Top products from r/massage

We found 41 product mentions on r/massage. We ranked the 120 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Top comments that mention products on r/massage:

u/hippiehope · 22 pointsr/massage

When I was fresh out of school, still working a full time job and doing massage on the side, I ended up here. I went to a local therapist who had been practicing massage alongside her husband for over 20 years. While she did amazing neuromuscular work on me I asked how they had been able to practice for so long. Did they trade with each other often or what? Her answer surprised me, and honestly changed my life. She said they actually hardly ever worked on each other and both depended on daily yoga practice to keep them in good condition. She said 2 hr a day would be her ideal but anything on a daily basis helps.

I took her words to heart, found Yoga With Adriene on YouTube and never looked back. Personally I find a mix of strength training using the Stronglift 5x5 program and yoga to be very effective. I work at one of the best paying, busy places in my area, yet I cannot afford to get massage and bodywork except when I absolutely need it, maybe 4x per year. So I really do depend on staying healthy on my own. However it take a lot of time and dedication and sometimes life gets in the way. So here's what I've found for crisis times when I'm not able to do my regular self care:


  1. Expanding modalities and techniques makes a huge difference. Hot Stones are soothing to tired hands and soften the tissue making our job easier. Ashiatsu uses the feet, only requiring hands and arms for balance. It's also great for people who like very firm pressure. Thai, or table thai, is extremely effective and when mixed in with other techniques will really make deep tissue a lot easier on her. Any type of myofascia work will be much easier and more effective and will change how she approaches the body and teating pain. If her school didn't train her well in the big difference between deep tissue versus very firm pressure it's time for her to educate herself and perhaps take some neuromuscular classes, or a continuing education course that teaches specifically addressing, say, cervical issues.


  2. Massage Schools or continuing education are her best non-hands massage options. Personally, due to my almost unlivable wages, despite a great workplace and generous clients, I am planning to pursue IT as even entry jobs start around 50k.


  3. See if she can tolerate very gentle massage from you. Book her a massage with someone she likes. If you have any skills like working on cars or home repairs see if any of her coworkers or peers would be willing to trade with you for working on your partner. You could also get some CBD oil. It should be legally accessible in all states and provides a lot of benefits and relief for most people. In a topical application it helps with inflammation and pain relief by reaching local endocannabinoid receptors in the skin. You need to use a strong product so it is effective, as skin isn't the most effective means of delivery as it never reaches the bloodstream. I personally highly reccomend taking it internally as well, but not everyone is comfortable starting out there and topical is a great option for relief. Also pay attention to whether or not she is burnt out. Burn out can cause severe pain levels that have more to do with the stress the individual is under than what they are actually doing, and massage therapists are at high risk for burn out.


  4. Your partner should also be saving her thumbs for when they are absolutely necessary and get comfortable using her forearms a lot. Remind her to check her body mechanics and maybe read Save Your Hands. She could try some hot/cold contrast baths in the kitchen sink with hot water on one side and ice water on the other. Fully submerge her hands, wrists, and as much of her forearms as possible. I like to do 90 seconds cold and 30 seconds hot. Get some carpal tunnel wrist wraps as well as elbow compression sleeves. She should throw these on immediately after work and whenever possible otherwise, but don't allow them to cut off circulation. She also should be trying to sleep on her back as much as possible so more irritation isn't occurring at night. Ultimately she needs a break and should take off as much time as you can afford. But it's quite likely that with proper care if she wishes to continue as a therapist she will be able to. And as always, seek proper professional medical advice from your primary care physician if your concerns continue.

    Edit) apologies for formatting as I'm on mobile. If anyone can tell me how to add breaks between bullet points I'd be grateful.
u/trooper843 · 1 pointr/massage

Check EBay for massage tables, I got one for around $120 and it's great! It folds away for easy storage and has really upped my massage game. Massaging each other on the bed is fine but you can't get the real traction needed for real kneading and stroking. When I know my wife has had a long day you have to see her eyes light up when she comes home and sees the bedroom all set up with candles and the table is out and set up. She can't climb on fast enough. Since you both are into it you can take turns treating each other to a good massage and other things as well. Wink Wink Nudge Nudge! My advice is go to different spas and talk about the massage you just had, what you liked and didn't like. Also you can start going to the Spa shows that pop up around the country and see the things they have going on there. Here's a link http://www.iecsc.com/ We go and picked up the towels, oils as well as a ton of other stuff they offer there. These are the vendors where the nail salons and spas get their stuff from. We picked up a hot towel steamer for $100 bucks and had to buy the special towels that go with it online but it was so worth it. On a cold morning I go to the bathroom first press a button and in less that ten minutes we have hot towels and they are so refreshing on a cold winters morning. Wow I wrote alot but if you have any questions just reply. Good luck. I just checked and wow they got cheaper https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Massage-Burgundy-Portable-Table/dp/B00IXWE1HK/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1504572073&sr=1-5&keywords=massage%2Btables&th=1

u/UMFreek · 3 pointsr/massage

In that case I implore you to take body mechanics very seriously and take responsibility for figuring it out on your own. In my 14 years of doing this I've watched a lot of people crash and burn. With poor body mechanics, a good chunk of therapists only last 2-5 years.

