your edge over the rest of the pack.

Human Touch®, the U.S. market leader of innovative massage chairs, Perfect Chair® Recliners, and other wellness solutions, is pleased to announce that they will be sharing several new products at the 2017 Spring High Point Market on April 22nd-26th. This must-see event is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world, and brings in more than 75,000 people to their semi-annual events.

The Human Touch showroom will be located in suite 300 on the 3rd Floor of the Furniture Plaza, where they will be showcasing their new ZeroG® 3.0 massage chair. This new addition to their zero-gravity recliner collection provides a remarkable full-body massage using a Smart 3D FlexGlide® massage engine to simulate the expert techniques of massage professionals. Additional features of the ZeroG 3.0 massage chair include adjustable intensity 3D massage, a single-touch Go To Zero® button for easy neutral-posture seating, four targeted muscle benefit massage techniques, and a fully-encompassing and extendable foot and calf massager with under-foot rollers.

Additional products to be shown in the Human Touch showroom include:

*The NEW Novo XT massage chair, which increases oxygen-rich blood to tired, sore muscles in order to restore a natural sense of well-being. The Novo XT's distinctive unibody design follows a unique L-track that massages the entire back, from the top of the shoulders all the way down to the glutes, and its space-saving design requires only 2" of wall clearance in order to pivot seamlessly from the upright to the reclined position.


The Novo XT also features full-body stretch, Bluetooth speakers, lumbar heat, cloud touch acupressure, zero-gravity massage and an extending foot-and-calf massager. With 34 auto wellness programs and an easy-to-use LCD controller, the Novo XT massage chair is endorsed by the World Federation of Chiropractic as an optimal way to improve spinal health and relieve overall stress. Novo XT upholstery options include Black, Red, Gray, Cream, or Brown SofHyde.

*Three of Human Touch's bestselling Perfect Chair recliners will be presented in the showroom, including the Omni-Motion Classic (PC-610), Omni-Motion Silhouette (PC-600), and Classic Manual Plus (PC-420). Each of these Perfect Chair options feature extended armrests, adjustable lumbar support, and are fully customizable with premium leather, top-grain leather, and SofHyde upholstery options, as well as a variety of solid wood-based finishes. Additional upgrades of Memory Foam PLUS and Jade Heat offer enhanced comfort and health benefits, and the many accessory options allow the chair to be customize to the user's preference.


Inspired by NASA, each Perfect Chair places the body into a doctor-recommended, neutral-gravity position -- with the feet above the heart -- to alleviate pain and stress from the neck and vertebrae, which is caused by earth's gravitational pull on the body. This provides improved relaxation, reduced stress and better sleep quality, among other important benefits. It is this advanced design that earned the Perfect Chair Omni-Motion Classic (PC-610) a nomination for the prestigious 2016 Pinnacle Awards, which celebrate the form and function, innovation, consumer benefit, and the retailer/manufacturer benefits of today's most influential furniture designs. It was also the recipient of a 2016 Design Journal Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX), the largest and most prestigious awards program for the architectural and design industry.

"We're really looking forward to the Spring High Point Market," said Peter Theran, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Human Touch. "Our ever-expanding line of zero-gravity recliners is always a crowd favorite, and we can't wait to share our new ZeroG 3.0 massage chair with visitors to our showroom. We're also thrilled to return with our Novo XT, which was a huge success at the Fall show. Attendees have come to expect that our showroom is the best place to find wellness solutions that not only make people feel better, but enhance the style of any room décor. This year they will continue to find just that."

About Human Touch

Human Touch is the leading provider of high-quality, innovative lifestyle products, massage chairs, and experiences that have been delivering indispensable, life-changing benefits to an ever-growing number of consumers for more than 35 years. Human Touch has been making people feel better by developing state-of-the-art massage products containing patented massage systems that replicate the hands and techniques used by massage professionals, thereby helping to reduce pain and stress caused by today's hectic lifestyle. Products are available at fine furniture stores, back care specialty stores, and mass-market retailers across the U.S., through international retailers and distributors in more than 40 countries, and online at www.humantouch.com.

