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Posts Tagged ‘massage therapy’

Massage therapists use their skills to help relieve their clients’ stress and physical pain. They will also provide relief of soft tissue injuries with little or no pain to the client.

Most massage therapists work not only in clinics, wellness centers, sports facilities and such, but many travel to the private homes and the businesses of their clients. This requires them to take their office with them. So, armed with a desire to make people feel better and teach clients how to care for their injuries, the traveling massage therapist needs to have their own massage therapy supplies.

The most important piece of equipment is a massage table. Since there are dozens of designs to choose from, this is not always an easy choice. A portable table is preferable and needs to be comfortable for the client and not agitate any injuries. Side pockets are very useful and make it easier to work on the client. The face cradle will need to be considered. The padding should be relaxing for the client and the size should be adjustable. The table should hold 550 pounds comfortably. This sounds like a great deal of weight for the table, but it is more of a safety factor. In addition to all these factors to consider, one should also not forget to think about the weight of the table as well as how easy it will be to transport. You do not want to buy a top of the line table only to discover that it is too awkward or impossible to carry.

The next important piece of equipment for the massage therapist is a chair or stool. Choosing the wrong chair can result in the therapist needing their own massage therapist. The chair needs to be adjustable. Many therapists will buy the massage table and the stool or chair at the same time so that they are sure they will work together. Do not scrimp on the cost of a good chair or stool. There is nothing worse than being stuck hunching over clients all day in a painful position.

Depending on the therapy method that the massage therapist chooses to offer, other items to travel with can include a variety of massage oils, hot stones, a portable stereo, and a few relaxing music CD’s to help the client relax. The more benefits a therapist offers, the larger the client list and demand for their services.

Having an assortment of oils is important because it helps to enhance the client’s experience. Scented oils can be used to calm, relax, or rejuvenate the mind and body’s senses. When choosing oils, make sure that you consider the type that you buy. Some oils do not keep well for very long and can turn rancid, leaving a very unpleasant odor. Others may cause a negative reaction to the client’s skin so make sure that you ask about any known allergies before applying oils or lotions to the client’s skin. Sweet almond is the most common and popular. The price is very reasonable, so this would be a good oil to start out with.

Because stress is rising not only in the workplace, but in life in general, massage therapy has become more popular over the last few years. Stress can also cause pain and injury to the body, and as a result, the demand for high quality and professional massage therapists is on the rise. Being prepared with the proper equipment and attitude can make massage therapy a very satisfying and lucrative career.

This is a review of one of the top massage chairs produced by Omega Massage. The M-5000DLX is going to be evaluated based on its ease of use, warranty coverage, ergonomics, key features and the effectiveness of its massage therapy. Our reviews are systematic and a chair can earn up to 20 points in each category. The sum of the categories then determines its overall rating. Let us take a look at how the M5000 DLX rates.

Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: With any product that incorporates both electrical and mechanical features, you want to make sure that you get an adequate warranty. Even the best of brands are assembled by Humans and mistakes can occur. Warranty coverage is your long term protection from defects in material or workmanship. The Omega M-5000 comes with the following warranty coverage: 5 years protection on the frame or structure of the chair; 3 years coverage on parts and labor; 1 year parts shipping; 90 days in home technician service. By industry standards, this is the best warranty coverage available on a massage chair in this class. On the service side, Omega has an excellent track record. We give the M5000 a 19.

Comfort & Ergonomics: Massage chairs need to induce relaxation. The chair must be comfortable and use of the features must ergonomic. The M5000 has ox hide leather that is very comfortable and durable. You get a head pillow and a shoulder pillow which are both adjustable. The back pad is plush and you get an extra removable pad to soften the massage. The remote is held in a cradle which is mounted on the side of the chair. The headphones can be put on the remote stand for easy access and convenient storage. This is a well designed chair and we give it an 18 in this category.

Ease of Use: One excellent trend with massage chairs is the number of new functions that are being integrated. The flip side of this is how easy or complicated is the chair to use? The M5000DLX comes with many advanced features such as an MP3 music player. The remote control allows for control of all the functions of the massage chair. The remote has automatic programs with large buttons. You can open the panel in the middle of the controller for the manual controls. These controls allow you to select the type of massage and the area to be massaged. These are well laid out and simple to understand and use. The M 5000 earns an 18.

Key Features: Here are the two key features of the DLX. The lower body air massage system and the 3 automatic massage programs for the back. The lower body air massage utilizes airbags to massage the buttocks, thighs, calves and feet. The seat massage provides an invigorating massage of the buttocks. The foot wells of the leg rest contain reflexology nodules that gently press up into the feet to stimulate full body relaxation. We mention the 3 automatic massage programs because the actual program sequence of these massages are outstanding. The automatic massages include: neck and shoulders, full back and lower back. What is impressive is the use of many massage techniques beyond the standard kneading and tapping. There are a variety of techniques by use of fast and slow motions that are very comprehensive and very relieving. The DLX gets an 18 for key features

Massage Therapy: We will state right off the bat that the M5000 DLX is the strongest and most penetrating massage chair on the market today. The DLX comes with layers of padding to soften massage. This allows those more sensitive to also enjoy the chair, but also more importantly it allows those that need a deep penetrating massage to obtain it now and in the future. The automatic pre-programs are perhaps the best designed massage programs available with techniques not available in other chairs. The lower body is covered with the air massage system which can target together or individually the feet, calves, thighs and buttocks. We give the DLX an 18 for massage therapy.

The Omega M-5000 DLX is a striking massage chair and we believe it was the first to incorporate wood armrests for a nice designer touch. The warranty coverage is the best of its kind in this price range. The foot reflexology massage is excellent relief for those who enjoy a good foot massage. The automatic massage programs are penetrating, comprehensive and thorough. If you have back, shoulder or neck issues, this massage chair provide excellent relief. Throw in the MP3 music player and you have a relaxation machine that will provide you years of relieving massage therapy. The M5000DLX is an outstanding massage chair recliner and rates overall a 91/100.