Save Your Hands is a great book. It's a little pricey, but well worth the info. If you buy it used just be aware that the 2nd edition is 333 pages vs 159 pages for the first edition (I only have the 1st ed so I can't really comment on the updated content)

If you're a member of ABMP there are a few free courses dealing with body mechanics (not sure about AMTA)

Having a full length mirror where you can see yourself while working can be helpful as well as asking a experienced therapist to observe you while working on someone.

Don't overuse your thumbs! It's easy to do and will become an issue faster than a lot of other body parts. Use your leverage and body weight to your advantage (try leaning your fingers into your table while raising your front leg off the ground and see just how much pressure you can get with little effort)

Make sure your table is the proper height! For me a good rule of thumb is when making a fist with my arms straight down, my knuckles are at table level.

It's ok to jump out of good body mechanics from time to time, but you need to be aware of what you're doing.

If something is painful while doing it, Stop! Find a different way of doing it or accept that that particular move is not good for you.

Be well rested and well nourished before your sessions and have quick, healthy snacks on hand. If you're tired or hung over, your body mechanics are the first thing to go out the window. It's normal to feel a bit tired after doing a bunch of sessions, but if you're feeling completely wiped/energetically drained you probably need to work on your grounding and centering. It's normal to be a little tired/sore at first as your massage muscles start to develop. Hope this helps!

u/erisanu · 2 pointsr/massage

If you haven't already, you could consider yoga-style exercises. Anything that's basically big stretches and breathing. Hold a pose and breath into it. The breath is key for relaxation. Longer exhales than inhales will cue your body to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the auto-pilot process for resting and digesting (think opposite of fight/flight). So breath is a way to have your body tell your muscles to chill, which makes them easier to stretch, which helps give you the relaxation and results you want. Massage is all about engaging the parasympathetic system and encouraging and facilitating the body's natural healing processes.

If you're talking about the theracane, I know plenty who love it. They're great. I've used one and plan to get one, but I don't own one yet so I can't speak for long term use. I have good results with tennis balls between my back and the wall, or on the floor. If you're curious about self care options, google 'self myofascial release' and check out foam rolling stuff. There's some really cool stuff you can do for yourself just by rolling around on the floor for a few minutes each day. :]

u/jadebear · 1 pointr/massage

I don't have any advertising books since my clinic kinda does that for me and I'm not hardcore enough to do it myself, but this is my favorite book.

Magee! Massage therapy in a large, heavy nutshell.

When you do get some good resources, could you share them? Eventually I'd love to start my own business, but the start up costs aren't there yet what with saving for a wedding and stuff.

u/Kallistrate · 2 pointsr/massage

Yes! These are the absolute Bible of trigger point therapy. They're pretty expensive, but they go muscle by muscle and show you the trigger point locations, where they refer, the effects of the trigger point, exactly how to deactivate them, and ways to prevent them from flaring up again. If you can afford them (Vol 1 is upper body, Vol 2 is lower), they are wonderful.

If the cost is prohibitive, an Amazon search will give you a lot of options. There are everything from wall charts, small booklets, pamphlets, notebooks, to giant tomes.

I don't always know the precise referrals (it's a lot of material) but if I'm finding an area where I feel like I'm spending too much time and not making much progress, that's usually a sign I'm not working efficiently and should look for the real source elsewhere. Good ones to memorize are one in the triceps that affects the front of the shoulder, there's a big trigger point in the quads that tends to release a lot of nearby ones, and there are a couple of major ones in the pecs and biceps that are like off-switches for muscle tension.

u/IanLeansForALiving · 3 pointsr/massage

Yeah, I'm also willing to show some techniques to any clients willing to listen. I see several couples (not simultaneously...), and I'm trying to get them to work on each other more. If every trained MT got their clients giving some massage, the world would be so damn full of massage it would be amazing.

OP: I heartily recommend The Massage Book by George Downing. Super hippie-ish and super awesome. Some MTs hate it because everyone seems to be naked all the time, but it was the '70s. C'mon.