One of the questions that I get asked pretty constantly is how I am able to keep surfing most everyday at my semi mature station in life. In other words, “How does a geezer like you stay out there all the time?” I should preface this to say that it is normally other geezers who are asking this question. When you are young you don’t even think about it, you just do it and there are little or no physical consequences. Geeze, I remember being able to surf all day, like 10 hours, and then woof down a half gallon of ice cream before heading to the dance. Hahaha, ok I just realized that sounded just like the “and I walked ten miles through the snow to get to school and didn’t even have a pair of shoes to wear,” kinda thing. But, you get the idea. When you are 20 your body just keeps going and you don’t think about it. When you get a bit older you start to get sore, your body aches, you get tired and you start feeling like it might be a good idea to “take a recovery break today.” I see guys missing really good days because they are sore and their body just hurts too much to give it another go. This is something I try to avoid as I hate missing good days. At my age you don’t want to miss anything, I mean ya just never know.

So, here is my little guide on how to keep an older surfing body in tune so that you can surf as much as possible without pain. First off, don’t let yourself get fat like I am because it makes it that much harder on yourself. I must like it to be hard because I stay fat, but I really do not recommend it. One key to staying in the water is to pace yourself time wise in the water within what you feel good with. Sometimes it is not so much how long you surf but more how hard you surf while you are out there. If you go out and sit there for 2 hours and only ride a few waves, socializing and trying to pick up babes, it’s not as much of a workout as if you surf hard for one hour, riding a ton of waves and going for it. Know your threshold as far as endurance. It is when you push past it that your body really gets angry and you pay the price afterwards. When you start getting noodle armed it’s time to go in.

Secondly, it is super important to stay hydrated. Make sure you drink some water before you surf and have some on hand after you get out. Even though you are in the water your body needs fluids. This is especially true when surfing in the tropics or warm climates. Coffee, cokes, beer and all that stuff does not hydrate you, just the opposite. Drink a lot of water or some sort of hydrating drink like Gatorade etc. This is very important to muscle recovery. If you get a lot of cramps it never hurts to take a pinch of salt here and there too.

I am a firm believer in massage and I think the older you get the more important it is to help your body come back from strenuous activity, like surfing. It also helps get your body ready for it, much like stretching and yoga. A massage a day can work wonders on keeping you surfing. Of course for most people getting a massage everyday is impossible, either for the expense or just the time it takes out of your day or night. Years ago I got one of those great massage chairs that you sometimes see in stores and like to sit in and wish you had one at home. It is a HUMAN TOUCH massage chair that is made by a company called; you guessed it, Human Touch, out of Long Beach. It feels like a real person and it is fabulous. A few minutes in the morning just before I paddle out to loosen me up a bit, a short sesson after surfing and 15 or 20 minutes in the evening is a perfect massage chair daily regime. I can’t even come close to telling you how great this is for my old geezer body and I strongly recommend one.

If you want to stay in the water as much as possible and you are middle aged or older you might want to consider my little suggestions here. If you feel good you keep the stoke. And if you have the stoke then you paddle out. Simple deal.

Deciding to purchase a Human Touch wellness solution is an easy decision, but transporting it home can be daunting. Some of our massage chairs weigh over 275 lbs., which might not be quite what you’re benching at the gym. Fortunately, there are a few different ways to ship your chair to your home or office so that you can start enjoying it.

Threshold Plus Delivery

With the Threshold Plus Delivery option, your chair will be shipped to its final destination by two trained service providers. Prior to delivery, these experts will let you know when to expect them within a 4-hour window, in which they will unload the packaged chair just inside of your preferred building entrance or doorway for you. Many of our products are already assembled, but a few of them take some minor assembly to attach pad sets or headrests. Assembly is not included with this delivery option.

White Glove Delivery

With lighter chairs, Threshold Plus Delivery might be the best solution for you. However, with some of the larger massage chairs, you may want to consider taking advantage of our White Glove Delivery option. With this delivery system, our team will not only bring the chair to your home or business, but carry it into whichever room you prefer (within the first level of the building). They will then unpack the product for you, fully assemble it, and connect it with the nearest power source. If there is any debris or packing materials left over from the unboxing process, they will tidy up the area for you so that you can simply sit back, relax, and enjoy your new wellness solution.

As an added bonus- White Glove Delivery is offered as a free service with all Ascent Series massage chairs, as well as a number of other elite massage chairs. You can also take advantage of White Glove Delivery with any of our other wellness products for an additional charge. 

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