A little background about myself. I've been a competitive athlete at the highest level in two sports (spoiler alert: not the NBA and the NFL). I've also had well over a couple hundred massages from truly great bodywork people (translation: not massages that come with "happy endings"). There are some fantastic bodywork people out there, and fortunately in Boston that number is growing rapidly.But I've had a persistent knot in the middle of my back, and getting relief from massages has not really worked. Also, my iliopsoas (hip flexors) are extremely tight, and I was told by my chiropractor (also an Active Release Technique practitioner) that I need to stretch the hip flexor and then apply pressure gradually on certain trigger points to loosen it up faster. I tried using my thumbs and fingers, but they just didn't work. So, I had two problems and no real solutions other than spend a lot of money getting regular multiple massages a week.So I did what most people do nowadays: I went to Amazon.com to see if there was something that could help. I almost got the Theracane, especially because my chiropractor sells them in his office. But I'm a stocky guy (5' 11" and 240 pounds), and after reading through many of the reviews and actually handling the product, I reached the same conclusion as others that the product is probably not strong enough to withstand the vectors of force I would be applying. Also, the size and shape of it make it a bit inconvenient to carry on trips.There are a bunch of non-electric massage gadgets out there that could be a solution, but as someone who loves tech stuff, I was looking for something with the "Swiss-Army-knife" approach: I was looking for a multi-tool device. After spending a ton of time paging through all the different pressure point stuff on Amazon, I finally settled on the Acuforce Massage Star Massager.Here are the pros:1) if you look at the picture of this thing, it has 3 separate knobs. The wide one is for cross-fiber friction work and for long strokes. The other two are for trigger point work. Not only do they all work well, but having the three knobs actually makes this thing easier to grip while you are holding it.2) the outside is covered with a "skin-like" coating of a material called Plastisol. This makes it easier on the skin when you press down with the Massage Star because the Plastisol has a little bit of give to it when pressure is applied.3) the weight of this thing is fantastic. It is 11oz (almost 3/4 of a pound) but the unit at its widest point (from the edge of one knob going completely across the middle of the unit to the edge of another knob) is only 3.5" and the thickness at it's widest point is a little less than 0.75". So, this thing is hefty while being deceptively small, and it really does look like one of those ninja throwing stars. There is also a larger XL version for people with big hands.4) my guess is that the inside of this thing is solid iron because there are few other materials that are this dense. Trust me, the 11 ounces of heft definitely makes it easier to use. I've used lighter weight things, but their lightness actually makes them easier to fly off if I apply pressure at a slightly oblique angle.5) the packaging. We all know that even many of the best companies provide either no instructions, insufficient instructions, or unintelligible instructions. That's not the case here. Whoever did the packaging for this device is exceptional. In the box is the MassageStar device, a little slip of paper warning about tiny marks or holes that may be present on the device AND explaining the manufacturing reasons why they exist (that's the first time I've ever seen a company be that honest), another slip of paper with the quality control inspector's information, a pamphlet that is small but incredibly informative, and a mini DVD that not only has the normal salesperson but also we hear from the inventor, John Louise (a licensed masseuse) and he goes through different ways to use the device. Folks, you have to spend a few minutes going through the pamphlet and watching the mini DVD because they are fantastically put together. Really, this company deserves tremendous kudos for the thought that went into packaging this product.So, does it work? Absolutely. Yesterday, I had a friend who has zero massage background take the thing and I guided her to the point on my back where the knot was. She applied pressure and slowly twisted a little for about 30 seconds, and for the first time in over a month, I could move my left arm without feeling that incredible tightness in the middle part of my back. It was shocking how effective it was.Just a word of warning: this device is made for someone to give a self-massage only to places that he/she can reach, or for someone else to give massages to unreachable places. If you're looking for a product to get to those hard-to-reach places, then you might consider a much larger device like the Theracane. But one thing you'll find is that the compact size of it means that you can leave it on your desk or nightstand (i.e. a place that you can easily reach for the MassageStar) which dramatically increases the chances that you will use it.There are a few small concerns (and none of them are reasons to avoid this product).1) the Platisol covering's durability. Some reviewers here have commented that the covering can wear out. Now that I'm holding the device, I can understand how this happens. Any plastic will wear out over time with repeated use in the same spot. Unfortunately, that also means that this unit could have the same problem, especially if someone uses this device a lot. When my friend got rid of the knot in my back using the MassageStar, she not only pushed down on the device, but she also applied small clockwise-counterclockwise turns. That might add some wear-and-tear to the device. The problem is that I'm not sure what the solution could be. If the center really is made of iron, there's no good way to put a cover that has a little give to it but also is indestructible. The big test will be what happens if and when the Plastisol coating wears off. Is the core material smooth or rough? If it's rough, then it would make this device pretty much unusable. But if it's smooth, then there shouldn't be a problem continuing to use it.2) Plastisol has BPA in it. I'm not sure how much BPA, and it's unclear to me how much can possibly be transferred, even when using a massage oil with it. So, I'm not sure whether or not this is even a concern.3) this next one is a very tiny gripe. They should put a third little piece of paper in the box that says, "Can use the MassageStar with massage oils". To be fair, this is not only written in the pamphlet, but it is also in the mini DVD. But for most people who initially receive something, they don't want to read anything longer than a couple of sentences and they don't want to watch the DVD. But later after the euphoria of trying something new wears off a little, then they will read and watch the included stuff. That little piece of paper saying that oil is okay to use with the MassageStar makes things easier.4) the last thing is more of a wish than a complaint. Since this device is made to carry around and there is some concern about wearing out the Plastisol covering, a smart marketing move for this company would be to include some sort of branded carrying case. This would not only protect the device, but it would build customer loyalty and also do some free advertising for the company. I suppose I could use the small box that the device came in, but it's white cardboard and not exactly the prettiest or most durable thing to use.My final conclusion is that this product probably falls under the "must-buy" category. There are only a few things that I would list in that category (e.g. iPhone, clothes, food, laptop, good cooking utensils). It's that good. Time will tell about its durability, but for now, I'm incredibly impressed with this device.Reminder: don't forget to click on the "Useful" button for reviews that help you. This increases the chance that good reviewers will write more.