Power Balance bands

[Thor]

Doesn't knowing its totally fake remove the placebo effect though?

[Ben_in_Canada]

Nope.
I knew it was fake, I'd seen them a few times and wasn't going to part cash for what I knew was basically a braclet.
But I was given one, I wear it and it calms my symptoms.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

My god, you're one step from wearing a replica Star Trek communicator badge and tapping it when your social situation gets uncomfortable and screaming "Riker get me out of here"

Then its straight onto the Star trek Uniform and a job at the U.S. postal service.

Except I don't actually believe I'm a member of Starfleet. It's just childhood nostalgia, like wearing a GI JOE t-shirt.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

My god, you're one step from wearing a replica Star Trek communicator badge and tapping it when your social situation gets uncomfortable and screaming "Riker get me out of here"

Where can you get one of those badges? I would love one...

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Where can you get one of those badges? I would love one...

Ebay

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by Ben_in_Canada

I wear one.
I know it's a mind fata, but 10 years on and I still have the occasional pain/balance/strength problems in the leg I had amputated.

Huh?

The leg that is no longer attached to your body has balance problems?

[Hack&Lube]

Well we can get some things straight. The actual thing does nothing...however placebo effects are very powerful and do have a proven effect on the human psyche.

So if wearing a $60 rubber band somehow does something for you, whereas some other random token doesn't, it's perfectly fine to go with what works. Just don't be a fool and waste your money thinking any of this is real.

Usually the placebo effect disappears once you've been told something is fake or that you've been taking sugar pills the whole time instead of actual medication...but sometimes the association is so strong that cognitive dissonance overrides your reason centers and you just stick with something out of superstition or a false hope that something is actually having a genuine effect.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

Huh?

The leg that is no longer attached to your body has balance problems?

I guess he has phantom limb and imagines things like movement, strength, balance, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_limb

[Itse]

Some people look terribly confused when I tell them this.

For an energy drink, I always choose Red Bull because it works better than anything else for me.

It works so well because knowing how mental conditioning (I'm not sure if that's the correct term in English, but I think you get the idea) and placebo effects work, I at one time decided that okay, Red Bull will from now on be special for me. (I was working night shifts at a place which only had Red Bull available.)

Now I feel sharper the moment I just open the can and smell it. It's very practical and there's not a lot of stuff that just makes me feel good like Red Bull.

Funnily enough, I think that because I know that the placebo effect is real, I know for a fact that Red Bull IS a better energy drink for me than anything else. The fact that it was a completely arbitrary choice doesn't matter anymore. (There were some practical factors I took into account, which possibly strengthened the effect.)

It's amazing really; I can just make stuff up and it becomes reality.

It's basicly like doing magic, you just make stuff up and it becomes reality. Absolutely fascinating.

I sometimes wonder if I could just as arbitrarily just change the brand, but haven't been in a quirky enough mood to try that. I'm quite emotionally attached to Red Bull at this point, a lot like coffee or chocolate for some people I'd guess.

[Rathji]

Kind of funny that in this thread that Thor posted you are describing, almost to a T, the process of reification that was used in making most modern religions/deities - something Thor also has strong feelings about.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Kind of funny that in this thread that Thor posted you are describing, almost to a T, the process of reification that was used in making most modern religions/deities - something Thor also has strong feelings about.

Another CP epiphany! This is a perfect illustration of how religion or superstitious beliefs or even general beliefs (not based in reality or based on irrational or flawed logic/information) can be created and reinforced in the mind.

[Ben_in_Canada]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

Huh?

The leg that is no longer attached to your body has balance problems?

Ignorance is bliss.
The prosthetic limb in combination with my residual limb (amputation below the knee) works more as a crutch than a leg. This has led to muscle atrophy in my thigh which lends to balance and strength problems.

Phantom limb pain..... that's a another story

[West Karma]

nm

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by West Karma

......

Since you're involved in the product, would you mind explaining the science behind this product? I'm not trying to bait you here, but frankly the terminology used to describe the product makes absolutely no sense from a scientific standpoint. Has the product been subjected to any real medical studies (ie. double blind, peer review and so on)?

[troutman]

It would be one thing if people were buying the bracelets simply for fashion, but some people are buying them due to fraudulent/false health/performance claims made by the vendors.

Whether athletes are wearing them is irrelevant (argument from authority).

Accupuncture should still be frowned on.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Since you're involved in the product, would you mind explaining the science behind this product?

There is none, and Power Balance was forced to admit this in Australia.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/409168...-other_sports/

"We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims."

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by troutman

There is none, and Power Balance was forced to admit this in Australia.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/409168...-other_sports/

"We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims."

I looked through their website and found that none of it made any sense. I have a problem with companies preying on scientifically illerate people.

[Hack&Lube]

If anybody wants to be a power balance dealer and make hundreds of thousands off the backs of the ignorant and uninformed...

Go look at the various wholesale and factory websites of the Chinese factories that actually manufacture these products. The unit cost to a wholesale buyer is 50 to 85 cents per Power Balance bracelet depending on if you buy 100 or 1000 pieces.

[West Karma]

Nm

[troutman]

Originally Posted by West Karma

We do not make medical claims and NEVER will.

http://www.powerbalance.com/about-us

Five years and millions of wristbands later, Power Balance™ and founders, Troy and Josh Rodarmel have single-handedly defined the “Performance Technology” category and redefined the sports accessories market. From thousands of professional athletes to millions of aspiring amateurs, weekend warriors and active consumers, Power Balance™ has become a brand as powerful as the athletes who wear its products. Born in concept from ancient health and wellness practices and wrapped in a modern holographic form, Power Balance™ stands out among its many imitators as “The Original” sports performance wristband. No other Performance Technology accessory on the market can match the roster of hundreds of top professional athletes (and growing!) and millions of satisfied customers all over the world.

http://www.powerbalance.com/faqs

What Does It Do?
Power Balance™ contains a thin polyester film hologram, which reacts differently for each person. Give it a try and see what it does for you.

How Does the Hologram Work?
The thin polyester film hologram is programmed through a proprietary process, which is designed to mimic Eastern philosophies that have been around for hundreds of years

What Do Power Balance™ Users Say?
Power Balance™ athletes believe in the product-for them, performance is critical to this success. The numbers of users continue to grow -try it for yourself!

What Do Professional Athletes Say?
We have heard from fitness professionals, athletes, coaches and personal trainers who tell us they have experienced benefits from Power Balance™ for themselves, their clients and teams.