This ball is excellent quality and a great price! I have tried quite a few and either they are too flimsy or don't inflate properly. This one is nice and thick and inflates well. It also comes with a very handy poster of exercises you can do. I don't know if the shiatsu thingies do anything but they sure feel good on your back! Also, the color is much nicer than the picture, more like a dark gold. I am a fitness instructor and I teach a class using these type of balls and I have a lot of experience with them and I give this one a thumbs up!