Portable Massage Tables
Portable Massage Tables are the tools of professional massage therapists. If you are serious about being successful as a massage therapist it is worth investing in the best massage table that you can afford.
A portable massage table is one of your first major investments in your career besides the cost of massage school. If you are planning on going to massage school and be a professional massage therapist, you will need a massage table. I have been doing massage for 20 years and I have 3 tables - all with different purposes. So just plan on the fact that you will be buying tables and save for them. Your table is a tool and will allow you to do your best work. I often climb on the table to work on people or kneel on the side of it with the client laying on the table at the same time.
The most common questions are what kind of table should I get and how much should I spend?
I did some research on massage table websites and was very surprised to find that not one of them really give any ideas or information about what to consider or what you will need to know in making a decision on purchasing a massage table.
A table will be your lasting friend and can make or break your business. It is well worth it to purchase a table that will last and is strong enough to hold up to the rigors of people of all sizes getting on and off the table all day long. You many not want to pay top dollar for a table right from the beginning especially if you are just starting school because you many not know exactly what you will need. The type of work you will be doing will determine the type of table that you need.
For massage school you will most likely need a portable table because you will be lugging it to relatives, neighbors, other students and friends houses to practice on them.
I recommend just getting an average table to begin with ( medium price, good enough quality) You can invest in a lightweight portable massage table from the beginning if you really think you will be doing mostly outcall (going to other places) for your main type of business.
Tables vary in width and length with a larger table of course being heavier to move around. Some specific types of bodywork such as structural integration (Rolfing, Zentherapy) require wider tables and tables that are also able to be closer to the ground(leg length).
The other thing I recommend is getting a portable massage table with a lifetime warranty or at least a 5 year. ( I did put my knee through the bed of one table and the warranty had already expired.)
When you get to the point of having your own office or finding a job where you won't have to bring your table back and forth, the only table I recommend is a hydraulic stationery table. While it is more expensive, it will save you back, hands and body from the wear and tear of leaning over clients of all shapes and sizes.
The main massage table suppliers are:Oakworks, Stronglite, Custom Craftworks, Robert Hunter, Living Earth Crafts.
I recommend that you sit down and look at a few different tables in various price ranges and start comparing them.
Then take a look at www.ebay.com and see if you can get one there.
The other thing is that the school you choose should also be helping you to choose the table that is right for you and some even have tables available for purchasing.
There are also the cheaper Costco and Walmart tables that may be ok for home use, but usually not professional use. They usually squeak, rock and feel unstable.You can read a great article written by Linda Riach for Massage Today. Linda is the CEO and co-founder of Oakworks, Inc., The Hidden Costs of Purchasing Massage Tables
The only other information I found online about buying a table that was informative was at Massage King. They have a page on Understanding Portable Massage Table Features
So you still may be very confused about which table to buy. It can be overwhelming so if you can't decide, just go with you feelings. As I said in the beginning, I have 3 massage tables right now. If you are planning on staying in the profession, it won't be your last table.
Some of these less expensive tables may be OK for those who are just starting out but after having 5 people a day/4-5 days a week these tables will give out and fail. See also:Massage Table Comparison Chart at www.massagewarehouse.comHydraulic Massage TablesStationery Massage Tables
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