OPTP The Original McKenzie Self-Inflating AirBack Lumbar Support Low Back Support Pillow and Compact Travel Pillow – The Inflatable Lumbar Pillow Preferred by Physical Therapists
Original price was: $42.95.$34.36Current price is: $34.36.
Price: $42.95 - $34.36
(as of Nov 27, 2025 10:25:18 UTC – Details)
From the brand
Trusted by professionals
OPTP products are chosen by physical therapists, chiropractors, fitness trainers, coaches, athletic trainers and more.
Driven by innovative minds
OPTP collaborates with world-renowned experts, inventive clinicians, & creative fitness pros to deliver effective & uncomplicated tools
Robin McKenzie
Author and renowned physiotherapist who devoted 40 years to developing the McKenzie Method. Designed the first lumbar roll.
Lauren Roxburgh
Fascia and alignment expert. Best-selling author and world-renowned educator who developed the Aligned Life series of products.
Eric Franklin
Mind-body expert, author and movement educator. Franklin Method founder of the self-massage and exercise tools.
Adriaan Louw
Renowned physical therapist and pain science expert and educator. Author of pain neuroscience textbooks and patient books.
Bob Schrupp, Brad Heineck
Physical therapists and developers of the Bob & Brad exercise and rehabilitation tools.
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
Product Dimensions : 16 x 8 x 0.04 inches; 4.23 ounces
Item model number : 710
Date First Available : November 30, 2008
Manufacturer : OPTP
ASIN : B001MPXQD0
Best Sellers Rank: #40,312 in Health & Household (See Top 100 in Health & Household) #27 in Lumbar Supports
Customer Reviews: 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,142 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Portable Lumbar Support: Ease back pain with this self-inflating compact travel pillow; Ideal for the car, air travel, at sporting events, and anywhere you need added lumbar support.
Perfect for Travel: Ideal for use as an airplane lumbar support; conveniently take this small, inflatable back support anywhere you go. When deflated, the AirBack easily fits into a purse or small bag.
Personalized Comfort: Twist the valve on this inflatable lumbar support to inflate to the desired level in a matter of seconds. For a firmer feel, gently blow into the open valve and close it at the desired level of firmness.
McKenzie Method Approved: Unlike other adjustable lumbar support pillows, the Original McKenzie Self-Inflating AirBack was approved by Physical Therapist Robin McKenzie, author of the worldwide bestselling book Treat Your Own Back.
Back Support Pillow, Small: Measures 16″ long x 2″ deep x 8″ high when fully inflated; 8″ long x 3″ diameter when deflated. Wash cover surface with wet cloth and solution of warm water and mild soap. Rinse with clean water. Air dry completely.
TheFirstKira –
My new travel buddy!
I keep this pillow in my work backpack for when I need to leave my office to other sites and there is no chairs with lumbar support. I can use it for my back or underneath my thighs when sitting on hard chairs with no support. The one issue I do have is that when in deflated mode, it still fills up and inflates. It takes up more space than I would like in the backpack with my laptop, but it’s so lightweight that it is not much of an inconvenience. If anything, it does add more cushion between my back and the laptop in the backpack.
McWelder –
Nearly perfect, just doesn’t stay rolled up
Get a heavy duty elastic tie for storage and this is perfect. Over time it will still let air in, so it doesn’t stay rolled up forever, so that tie will help. But this is easily worth the money and it’s saved my back on long drives, ball games, and flights.
Dan Johnson –
(WAS..) THE BEST BACK (LUMBAR) PILLOW YET (…BUT NO MORE!)
