Which is the best massage tool for a massage therapist?
That’s an easy answer.
The massage tool that works best for you (the massage therapist).
The harder question is: Which massage tool works best for you?
To answer that question, you need to ask yourself more questions:
1. Does the massage tool stress my hand when I use it for a few minutes?
In 2018, I wrote a massage tools article for Massage & Bodywork Magazine. I wanted to write exclusively about the T-bar because it was my go-to massage tool.
But the editor rejected that idea and asked me to do a comparative massage tools article. So, I went to the local massage supply store and played with the massage tools on display.
I eliminated 80% of the massage tools for the article by simply pressing them into the display table. If I had hand or wrist discomfort and couldn’t figure out a way to grip the massage tool so that I didn’t—adios.
By the way, I didn’t care if the packaging said “Voted Best Massage Tool for Feet” or “Designed by NASA Engineers!”, if it hurt my hand, it hurt my hand. Period.
I should point out something here: Like any hand-held tool, a massage tool is going to bother something (your palm, fingers or wrist) if you hold it too long.
That said, the massage tool that you don’t want to buy causes immediate discomfort when you hold it AND scores low on question #2.
2. Can I hold the massage tool comfortably in multiple ways?
Basically, when you’re using any massage tool you will need to mix up your holds.
As I mentioned above, if you hold anything one way for a long period of time (even a pencil), you are going to over-stress certain joints and muscles.
When you use different holds you spread the workload (and stress-load) out.
You can spread the workload out even more by becoming ambidextrous with the massage tool. Don’t worry about that right away. That will come with time.
How do you figure out different holds?
You allow your hands to experiment with different holds. I call this adapting to the massage tool.
Adapting to the Massage Tool
If the massage tool works well in the cervical erectors with one hand, but hurts your hand in the thoracic erectors because you have to tighten your hold, try using two hands on the massage tool.
More about holding a massage tool here.
So, adaptation isn’t only limited to holds. Adaptation should also influence how you use the massage tool.
How you hold a massage tool and how you use a massage tool often work together.
In other words, trying different holds will often result in you being able to use the massage tool in more areas than you first thought you could.
In this video, I demonstrate various adaptation responses when using a long T-bar.
The last question to ask regarding which massage tool is best for you is:
3. Is the massage tool only good for one pressure or can I use it for light, medium, and deep pressure?
A lot of massage tools are fine for light pressure, but for medium or deep, not so much.
To do medium and deep pressure, I advocate leaning your body weight into the massage tool, rather than pressing with your upper body.
Massage tools with handles are ideal for leaning because they provide enough surface area to lean into.
That’s why I’m not a big fan of the Jacknobber for medium to deep pressure.
It doesn’t have a place for me to rest my hand comfortably. And it makes my hand ache when leaning to do medium or deep pressure.
Putting it All Together
All that to pick out one freakin’ massage tool, Mark!
Well, finding one or two massage tools that are perfect for you are going to change how you do massage forever.
When you do you’ll be able to increase your massage max while saving your body.
Here’s the criteria I use for picking the best massage tool on the market (aka, the best massage tool for you):
1. The massage tool doesn’t stress my hand when I lean into it for a reasonable amount of time.
2. I can comfortably hold the massage tool many different ways.
3. The massage tools is good for light, medium and deep pressure.
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