This whole “work from home” situation has had a negative impact on my mood, my productivity, and my dating life. Le sigh. But all existential crises aside, the biggest place I’ve felt its effects has been in my shoulders. Working from a less-than-ideal setup has been horrible for my upper body, and apparently, I’m not the only one who’s been powering through the pain.
integrative nutrition health coach and certified exercise physiologist.
According to Shelby Smith, a personal trainer based in Rhode Island, many people are dealing with “frozen shoulders,” thanks to the fact that we’re slumped over our laptops all day long. And the best way to deal, she says, is by breaking up your sitting hours with a simple shoulder mobility exercise that will stretch and strengthen your shoulders in 30 seconds flat.
When you’re sitting with imperfect posture (aka when you don’t hold your shoulders back and engage your spine all day long), it causes your head, neck and shoulders to slump over into something called “upper cross syndrome.” And when this happens, it messes with your shoulder mobility and makes it difficult to move your shoulder blades, which is where the term “frozen shoulders” comes in. This all comes as a result of shoulder weakness and tightness, which is why you’ll want to use a move that targets both issues to combat discomfort in your upper body.
“If you’re tight in your thoracic spine, it probably means you’re weak in that area too,” says Smith. “So you’ll want to pair stretching moves with strengthening moves.” And her go-to shoulder mobility exercise—a child’s pose arm lift—gives you everything you need to get the best of both worlds at the same time. “Child’s pose, in general, is an awesome move because it stretches and opens up your upper thoracic spine,” she says. “And then raising and lowering your arms one at a time turns on and strengthens all of the muscles around your scapula.”
The move requires nothing more than your own body and a little bit of floor space, and is perfect for sinking into throughout the day whenever your shoulders start to scream. Start in a traditional child’s pose with your knees out wide, your hips sunk back in between them, and your arms extended over your head on the floor. Turn your palms to face each other so that your thumbs are pointed up to the sky, then slowly raise and lower one arm at a time. If you’re dealing with major mobility issues, you may not be able to lift your arms at all, which is all the more reason to keep practicing. Treat your body to 30- or 60-second cycles of the exercise, and over time you’ll start to see changes in the way your upper body is able to move. (If you’re having trouble with child’s pose, try these child’s pose modifications that provide the same benefits.)
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Thanks to innovations in health and wellness tech, you don’t have to book an expensive lymphatic drainage massage to give your system a boost. Dry brushes, gua sha tools, foam rollers—they’re all readily available and more accessible than the cost of manual lymph work. And now, apparently, we can add “lymphatic drainage onesie” to the list of recovery tools out there that can potentially give your lymph nodes some love.
bioregulator medical expert at the BioMed Center in Scottsdale
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I was skeptical when I first heard about Heat Healer’s Activated Lymphatic Onesie ($200), a one-piece jumpsuit that claims to reduce bloating, improve recovery, and increase circulation just by wearing it. It sounded too good to be true. But as someone training for a 10k and traveling frequently for work, I decided to try it for 30 days—couldn’t hurt, right?
The timing was spot on—I was about to head to Mexico City for Marriott’s Masters of the Craft, a culinary competition where I’d be eating and drinking my days away watching a cook-off between Marriott’s top talent. If there was ever a time to test a garment promising to reduce bloating and improve recovery, this was it.
About the Heat Healer Activated Lymphatic Onesie
Heat Healer’s Activated Lymphatic Onesie is effectively a compression suit that amplifies your body’s natural detox system. Using what the brand calls “Antigravity Technology,” this onesie combines strategic compression and raised fabric patterns to stimulate lymphatic flow, helping your system clear excess fluid and waste while boosting circulation and oxygenation. Think of it as a wearable self-care tool for optimizing your body’s drainage network.
“Moving lymph allows your cells to breathe ‘freely’ and is akin to doing a biological oil change,” explains Jeoff Drobot, NMD, a bioregulator medical expert in Scottsdale. He adds we filter about 5 liters of lymph daily—equivalent to our total blood volume. When this system isn’t flowing efficiently, it can leave us feeling bloated, fatigued, and sluggish. However, with proper stimulation, like that provided by lymphatic drainage techniques (or in this case, the Activated Lymphatic Onesie), people often report improved energy levels, digestion, and even better sleep.
“Lymphatic onesies can be helpful after workouts to support recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and minimize swelling,” says Carrie Riley, lymphatic massage specialist and founder of Cincinnati Massage for Mental Health. “They’re also a great option for long flights, as they can help counteract fluid retention and improve circulation during extended periods of sitting. The same is also true for someone with long hours at a desk job.”
My review
What I love
Feeling better just by wearing a jumpsuit sounded great, but could it really deliver on its claims? I was determined to find out.
I can confirm that the onesie—a short-sleeved jumpsuit with leggings—provided immediate relief, starting from the very first wear; my body felt light and floaty as if I’d somehow shed fatigue buried in my bones. During my time in Mexico City, where I sampled everything from tequila to Michelin-star tacos, the onesie was a lifesaver. Between the elevation and rich meals, my body was working overtime, but slipping this suit over my skin back at my hotel brought me a sense of recovery I didn’t expect.
Photo: Author
Its benefits were even more apparent after an especially enthusiastic evening at Handshake Speakeasy (currently ranked as the World’s Best Bar). Normally, cocktails leave me bloated and shaky the next day. But, waking up in the middle of the night with the sense of an oncoming hangover, I crawled into the onesie and collapsed back into bed, hoping for the best. By morning, I was shocked by how much better I felt—so much so that I even took a class at a local fitness studio. During my 10K training, it became an essential part of my recovery routine, easing post-run fatigue and helping me bounce back faster—I like to think that it helped me hit my personal record on race day.
I found the onesie was also a game-changer for long flights. While bathroom breaks were challenging (airplane gymnastics, anyone?), its ability to counter travel-related gastro-stress made them worth it. Over 30 days, I wore it on eight flights and experienced a level of comfort I’ve never had before. It helps that the onesie is fashionable and easy to pair with sweats or oversized button-downs. While Dr. Drobot says that the lymphatic onesies such as Heat Healer’s pale in comparison to manual lymphatic drainage from a highly-trained practitioner, I appreciated that I could take it on the go with me.
What I don’t love
Getting into the onesie requires dedication, especially that first time. I followed the recommendation to size down, and although it wasn’t as tight as shapewear, I still performed an interpretive dance just to shimmy it on. Once it was on, the effort felt worth it, but the process was still tedious.
As mentioned, bathroom breaks presented another challenge, only from a logistics standpoint. Wrestling with the onesie in an airplane bathroom felt like an Olympic event. But as soon as I stepped out of the stall and felt its effects, I forgot the inconvenience.
Final thoughts
After 30 days of testing—from excessive evenings in Mexico City to 10K training and long-haul flights—I’m convinced it’s worth a spot in your recovery routine. While it’s not a miracle solution, the lymphatic onesie supported me through bloating, recovery, and even hangovers.
Riley offers some perspective for anyone considering a lymphatic drainage onesie, “Think of the onesie as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for professional care.” That said, while lymphatic drainage has anecdotal support and some research backing, the science around wearable tools like this isn’t yet conclusive. As always, consult your doctor before trying new wellness products, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns. In the meantime, while I don’t foresee myself wearing my onesie every day, I will definitely be pulling it out on days I need a little pick-me-up.
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