you are right they are in fact horrible
<----not me

#9 was actually a present I got this past Christmas. Well meant of course, but totally worthless. You have to hold it in place using muscle groups that at the same time are getting massaged which hurts when muscles are tight. There is no other way to use it that works and I could not recommend that thing to anyone. Better to get a dual percussion back massager. Some even come with heat.