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See Page 26 of Spring 2010 CA Parent Magazine!

Stroller workouts are a fun, effective way to burn calories, but many suffer from neck and back pain as a result of hunching over to grip the stroller's straight handlebars. That's why San Luis Obispo business owner, husband and father Tobin Risner created Healthy Handles, a one-size-fits-all ergonomic jogging stroller accessory. Healthy Handles attach to a stroller's handlebars and allow the wrists, elbows, shoulders, back and neck to remain in a more natural - and hence pain-free - position. "Your body will feel the difference the first time you use Healthy Handles," Risner says. "Health professionals agree that using this product will have a permanent positive effect on the body, and it's so comfortable that you will likely end up exercising longer and more often." Some ‘early adopters' of the accessory tried them and buzz on the blogs is that they've been ‘mom-tested' and passed with flying colors.

Are you one of the many moms or dads that have lost their independence of jogging alone?  Now, you tote one maybe two tykes along with you?  I became one of those parents a year ago and oh, how different it is to run with a jogging stroller.  It is great to see how much fun my little guy is having being pushed along the road or dirt trail but it is much more work for me.  I like to think of it as a good upper body workout but that thought is short lived once I reach the middle of a hill.

Recently I was introduced to an accessory for jogging strollers that claim to “improve posture and increase comfort”.  I figured, what the heck, I will give it a try.  After running on the road, dirt trails, over boulders, up hills and down hills they live up to their claim and their name – Healthy Handles.  Not only does my posture improve and comfort increase there is one thing they fail to mention – Maneuverability.  Just yesterday I took my son on a rolling dirt road with numerous boulders and  I was able to jog and navigate the stroller without skipping a beat.  When jogging on the road and I need to make a turn the Healthy Handles allows me to make a smooth turn even with a fixed front wheel.  I don’t get the tight shoulders or back ache that I use to get and if you are like me and are constantly switching hands when you get tired the Healthy Handles gives you more hand and arm positions to help you along and push through the fatigue.

They are light weight, fit most strollers and are super easy to install.  An allen wrench, which is provided, is the only necessary tool needed to attach the Healthy Handles.  They adjust for storage without having to remove them completely. AND something I really like…they are Made In The USA.

I’m sure you are wondering what the cons are and really, I haven’t found any.  Healthy Handles is a simple accessory that adds a lot of benefits to your jogging stroller.

This is a product that I recommend for everyone whether you are jogging or just strolling along.

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA January 08, 2010 - After struggling with neck and back pain while jogging behind a stroller with his daughter, Tobin Risner has created a solution that makes exercise more comfortable: Healthy Handles - ergonomic, adjustable handles that attach to a jogging stroller.

The stroller accessory, available at www.healthyhandles.com, is designed to allow the wrists, elbows, shoulders, back and neck to remain in a more natural position, preventing strain and discomfort while walking or jogging behind the stroller.

"Once adjusted to an individual's body height," Daniel W. Willis, D.C., of Willis Family Chiropractic in Atascadero, Calif., says, "it allows the user to walk, jog or run in a body position that is so much closer to one's normal biomechanical position. Because of this, there is significantly less stress on the neck, shoulders, low back, hands and even the feet."

The key is that the individual handles allow room for a parent's abdominal area to occupy the space between them, correcting posture effortlessly while preventing neck and back strain - especially important for those with a "baby bump," Risner, founder/CEO based in San Luis Obispo, Calif., says.

"This might be the best posture many parents will be in all day," he says.

"Imagine how you walk or jog without a stroller," Risner says. "You have your chest out, shoulders back, elbows by your side and your hands in the 'handshake' position. Then, imagine putting a typical jogging stroller in front of you. The single straight bar forces you to grip with your palms facing downward and held closely together, elbows angled out in front of you, shoulders rolled forward, chest sunken in and back likely hunched over.

"Healthy Handles provides relief for all of these issues. No reason we can't walk proud just because we have a stroller in front of us," he says.

Fully adjustable to each user's height, weight and shoulder width, Healthy Handles can be attached to most jogging strollers, including BOB, Baby Jogger, Baby Trend, Jeep, Quinny, Tike Tech, Schwinn and more.

Assembly is a cinch, Risner says: "Simply attach the clamp to the stroller, place the handles in the clamps and off you go!"

Photo illustrations showing the various recommended positions in which Healthy Handles may be placed are available on the product Web site.

Priced at $69.99, Healthy Handles puts pain-free stroller exercise within reach at a reasonable price, Risner says, while making post-pregnancy fitness that much easier. "Once people touch them, they know they need them." Risner says.

"They will increase the comfortable duration of exercise," he says, "as well as encourage more frequent exercise because it just feels good to use them."

Patent-pending Healthy Handles are manufactured in the United States and the clamps are built from solid, high-quality aluminum.