Earlier I wrote a glowing review of this product. I sincerely loved it. However, the product has changed and is no longer a product I like. Depending on how the company responds (I wrote to them directly), I will return one of two new airbags / pillows that I bought as it is NOT ACCEPTABLE.My earlier review is below the ***** line. The updated one follows immediately; it is from the comments I gave directly to the company.I recently bought two Original McKenzie self-inflating airbags. I did this as my wife regretfully left one in a public place and it was lost. I liked the first one I had so much that I wrote a glowing review on your website and also posted it to Amazon. To replace the lost one, I ordered two, to assure I’d have one in reserve in case another was lost. I like the earlier one that much.However, I am GREATLY DISAPPOINTED by the new ones.When I got them from Amazon, they were bulging, fully inflated. I thought that was odd but dismissed it. Then, I opened one and used it. When I was done, I did as I so often did with the first one I owned, rolling it up to fully deflate it, closing the valve, unrolling and flattening it, and putting it aside.When I returned a few hours later, I found it fully inflated again. I checked the valve. It was securely closed, yet it “leaked” to a full and bulging position.This is not good as I travel with it in a folder slot of my briefcase and now I believe it will inflate in my bag and make my bag appear stuffed. The earlier model _definitely_ did not do this. It would remain thin and flat for days.In addition, I fear that on airliners, which I often use, the airbag will inflate past where I want it when the airplane ascends and the cabin pressure rises. I valued the earlier version as it was a small, thinner back pillow. This worked well for my back and I don’t need or want it to be so thickly inflated.Lastly, this airbag is finished differently. It feels more “plasticy” than the earlier model. I think it will cause sweating. Perhaps this is related to why it inflates all on its own.THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!Depending on how you reply, I may seek to return (to Amazon) the one I never removed from it’s plastic bag container. If I must do this, I will update my earlier review to state the new version of this once-valued airbag is no longer the quality of the earlier model.I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS PRODUCT. I want the earlier version but suspect you no longer offer it. If you have any of those left, I would buy them but I am not happy with this newer model.********************************************After a serious back injury some years ago, I have tried many back pillows, to give lumbar support in the majority of chairs that have lousy (even awful, or no) lumbar support. Some pillows have been good, specifically the sort you use at home that retain their shape. I also like the mesh ones you can buy inexpensively. However, these don’t transport well — either on airplanes or to your local restaurant. So, I’ve also tried several air-inflating pillows. Most sprung a leak and became useless, though I have one I like that I’ve only had to replace once.However, the best yet, especially for travel, is the Original McKenzie® Self-Inflating AirBack™ Lumbar Support. This is the best I’ve found for a few reasons — (1) It is small and discreet, when you may not want to advertise your back weakness; (2) It lasts well. I only had to replace it when my wife left mine somewhere after borrowing it and someone else evidently decided they liked it, too; (3) It is fairly thin. I do not need a thick pillow and the air-inflated ones I’ve used I only filled partially; (4) It rolls up small when evacuating the air though I usually then flatten it out and carry it in a briefcase; and, (5) You do not have to blow into it, which is part of it being discreet. Oh, one more thing: It doesn’t make noise when evacuating the air out of it.No wonder, then, that I bought two when I had to replace the one my wife lost. I got mine from Amazon, for $18.95, which is a little bit less than from OPTP.com direct.It’s a great product and I heartily recommend it.
smgarcia –
I do like this. But I don’t think it’s awesome
I will amend this review in the future.I give this 4 stars, maybe 3.5 stars.Ok guys…I am in the market for lumbar support because I suffered 2 lumbar vertebral fractures in a car accident a few months ago. My current new car has lumbar support built in, but it wasn’t enough. So the question is, how much lumbar support do I need?There are **so many** lumbar supports out there. I figured I wanted a support that was 1) adjustable, and 2) portable. At the end of the day I don’t really know what I wanted because there are 50-75 to choose from. But I was afraid of buying one that pushed me too far forward in a seat, or had too much support, or was too low or high.I do like this. But I don’t think it’s awesome. In fact, I’m not sure now that anything will be “awesome”. The main problem is that the device uses air to give you support, but the air shifts around as you apply pressure to it. So even with very small adjustments you can feel the air move from the left to the right. It’s not always even directly over my entire back. It took me some time to determine how much support I need, and I concluded that I need very little air. And the best way to adjust it is to unscrew the top while leaning back on it and letting a tiny bit of air out.Guys, this is a plastic bad that you can put air into it. It probably costs 1-2 dollars to make. Lumbar support probably shouldn’t cost that much and the price here is low and appropriate. And I love the portability. And I love that I can adjust how much air goes into it. I’m just not sure it provides me the correct back support I need for my lumbar bones (L1 and L3.)I’ll write an addendum in the next several months as I use it more.
J D –
Great value
Perfect back support
Charlie R. –
Someone should know better!
This product is made in China not the USA as shown on the website. The product is not designed for travel will not deflate. It is certainly not equipped with snaps or with a cover, At over $40.00 it its a very overpriced product. Stay away – far away.
Kamran Bayegan –
Does not self inflate
It does not self inflate.
R Talbott –
It will last longer than my flying days.
After a flight from SFO to JFK, which my wife enjoyed far more than I did, she got me one to match hers. I left it in my bag on a flight from JFK to Tampa because I’m a tough guy, and it isn’t THAT long a flight. You better believe that I used it when we flew back, and it made all the difference in my ability to walk away from that plane without pain. It works great, too. It is so easy to inflate and get just the right amount of cushion. We have air mattresses made of similar material that have taken much worse beatings than this will ever get in a plane seat, so I am confident it will last longer than my flying days.
Emma C Troop –
Very comfortable, great product. Highly recommend it. Love it. And very good customer support too. Genuinely nothing bad to say about it, only good.
Chas –
Just what I needed. I leave fully inflated and roll down just before I fly. I’m assuming this will preserve its shape and self-inflation.
b –
Excellent product while it lasted. Unfortunately, sprung a very slight leak and as a result……unusable. Perhaps this is a generic problem with all inflatable pillows, but I did expect superior quality from OPTP (Dr. McKenzie’s book was instrumental in helping with my recovery in 2012; still going strong!)
Loulou –
Very helpful for my back! A great support that goes with you anywhere! I use it mostly in the car. I expect to bring it on the plane too.
Jenn Bond –
Has saved my back numerous times. Stores away compactly. Win.