Massage Your Mind Blog

Some electric lift massage tables come with hand controls, some with foot controls and some with the option of both.

When I was researching tables I didn't think I would use hand controls, so in the end I chose a table that shipped with one set of foot pedals. My last electric table had two sets of foot pedals, one for each end of the table (or each side if you prefer).

I decided to try it with just the one set, but I made sure before I bought my table that I could add an extra set later if I wanted to.

What I found was that I really missed the second set. The pedals somehow always ended on the other side of the table when I needed them.

So I ordered an extra set of foot controls (if you do this, don't forget the "splitter" that lets you plug both sets into the motor unit) and I am so glad I did.

I do recommend you get two sets of controls. When you are spending this much money anyway, it's well worth a bit extra to make your life so much easier.

Posted by Elizabeth Brown at 10:23 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Two other things to think about if you are shopping around for an electric lift massage table are the noise of the motor and the smoothness of the movement.

I have found that "silent" is a subjective term when it comes to a company describing its table. Of course, if you can try out a table before you buy it that is ideal.

If not, you can always go online and read some reviews of the table you are thinking about. I'm happy to say that our new table is virtually silent, which is really nice. Our old one sounded a bit like a locomotive was in the room.

Also check out how smoothly the table glides up and down, and how quickly or slowly it moves. Again, this may be something you have to do via online reviews.

With a good table you can hardly even tell (if at all) when the table is moving. My husband (also a massage therapist) and I had fun with this. We took turns lying on the table with our eyes closed while the other person adjusted the height. We found that neither of us could accurately determine when the table started moving, but there was a slight "settling" sensation when it came to rest. Not bad!

We also liked that our table moves very slowly and the control pedals are very precise.

Posted by Elizabeth Brown at 10:04 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

When thinking about buying any new massage table there are always many decisions to make. You'll want to consider things such as the table width and length, the thickness of the foam, the color and texture of the fabric, the weight capacity of the table, whether you want round or square corners, what brand you may have a preference for, and which optional accessories you may need.

However, there are additional considerations that are unique to buying an electric lift table. One of the first things you'll have to decide upon is how low to the ground and how high up you would like the table to go.

For my husband and I, it was more important for the type of work that we do that the table went as low to the floor as possible. It mattered less how high, as long as it had about a 12 inch height range (which is the difference between the lowest and the highest setting).

I found that some tables had more range of movement and some less, but 12 inches seems to be about average.

So think about your clients (do they need a lot of help getting on and off the table, in which case one that goes lower to the floor may be better) and the type of massage that you do (for example, if you do a lot of work standing, make sure you choose a table that lifts up high enough).

So be sure to look for a hydraulic table that meets your height requirements.

But that's just the first thing... more to come.

Posted by Elizabeth Brown at 9:34 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

It's been a long time since I had my massage practice in Kona, Hawaii and bought my first electric massage table (almost 20 years in fact!).

It was not the most comfortable table in the world, that's for sure. And it was clunky and noisy.

But my oh my... the convenience of being able to adjust the height and position with a touch of a button were well worth it.

One of its biggest drawbacks was its weight - it was HEAVY. So when I left the islands I sadly left it behind (much to the delight of the therapist who inherited it).

My somewhat mobile lifestyle made it impractical to replace it right away, but I missed it so much. Once you have experienced the delights of using an electric table, it's hard to go back.

When I finally went to replace my hydraulic table a couple of months ago, I was blown away with the selection now available. They've come a long way baby! They now come in a huge range of both price and features.

More about that later....

Meanwhile, if you have any comments about the pros and cons (yes there are a few) of using an electric table versus a portable one, do let me know. You can reach me at elizabeth @ massagebusinesscenter.com.

Posted by Elizabeth Brown at 6:09 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)