Massage Tables?!
Question: I have recently gone into training for medical massage therapy and Im not sure what the best quality of table is or how you can tell if its a good deal on the table or not. The school I attend offers tables at around $550.00-$600.00 but if I can find a professional good quality table for cheaper it would be fantastic. Any advice?
Answers: I have recently gone into training for medical massage therapy and Im not sure what the best quality of table is or how you can tell if its a good deal on the table or not. The school I attend offers tables at around $550.00-$600.00 but if I can find a professional good quality table for cheaper it would be fantastic. Any advice?
My opinion is Oakworks will be the best quality table out there. They have a wide range of tables for different uses. If many people may be using the same table and/or you will need to adjust the height of the table frequently, go with the aluminum frame portable with the quick snap buttons to adjust the leg lengths. If you are the only one using the table and will not need to adjust the height that much, then a wood frame may be a little more economical. If you are wanting to do a lot of PNF, MET, assisted stretching or lots of movements with the client while on the table, then sturdiness and firmness of the pad and vinyl may be more practical. Also, if you get it too wide, it may be more difficult to do movements across the table. Oakworks sometimes has a list of tables that have been sent back to the factory for various reasons, and usually have discounted prices for these. These will still be adequate for safety, but they might have vinyl repair or a pad or color that was not acceptable for the person who originally ordered it. If you are price shopping for higher quality tables, then use the internet to compare prices to what you school is offering. You also may want to ask the school director or owner if you can purchase any of their used tables so they can possibly purchase new.
Oakworks also offers packages that bundles together accessories. Here is what I found on their site today: http://www.oakworks.com/portable-massage...
You may want to check EarthLite Tables, they are usually $300-400. I actually saw one recently in Costco and it was pretty sweet. We use EarthLites at our office. You can find them on Ebay and medical cataloge companies like Scrip, Inc. and Meyer's. Good Luck.
I use tow different massage tables. One is a generic brand and the other is a Tatum(they dont make Tatums anymore) and my clients never know the difference and neither do I.
My advice would be to look for second hand ones. That's what I did with both tables and I now have a succesful practice and still using the same tables!