Chubinsky Method
JasonE said:
If your thumbs or whatever are suffering, you've been neglecting your self-care, recovery, and body mechanics.
I wholeheartedly agree with you on this and hopefully this is something that was covered thoroughly for everyone in basic massage theory and training. I've been practicing for more than six years and have routinely used my forearms for the majority of my strokes and olecranon to sustain deeper pressure, using my thumbs minimally and usually if that is the only thing that "fits".
I have never met a massage tool that did something my hands and body can't do better.
This is something I have also always agreed with. I have taken many massage courses and workshops over the years and have had teachers who love to use tools and have demonstrated the way that they use them in treatment to lessen wear and tear on their hands. Everything from bongers to thumb tools to tuning forks, etc. I tried it out and didn't agree with it for my own personal practice. In fact, I still believe that nothing replaces human touch. But my thoughts don't change the success of my teachers and the way that they practice massage. However, after years of working full-time + (5 - 7 clients a day, on average, six days a week), in my personal experience, body mechanics and self care will not be enough for me to sustain longevity in a field that I love. That may not be true for you, but that is what I am finding to be the case for me. I do not seek to replace the usage of my primary tools, instead I'd like to find something complimentary. What appeals to me about the orginal topic of this thread is that it provides heat, is not wood, plastic, or a stone that must be heated seperately. It also looks like it will be comfortable for me to work with and for my clients to experience.
Tissues do not need to be pressed harder, scraped/frictioned more forcefully, made much hotter or colder, or otherwise forced to change. They will change themselves just fine in response to lighter pressure, more gentle handling, and being given opportunities to safely increase mobility and function. Work with it, not on it.
The foundation on which my deep tissue training was built upon, and again I agree. I've converted many clients to deep tissue work who had received it previously by therapists who did not have that same understanding of "working with, not on". They did not know that deep tissue work does not go hand in hand with force (pain). I've also had clients who do believe that they require force, that if it doesn't hurt it's not working, and I have to talk them through the way that I work as I work so they can see how much more effective it is.
In any case, the miniscule emission of "negative ions" from the ebonite is laughable and has absolutely no measurable impact on human tissues. It sounds like good marketing copy, but it's a snake oil claim.
I must admit that this is something I'm not knowledgable about and it is the least of my interests in regard to the product this topic was started to discuss. However, I know many clients and therapists who enjoy the usage of crystal salt lamps for the negative ion benefits. Maybe it's beneficial, maybe it's placebo. It's not for me to judge something that works for someone else.
As a therapist who often seeks different ways to practice, even if it's simply taking a one day workshop on a modality that I've already studied for the purpose of learning it again with a fresh perspective from someone different. It keeps me excited about my work and gives my long time clients something new to experience. I'm looking forward to working with this tool and incorporating it into my practice.