So I bought this for my mother (who lives with me) and my mother. She spent 30+ years for work standing on factory concrete to put my brother and I through college and she's type 2 diabetic. So she has a lot of hip and leg pain from the wear and tear and the neuropathy action going. Said the nerve pain was like ice needles. She also, recently, developed chilled feet and legs from her diabetes, age, and reduced blood flow in her legs. (She's always been a human heat pad, while I was growing up, so this was very concerning for me.) She kept talking about going to a massage therapist but didn't want to: spend the money, hassle driving there (but it's winter in the upper Midwest and she's a hibernating bear when it comes to winter--LITERALLY IF SHE CAN HELP IT), and she's got a daughter who has spent her formative years becoming a very effective massage therapist for no new fee (I was an expensive child-gotta admit). A big problem is that she had a lot of bad pain moments when I'm at work or the witching hour when I'm sleeping and couldn't massage her feet and legs. So I ordered this without telling her--"better to beg forgiveness than seek permission", right? I had it delivered to work b/c I didn't want to catch heck on the phone before I got home. If you buy it, beware that its a Big Box, and a bit heavy, so a bit awkward for a woman of 5'4" (me) to handle putting it in the car and taking it home. Due to the height of the amazon shipping box, I couldn't get it in the trunk of my little Hyundai to close the door--but the back seat was fine. I got it home and she gave me heck, demanding I send it back. I refused to until she tried it first. After 52 hours argument, she finally ordered me to open it up so she "would try it ONLY once the I would have send it back!" This was about an hour before I went to bed. SHE USED IT 4 TIMES BEFORE BREAKFAST THE NEXT DAY--TWICE WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. Needless to say it is NOT going back, and she actually said "Thank You for sneak buying it and refusing to return it before she tried it"! She loves the figure eight action on her feet and legs and the vibration that she can use at the same time. She sits in a chair to use it and she does tip it back further than the 'kickstand' built in so it's balancing on the back corner when she uses it. "she's about 4'11" due to age shrinking. While it is kind of bulky and heavy, she loves that she doesn't have to mess with Velcro straps to get it properly wrapped around her leg. She just gets into her chair, sticks her legs in, and hits the button. Voila! I first got her such a product (cheaper) but it didn't work for her so that was returned. She loves the roller balls on the calf muscle and especially the bottom of her foot. Said it really helps the needle pain that she gets there (from diabetic neuropathy). She tends to use it for two fifteen minute cycles b/c "she's already there and all that." SHE REALLY LOVES THE HEATED FAN! She said that many times she sticks her legs in it and just uses only the heat fan to warm her feet. She just wishes the machine could really get to her ankles. That is the only spot on her legs and feet this machine misses. Maybe they can get some compression component to really get to the ankles. Or maybe the problem is she's short and wore size 5.5. shoes. She also wishes it could do the same for her hip and back and shoulder. I told her it would look like the old Iron Lungs--hence the nickname for this product. I love the roller balls on the bottom of my feet. I wear and walk a lot in heels, so I have that plantar faciatus (sp?) issue and that really helps. I love the figure 8 action, but I find the rollerball on the calf uncomfortable to me. Mom calls me a wuss and loves the calf roller. I've always had cold feet so I really like the heated fan--esp. this time of the year. You will want to put it with a chair that is not too deep (if you are short) because you won't be able to sit back. We put a pillow on the seat of our chair because it became a bit too low for my short mom to sit comfortably while using the boot. It's pretty thick on the bottom for the massage and heat components that massage the soles of the feet. I received it on 2-3 January, so I will try to do a 6 month update in July on how it is holding up. Since my mom uses it at for two session blocks, at least 2 times per day, while I'm at work, that will be a true test of its durability. I PAID FULL ADVERTISING PRICE FOR THIS and do not have any connections to the company or manufacturer. I hope this helps people. ****It's only been about 7 weeks since my review, but I just wanted to say my mother loves this massager so much she name it Martha! She thought it deserved a name for all the help it gives her reducing pain from her old factory job. (Like how guys name their first car :p ). She uses it 3-4 times per day every day. Her only gripe is that it isn't long enough to massage her thigh muscles... hint to the manufacturer--if you build it we will come--(I grew up near the Field of Dreams so I just couldn't resist! ;~) )
