The tradition of massage is truly ancient. An article in the Times Union calls it quite possibly the oldest form of naturalistic healing, dating back 5000 years. In that time, many tools have been developed to facilitate the kneading and coaxing of tension from muscles. While there is no “best massage tool,” below are some of the staples of the masseurs or masseuses toolbox designed over the millennia to coax and knead tension from our muscles.
Massage Table
The first thing most people see when they enter the domain of the masseur, the massage table is a simple rigid table with a donut style headrest upon which a person can rest comfortably whether they are face up or face down.
MassageTherapy.org describes the variety of types of tables available; some tailored for a certain type of massage, such as athletic, shiatsu or deep tissue. Some tables are meant to be stationary and others easily portable, but all should allow adjustment of height and head position to allow the best experience for both masseur and the individual being massaged.
Knobbers
"Knobbers" are any of a variety of massage tools that take the place of the masseuses hand or joints and allow the focus of pressure on a specific point or points on a persons body. These tools can be made of wood, metal, plastic and even glass. Over the long history of massage, these tools have taken just about every shape imaginable.
TherapeuticMassage.org points out that the point of all of these tools was to achieve a stronger pressure and wider variety of techniques for applying massage pressure. A quick shop of the Internet provides as many varieties as there are vendors selling such tools.
Bongers
Bongers are a varietal of the knobbers that feature a flexible "stem" between the handle and the knob to allow a bouncing of the knob against the skin to achieve a pneumatic effect and pulsing quality to the massage. The knob is typically heavy enough to provide a deep delivery of the pressure for the brief interval without hurting the subject. Most retailers tout the "shiatsu-like" effect of such tools.
Vibrators
As technology advanced so did the mechanisms devised to apply massage. Current day vibrating massage tools use small electric motors to oscillate or spin an internal weight to create a vibration. Transmitted to firm or padded knobs on the with tool varying speeds attains a penetrating sensation that a masseur cannot achieved with only their hands. Consumers on Alfa-med.org caution that overuse of this type of massager can result in "wicked chafing."
Massage Stones
Finally, massage stones are an effective and exotic seeming massage tool option. Formed from a variety of types of stone they can be applied as a knobber type tool or simply heated and placed on the body for a weight and penetrating heat thearapy. Stone massage techniques are an entire sub genre of massage overall.
Member Comments