Which massage table should i buy

Alternately, you can purchase an ultra light-weight table, and then pick up a wedge bolster to use as a portable backrest and take with you to the treatments where you will need the client to be seated upright. Many therapists will have a handful of clients each month that need to be upright during treatment - maybe 3 in Purchasing a heavier table means you have to transport it to all 20 treatments, whereas choosing a lighter table and the wedge bolster mean that for 17 of the treatments, you only have to carry a very light table, and for the 3, you take the bolster as well - which is still lighter than a table with an inbuilt backrest.

Some therapists find that the choice between a wood or aluminum frame is an easy one, just depending on their aesthetic preferences. In many therapy schools, the teachers are no longer active in their own practices, and remember back to many years ago when metal tables were common. These old models would rust and squeak, and were very heavy. For this reason, many tutors would still recommend against aluminum tables, not realising how much the industry has modernized and confusing the aluminum tables with metal.

While aluminum tables are a recent addition to the market, many therapists are now choosing the aluminum option for the increased strength and reduced weight. In the professional price range, there is no difference in quality between the aluminum tables and the wooden tables.

Both will have been made with very high quality materials, and both will have been constructed with the same stringent building standards. While they are still strong and sturdy, entry level aluminum tables are not as strong as wooden entry level tables.

This includes the weight of the client, as well as the amount of downward pressure you apply during treatment. For most massage tables, the standard working weight is between and pounds. Each table is put through rigorous testing in the development stage to ensure that they are of sufficient strength. To watch this in person is similar to seeing the crash tests done on vehicles to ensure safety standards.

A thick, high quality foam will ensure that their whole body is supported and comfortable throughout every treatment. This ensures that the table looks and performs to the highest standard for years of quality use. Cheap massage tables, as you might find on eBay and amazon, often feature very thin foam under the upholstery - even when they claim to use high density foam. This sacrifices a lot of client comfort, and means that the table will look worn out much faster than it should.

The industry standard foam thickness is 2 inches. Knowing how important comfort and appearances are, the massage tables we carry normally use 2.

Many entry level or cheap tables will use PVC vinyl leather upholstery to cover the table. While PU leather is a much better option, manufacturers of cheaper tables always keep an eye on keeping their costs down, which is why PVC is so common.

PU is also a synthetic leather, but is much closer to real leather in its look and feel. Our massage tables use a cable system known as the tensor cable support system. This provides portable massage tables with much more stability and strength, and prevents the table from collapsing. During treatment it will also prevent the table from rocking or moving around, making for a much calmer and more peaceful experience for your clients.

Retired massage therapist Becky Blanton, spent her career at both her own practice and also working for a sports rehab facility.

Set one up and take it down. How easy is it to handle? A spa table must therefore be able to be used in a humid environment and resist corrosion. The mattress cover must also be waterproof. The mattress must also be thick enough to offer a very good level of comfort to spa patients who pay for a relaxing stay in a wellness centre. Lastly, spa massage tables often have polished, refined designs that blend into the peaceful and harmonious setting of this type of centre.

A Bobath table must above all be much wider and stronger than a traditional massage table. A Bobath massage may require the health professional to climb on the table with the patient. The table must therefore be able to withstand a higher weight and pressure than a standard massage table.

An amplitude of movement is required for certain aspects of this type of therapy. Additional space is therefore required to allow the practitioner to carry out the therapy and for the patient to benefit from it fully.

Learn more. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Search for a buying guide. Read our buying guides and make the right choice. Choosing the right massage table A massage table is a medical device used to position a patient for sports medicine treatment, relaxation, chiropractic care or bobath massage. This is the traditional shape of a massage table and the one you are probably familiar with seeing.

Our Combi-lite 3 in 1 and Affinity Portaflex are shaped like this. Same as no 1 above in every way except the corners are rounded. A fabulous massage table innovation in recent years, which solves a lot of the problems around choosing the correct width is the hourglass shaped massage table.

This style of massage table is wider at the ends, and tapers somewhat at the middle. This provide a spacious and comfortable experience for your client as the shoulder and feet area are 30 inches wide without compromising your own posture and health, as the middle of the couch where you lean over is a much narrower 26 inches wide. Having recently upgraded to one of these hourglass massage tables myself, I can vouch that my working days are much more comfortable, and many of my clients have commented on the extra comfort from the wider shoulder area.

The name says it all! There are no corners on the massage table. Therapists normally choose this for one of two reasons. This is particularly handy when space is limited in your treatment room. Massage Table Size Guide. One of the reasons many "lightweight" budget massage tables are so cheap is because They are smaller in size normally around 61cms wide and as such have less materials They are sold by specialist retailers who also sell anything else they can import and turn a profit on.

As such they just buy the cheapest massage tables they can find in China. They go for smaller sizes as they are cheaper. The Width of the Massage Table: Almost all therapists choose the standard 28 inch wide massage table.