THE INSTA-WIFE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME BACK PAIN, and wonders if this gadget can be as good as it’s cracked up to be. I’m inclined to say no, but does anyone know? It’s awfully pricey.

UPDATE: Most readers are skeptical. A physician reader emails:

I’m an M.D. (Endocrinologist) so gauge the value of this advice accordingly; the mat seems like voodoo. Recommend finding the osteopath or chiropractor with the best reputation in Knoxville. Also, always avoid back surgery unless neurologic function is threatened or pain is intractable to non-surgical measures, because it is fairly likely surgery will just open the door to new back problems.

And reader Dustin Loy writes:

Save yourself the 1435.00 and get this instead.

“Far infrared” is nothing more than heat, the addition of a semi-precious stone would do nothing but make it more shiny. Also their webpage is so chock full of woo and pseudoscience it has to be fake, the FAQs insist it may not only cure cancer, but autism and chronic lyme and a multitude of other infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Yeah, it seemed kinda quackish to me, too. And reader Michael Babbitt writes:

Lie face up on floor with bolster underneath kness so that the heels of feet hardly touch the ground.
Put books under one’s head (with towel on top for comfort) so that head and neck are in neutral position (experiment with books of various thicknesses).

Lay there completely relaxed for 20 minutes. The muscles of the back reposition themselves and spasms end.

Stupidly simple and it worked better for me than so many fancy stretches and gimmicks. Instead of being in pain for days, I got up, still felt where I had pulled the muscle, but no spasm-pain-spasm cycle. Amazing.

A lot cheaper, too.