Massage Table Accessories, Table Protectors, Massage Table Stools, Massage Rollers

The Benefits of Therapeutic Massage

Massage therapy involves acting manually or with mechanical aids upon a client’s body with a structured pressure applied with hands, elbows, fingers, forearm, knees, or a massage device. Therapeutic massage is administered by trained professionals such as massage therapists, physical therapists, acupuncturists, and athletic trainers. In professional settings, specialized massage tables are used to position clients at the correct height so that the therapists can achieve the best results without strain and fatigue.

Benefits from massage therapy include pain relief, reduced depression and trait anxiety, and temporarily reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety. Massage therapy may benefit the client by possibly activating the parasympathetic nervous system, by blocking nociception, and by stimulating the release of serotonin and endorphins. It also helps to increase lymph flow, improves sleep, and prevents scar tissue and fibrosis.

What is a Massage Table?

A massage table is a designed and manufactured table to have a person lie comfortably upon while a trained professional performs varying forms of therapeutic massage. Massage tables are specially configured to ensure the ergonomic safety of the practitioner and the client, as well as maintaining the client’s comfort.

Massage tables can either be stationary or portable, have a heavily padded, easy-to-clean surface, and a face hole or cradle that allows the client to easily breathe when lying face down on the table. While a massage table in itself is quite adequate for massage therapy, massage table accessories can be added to the table to assist with the comfort of the client as well to increase the therapeutic benefits of the massage.

Some Examples of Massage Table Accessories

Hot stone massage kit – When heated, the stones are used in an especially relaxing modality called “hot stone massage’ where the therapist uses heated, smooth stones to place on the client’s body. This is done to create warmth in specific areas to help warm up tight muscles and deeply relax the client so the therapist can work more quickly and deeply during the therapy session. Hot stones can be used in a variety of treatments such as full-body massage, facial massage, foot massage, cool therapy, chakra treatment, and pressure point massage.

Convertible lift – This is used as an electric motorized lift which offers a smooth height adjustment to portable massage tables for outcalls, or to convert a spa-based table into a professional electric-lift massage table. This allows the massage therapist to easily change the height of the table without straining to manually flip the table over on its side or to physically lift each leg up to change the height of the table with each new client.

Face cradle – This is an extension piece sticking out at the head of the massage table for the clients to place their face in for head and neck support, and to allow easy breathing when lying on their stomach. Some come with different types of materials and surface-covers such as memory foam or standard foam with covers of flannel, fleece, Sherpa, or vinyl.

Massage devices – Massage therapists can use various massage devices to assist them in performing their job. An electric massager can produce a type of massage action that can quickly massage tight or knotted muscles, creating increase blood flow and relaxing the muscle groups, allowing the therapist to do a deep tissue massage into the now relaxed individual muscles.

Directional ball massagers are a convenient tool in helping to relieve pinpointed knots and stressed muscles by rolling the ‘omni-directional’ ball over and around the specific knotted muscles, breaking down the dehydrated, adhered muscle fibers and allowing blood circulation back into the muscles.

Table cart – This is a small, wheeled portable cart to transport a folded massage table smoothly and easily over uneven surfaces, allowing the therapist not to struggle or fall while carrying the massage table to outcalls.

Cervical pillow – This ergonomically contoured cushion supportively cradles the client’s neck and head to help improve cervical curvature while also helping to relax the neck, back, and shoulder muscles.

Ladies comfort cushion – This cushion can offer large-breasted clients the ability to remain comfortable and breathe easy during therapeutic massages when lying face-down on the massage table.

Arm sling – This is a sling that hangs under the table surface up at the table’s head. When lying face-down on the table, clients can place their arms into the arm sling for comfort instead of keeping the arms at their side or from dangling down off the table.

Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Co-Founder & CEO

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