massage equipment - Full Body Massage

This review is going to be less about the product and more about the size of the bolster. Honestly, you could probably pick any high-quality bolster and be ok with it, but I am reviewing the Earthlite Half Jumbo Bolster because that’s what I have and it has been great. And given the fact that most bolsters are relatively priced the same (at least the Earthlite ones are), the choice really becomes about size preference rather than cost. So in this article I am going to talk about bolster choice and at the end, I will link (affiliate links, btw) with all of the different sizes so you can check them out yourself, but now let’s get into why I think specifically that an Earthlite jumbo half bolster is the best. My Preference When On the Table I am going to start with what I have noticed with my own experiences while receiving a massage. Even though I purchased the Jumbo Half Bolster at the start of my massage career randomly, I started to acquire a firm opinion about bolsters as I started to receive more and more massage. Most significantly, I have found that if my knees (supine - face up) or ankles (pronate - face down) are supported with a full bolster (one of the big guys) and I am left in that position too long, my feet, which have a tendency to be cold, will start to feel even colder than usual and sometimes my lower (distal) extremities will even get uncomfortably tingling or I’ll feel pins and needles when I move them after being in that position a long time. This might be a case of my own circulation issues, but I generally don’t have issues with nerves in my lower extremities, and while my feet do run cold, it is not to the extreme. A lot of people’s feet and hands run cold and that is something a massage therapist should think about. I would also like to add that this was happening as a healthy woman in my 20s. So it’s also not an age thing. I have found that with a smaller bolster - like the Jumbo Half Bolster - this does not happen. My feet are fine on it. The point of mentioning this is because if you are trying to get a piece of equipment like a bolster that will serve the highest number of clients that you have, then you will want one for people that want a little elevation, but not necessarily a full bolster. I have never had a client say, “I wish the bolster you were using was higher”, but I have been asked by clients to use no bolster at all, so keep that in mind also. Portability Full bolsters are very hard to fit in your massage table bag. They generally won’t fit inside the table when it is closed, and they are generally too wide to fit in the front pocket of the massage table carrying case. But you know what fits perfectly in both of those areas? The Jumbo Half Bolster. You have enough to carry as a massage therapist if you do outcall home sessions, so this is a good way to have a bolster with you without as much bulk. Earthlite does make an inflatable full bolster, but I have not tried it. Keep in mind that it takes a while to set up at a client’s house so an inflatable bolster would add to your setup time and tasks because you would need to inflate the bolster. Better For Sideline Massage For sideline massage, most massage therapists use bed pillows to support the head and top leg, as well as one hugged between the arms of the client. This equipment is typically prepped before the client arrives when the session is scheduled as a sideline massage, but when the therapist does not know and makes the choice to do sideline because it is better for the client, the therapist must make it work with the equipment he or she has in the room. This has happened several times during my client sessions. I have had to work with what I’ve got, and a half bolster fits much better between the legs than a full bolster with most people in a sideline position. I suppose in a last-minute situation a full bolster will fit better to support the head, but the half bolster will work, too. And if you are at a client’s home, you can ask to borrow a pillow (if you are comfortable with that) and there is less chance of you getting oil or lotion on a pillow under the head than between the legs. When you are in the room doing a massage therapy session with the client and just decide that you could alleviate the discomfort and serve your client better if he or she were lying on their side, then you may not have three-bed pillows ready and must use what you have in the room. My preference in that situation would be to have a half bolster (jumbo half bolster, to be precise) rather than a full bolster. Additional Uses in Therapeutic Sessions - More Versatility A Jumbo Half Bolster has more versatility of use than a full bolster because it is not as wide and it doesn’t roll. For example, you can use it under the head of a client when they are supine, and for some that might be more comfortable. Especially for people who have severe kyphosis (hunching of the upper spine and neck); they may feel more comfortable with their head on a half bolster rather than directly on the table. I have also put the jumbo half bolster on the floor to show calf (gastrocnemius) stretches to clients. This works better with the jumbo half bolster because it has a flat side and so it does not roll away and it also is an easier stretch because it gently elevates the toes for the back-of-the-leg stretch. The height of the full bolster would be way too much for that stretch. You can use it in T-Towel formation, elevating and supporting the spine and head while the client is supine on the table. While my usual tool for a T-Towel stretch is a towel (thus the name), a jumbo half bolster is a good substitute for the towel in this T-Towel stretch if, again, I was not expecting to put the client in that position and therefore did not bring the necessary tools (in this case, towels) into the room. Conclusion When it comes to bolster choice, it is really about personal preference in terms of size and versatility of use in professional massage environments. But you have to realize that the preference to consider is both that of the massage therapist AND that of the majority of the clients you have. How can you serve that majority best? Ideally, one would have a variety of bolster sizes and options available to their clients, but in many settings that is not feasible. Could you imagine packing up for an outcall massage with your usual equipment (table, lotion, intake forms, sheets, etc) and then also adding in 3 different sizes of bolsters, 3 pillows (just in case) and three towels? That would be insane. So as someone who has been doing this professionally for a while (as well as receiving massages professionally for a long time) I have concluded that the best bolster for both the massage client and the massage therapist is the Earthlite Jumbo Half Bolster. Earthlite Half Jumbo Bolster - This is the one I am recommending! Here are some other sizes for you to check out: EARTHLITE Bolster Pillow Full Round (Big) Earthlite Bolster Pillow Full Jumbo (really big) Earthlite Bolster Pillow Half (slightly smaller than the Jumbo Half) Earthlite Inflatable Full Bolster (I don’t think it is a good idea but since I mentioned it earlier) Earthlite Bolster Pillow ¾ Round (between Half and Full… I still think the Half Jumbo is a better choice than this, but this is pretty close)