Morning from foggy Texas.  I have not written in a couple of weeks due to illness, weather and internet issues. I have however decided on several blog topics for the following weeks.  I am also excited to say that my youngest daughter and I will be starting a podcast in the coming weeks for your entertainment and learning.  Stay tuned for this little adventure.  Paperwork aside lets dive into the subject of this weeks blog.

Many massage therapist either ignore, feel threatened or use massage tools.  There are many products out there for consumers to purchase from $5 – Thousands of dollars.  So when is massage tools good to purchase and how should I use them?   As a massage therapist, I own to self-massage tools that I use on my neck and upper back.  I have owned massage wands, chairs, and other assorted massage things.  They have all ended up either broken, in the trash or in a yard sale.

I have sat in a massage chair in the mall or in stores that sell them.  They feel good but after they stop I realize they have not helped my muscle issue. This is because the massage tool has settings for soft, medium and hard and slow, medium or fast.  Some of them provide heat also.  They also can massage your calves, lower, middle and upper back and sometimes the neck from the back.  What about the rest of your muscles?  The machine also can not tell how your muscles are receiving the massage meaning it may help or it can cause damage.

The hand massage tools that are either electric or just used by applying pressure can also help temporarily with muscle pain but also can cause damage if not used correctly.  I have found that they are nice to get a crick out of neck between regularly scheduled massages.

So with all this being said massage therapist are your best line to having healthy muscles, tendons and ligaments that move freely. A good massage therapist can feel the knots in your muscles and use massage and trigger point release to dissolve the knot. Plus, nothing is better than relaxing for an hour or more while a massage therapist loosens your muscles up and makes you feel like a million dollars.  Make time in your busy schedule for a hands-on massage. Your massage tools can be used between appointments to keep you feeling amazing.