It takes you through basic Swedish philosophy, gives techniques and routines, and helps you figure out ways of changing the massage based on if you're on the ground or floor. And it's freaking charming.

u/holistichoots · 3 pointsr/massage

I get mine on Amazon. They're flannel and wash really nicely. They also have several different colors you can choose from or get different ones if you like. They're nice and warm too! Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Premium-Flannel-Sheet-Natural/dp/B00E3RYZF2/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1485142656&sr=8-3&keywords=massage%2Bsheets&th=1

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/massage

Ah Ruth Werner's book was the one recommended. I really loved it when the Director of the school showed it it me. Wonderful book.

u/larnen · 2 pointsr/massage

A good book is The Massage Book. It was written in the seventies so it has illustrations of naked people, but if you just disregard the parts about being naked it gives some pretty good tips for the layperson.

u/1985_McFly · 3 pointsr/massage

Are you referring to an acupressure mat? I’ve looked at those before as well and I question how effective they would be given they’re not getting very deep pressure-wise.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Prosource-Acupressure-Pillow-Relief-Relaxation/dp/B07PZHBXZP

u/SirRamen · 2 pointsr/massage

I suggest Kendall et al.

http://www.amazon.com/Muscles-Testing-Function-Posture-Includes/dp/0781747805

It's an amazing book! Along with Rattray (this should be like a bible to you).

u/Theendisnearornot · 5 pointsr/massage

this looks interesting

I am searching for the title of a book I read in school. In it she explains how all emotions are are a mix of hormones and cells have hormone receptors so why wouldn’t our bodies “hold our emotions” in a way. I will look through my books from school - I know I wrote the title down. I believe the author was a woman that passed away since authoring the book - if that narrows it down at all lol. I’ll post if I find it!

u/kempo666 · -4 pointsr/massage

Choose a male therapist. As a bonus you will probably get a better massage. If you have back pain, I recommend this tool for self massage:

http://www.amazon.com/Body-Back-10100000003-Buddy/dp/B0006VJ6TO

u/ellemoi · 6 pointsr/massage

I purchase one of these a few years back so I could work on my husband at home. It works great, but is a tad narrow. 100% worth the money and when I bought it, it was $130. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IXWE1HK/ref=twister_B00PHK1G5Q?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

u/FishingWithElvis · 4 pointsr/massage

I use a hot-cold contrast bath at the end of a day where I'm feeling like my hands have been stressed, and that's been effective for me to avoid injury. It sounds like you've already incurred some injury to your fingers/hands from the work you've been doing. Long term rest might be what you really need for the injuries to heal.

Deep tissue work is hard work. And it's way too easy to find yourself in the territory of overuse and repetitive stress injury. Practicing multiple deep tissue sessions with no break between is a recipe for injury. And it sounds like you've got some injury, especially with the sharp pain in the knuckles.

"Save Your Hands!" by Laurianne Green is a pretty good book about dealing with injury and injury prevention for massage therapists. I've been reading the original 1995 edition, but it's since been updated.

Treat this pain seriously. It's a signal that you've used your body too much and you need to rest and heal. In the long term, you might need to change the way you practice so that you can continue deep tissue work in a sustainable way (e.g. take some damn breaks).

The protocol I use for hot-cold contrast bath:

  • Fill two basins with water. One hot (at least 105, but experiment with getting as hot as you can stand without burning yourself). The other cold (at least 50, but colder if you can manage it). Adjust the temp as you go as necessary.
  • Start with the hot basin. Submerge your hands for 1 minute.
  • Pull your hands from the hot basin and immediately plunge into the cold basin. Submerge for 30 seconds. Move your hands gently around in the water; the water immediately surrounding your hot hands will have heated up, so moving them around keeps you in contact with the coldest water.
  • Switch back to the hot basin, submerging for 1 minute, moving your hands gently around to keep in contact with the hottest water.
  • Repeat the hot-cold cycle 3x (1 minute in hot, 30 seconds in cold), ending with your hands in the cold basin.
  • After your last pull from the cold basin, dry off and let your hands return to normal body temp on their own.

    The hot-cold contrast bath has worked for me pretty effectively. That said, I've done it as soon as I feel any stress in my hands, and so far haven't experienced any long term pain issues. Your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited. Ask your doctor if hot-cold contrasts baths are right for you.
u/Pinchechangoverga · 2 pointsr/massage

This should keep you busy for a minute or two... I'm about finished with volume one, and it has given me more info than I could ever ask for. Enjoy!

u/wirednyte · 1 pointr/massage

Try this stretch, then this one, and this one.

These should help stretch out the muscles around your scapula (shoulder blade). Hold each stretch for about 10 seconds, repeat 10x each. do them 3x day. Follow by doing shoulder rolls in both directions.

If this doesn't help, or its too much work, get a massage. You can also buy a theracane in the future.

u/howdehoneighbour · 1 pointr/massage

theres a book facilitated stretching that's pretty cheap and lays it all out.

u/haricari · 1 pointr/massage

this is the book I believe SirRamen was spaking of. You can find it cheaper if you look hard enough. I ended up finding it for $90 brand new somewhere a few years back. this is also a fun book if you're into this sorta thing

u/Iusemyhands · 2 pointsr/massage

Here’s a pathology book that may be useful.

u/I_play_pokemon · 0 pointsr/massage

You can exchange massages with a coworker, get something like a thera cane/back buddy. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PRMCJU/?tag=toppppp111-20

Try and use a hot pack on your shoulders before you start working with a thera cane.

u/SweetKri · 5 pointsr/massage

Invest in a TheraCane. And bringing your shoulders all the way forward, as far as you can, then all the way up, then all the way back, then letting them drop, can help them loosen a bit.