Which Massage Chair Or Table?

When choosing massage therapy equipment it's vital that you decide EXACTLY what you want it for as this makes the job of finding the right table or chair much easier. It also depends on what kind of massage you'll be performing and who your customers are. For example sports massage therapists probably need a bed that is easy to get up and down so that they can get their clients in the right position to work on a wide range of muscles, while if you are just doing back massages a simple table should suffice.

You also need to decide where you are going to be doing the massage. The professional massage therapist will probably want to get two massage tables eventually - one that is portable and can be carried to the clients house and a more advanced one that isn't so portable and stays in the office. If you are going to be doing lots of treatments on friends and family a foldable basic massage table will probably be best for you.

Massage tables are much more important that chairs in most cases, so a table should probably be your first purchase and then a chair comes later if you find that you need it. It's much better to do things this way around as you might do a few massages and realise that you don't need a chair after all which will save you a lot of money!

If later on you do decide you need a massage chair then you should now have a better idea of what you need it for and whether you need it to be portable. Chances are you will, so this narrows down the options and allows you to choose a chair that fits onto your table.

The most important thing when buying a massage table is to do your research! Don't waste money on inferior products that won't be up to the job that you want it for. Your massage clients won't thank you and neither will your back!

Massage Chairs

So you've got your massage table, what other pieces of massage therapy equipment are there? It's no secret that to provide the best possible service to your massage clients then you must have the right tools for the job. A massage table, oil and towels are often all you need to start with, but as your business grows you may want to consider investing in more equipment so that you can be sure no matter what the next patient throws at you (metaphorically of course) you'll have an answer!

What Are Massage Chairs?

There are two types of massage chairs that I know of. the first is the recreational kind that people buy for themselves. These vibrate and give a massage automatically and can be a great way to reduce stress and avoid injuries. These chairs often cost upwards of £3000 so are not for the person on a tight budget! They are also not for sports massage therapists as this would basically do their job for them!

Luckily they are no where near as good as a human massage therapist and in fact are a poor replacement.

The other kind of massage chairs are those made for professional massage therapists. These allow you to get the patient in different positions than a bed would allow, allowing you to work other areas of the body more effectively.

Things to look for in a massage chair:

• Portability. If you are going to be travelling with your massage therapy equipment a lot you need to make sure the chair is fold able and very portable to make it easy for yourself. Otherwise it may be you who needs a massage if you carry it around for too long!
• If the chair is meant as an extension to a massage table, make sure it fits the table you already have. Must will, but some won't, so it's worth checking.
• Make sure there is a range of tilting and a face rest so that you are covered on all bases.

The most important thing is to decide what you want from a massage chair and then look for one that ticks all those boxes.

Choosing The Right Massage Therapy Equipment

It's a well known fact that just by having the best massage therapy equipment won't make you the best masseuse! Of course the best massage therapists would be able to give a great massage on a wooden plank, but that wouldn't be the most professional way to do it and doesn't inspire confidence in your customers.

So you need to go for a balance between getting the best quality massage equipment and those that don't break your bank balance!

First of all you need to take an objective look at your income. Are you earning a good living from your massage business? Are you just doing a few massages a week? Are you just massaging friends and family for favours? This will go a long way to establishing what kind of massage table and chair you need.

If you are making enough for a comfortable libing then buying a top of the range massage chair could be a good investment. It will allow you to give even better massages while at the same time appearing more professional - it could increase your income in the long term.

If you're just doing massages for friends and family then there really isn't any point buying an expensive massage table, it would just be a waste of money as in the long run it wouldn't pay off.

Of course that doesn't mean that you should never get a great table, just that you should only buy an expensive one if you can justify the cost! (or if you've got bundles of cash laying around the house)

Choosing the right massage therapy equipment is vital for your business as it can be the difference between a good massage and a great one. If you are doing sports massage then this becomes even more important.

Massage Tables

If you have managed to get a steady stream of clients through the massage door then you'll already be aware of the importance of a good massage table. The table literally can make or break your massage career, as it makes a huge difference to the quality of sports or pleasure massage. If you have a table that won't support a persons weight properly for example, or can't be set at the right height for your back, then you'll definitely have trouble with your massage and the customer experience will no doubt duffer.

So now we've established that the massage table is the most important piece of massage therapy equipment we now need to learn more about them, read on for more information....

Types Of Massage Beds

Like any kind of product, massage beds come in many different shapes, sizes and value for money! The cheapest are little more than a wooden table covered with a cushion and a head rest, while the best have electronic systems for raising and lowering the bed as well as the angle of the back.

Of course which one you choose depends on what kind of massage you do (for example a sports massage therapist will need a more flexible bed) and where you do it. If you visit clients houses, you'll definitely need a portable massage bed, while if they come to you it may be worth splashing out on a higher quality bed to provide your customers with the best possible experience.

For example Evergreen tables make a student bed which has the very basics - leg extensions, foam covering and safety lock - but if you are just starting out this may be a good choice for just £99. However if you are already a professional you''ll want more advanced features than that with the ability to raise and lower the bed no the fly.

Some companies that manufacture massage beds and chairs include Asta, Earthlite, and Banner Therapy.

The prices of the beds can be quite steep. A beginner one will cost around £100 while professional ones can cost a lot more than that. The best way to decide if it is the right one for your business is to read reviews and get recommendations off over massage therapists who can give you an unbiased opinion.

A Guide To Massage Therapy Equipment

There is nothing better than a good massage as my profile suggests! We all come home after long days at work with tight necks and backs, whether we realise it or not. Then we sit in a chair on the computer at home or watch TV - again tightening our back muscles. Not only does this make us sore and stressed, but if you let it continue you could end up with a back injury that could last for weeks - or even longer.

Types Of Massage Therapy Equipment

First of all a story before we get into massage beds, chairs etc. A few years ago I could feel that I was beginning to get a tight back and neck, yet I did nothing about it. I was studying for exams at the time so didn't have time to worry about my back - all I knew was that I had exams in a few weeks and getting a massage wasn't on the revision timetable!

If I had paid just one visit to a massage therapist then I could have avoided all the problems that ensued. Needless to say, I ended up getting a back injury> Luckily it was after exams, but I had weeks of a sore back and being barely able to move. It was very frustrating!

Now if you're already a massage therapist you probably already knew all this! Here are some of the massae equipment that is available at the moment:

• The main one is the massage table. These help make giving massages so much easier for both you and the patient. You need to think carefully about what you are going to use it for before you take any drastic moves on buying one. For example if you have your own office then you may want to consider getting a non-mobile massage table that has extra features such as being able to electronically be raised or lowered. If you're always doing massages in different places though, you'll need a table that can be folded up and packed away into the car for easy use.
• Another piece of massage therapy equipment is the massage chair. These allow you to put the patient in positions that a table won't allow, and should be able to fit onto any desk or table so is seen as more of a complement than a stand alone piece of equipment.

In the next article I'll be talking more about massage chairs and how they can help you to give your patients the best possible treatment.

Remember to research the kind of table that you want. If you need a fold-away table then make sure the one you buy is capable of doing that or you may run into problems later on.