Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/77400
Unfortunately, all those incorrect photos may lead to clients who are disappointed if the stones aren't placed on their body like in the ads. So China Facchini, a massage therapist and owner of Healing Stone Massage in Clinton, Connecticut, will sometimes place warm stones directly on a client's body, but never hot ones. That's also why she won't use the tongs or rubber gloves some manufacturers shortsightedly include with their stone heaters. "If you can't stick your hand in the water or hold the stone in your hand, you definitely shouldn't put it on someone's body." Just keep a hot stone moving across the body as you hold it in your hand, advises Pat Mayrhofer, president of Nature's Stones, of Churchville, Pennsylvania. "And the hotter the stone is, the faster you move it," she says. Since different people have different tolerances for heat, be sure to ask clients if the stones are too hot for them. 2. WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THE STONES? Different stones are made of different materials. Heated massage stones are typically a kind of basalt, which are usually (but not always) dark, while cool massage stones usually are light- colored marble. What makes basalt special is its chemical structure. Born in volcanos, basalt contains metals such as iron and magnesium, which help it to absorb and hold heat. Marble, on the other hand, contains calcium carbonate, which has a different crystalline structure. It's a cold rock. 3. SHAPE AND SIZE MATTER To do the actual massage, you want a stone that fits easily in your palm. Smaller stones are available for specialized work, and many stones are advertised as belly stones, foot stones, finger stones, etc. Specialty stones are also available, such as the Y-shaped Rothstone—a hand-cut stone designed and patented by Henry Roth, a New Jersey-based chiropractor and massage therapist—which is a unique shape, and functions as an extension of the hand. As far as choosing black and white versus colored stones, that's pretty much a question of personal aesthetics. Gart likes to go with black and white out of deference to balance, yin and yang, day and night. "But in reality, it's all about the presence of metal in the stones and their density. Color doesn't really matter," she says. 4. DON'T LEARN THIS ON YOUR OWN "Stone massage has the highest rate of insurance claims of any type of massage," Mayrhofer warns. "It's because people aren't trained properly." Take a class or at least a hands-on seminar to learn how to properly work with stones, experts advise. It's not the massage strokes you'll need to learn. You already know those. It's how to handle the heat. "I get so frustrated when someone calls me up to buy stones, and I ask if they've ever had stones in their hand and they say no," Mayrhofer says. "I've heard this over and over: someone goes in to work and they're told they have a hot stone massage coming in at two o'clock, so here's a video to watch. Or someone else goes to a seminar and is expected to come back and teach everyone else on the staff. The training gets watered down very quickly, and just because someone is a good therapist doesn't mean he or she is a good teacher." 5. TURKEY ROASTERS AREN'T FOR ROCKS Yes, you can heat the stones in a turkey roaster, a Crockpot, or a frying pan, but is that really the sort of professional image you want to project? "If we want to be seen as professionals, then we must act professional, and that means professional equipment," Mayrhofer says. Kitchen equipment is meant to heat foods, and it's very difficult to regulate the temperature as precisely as hot stone massage requires. Most experts recommend stones be heated to between 120 and 130 degrees, and a Crockpot with high, medium, and low settings won't give you that precision. Maybe it's time to purchase a professional stone heater. A good one can be had for around $100. "These are one-time investments, so it's worth getting something that's made for this," says Tom Wellman, owner and president of TH Stone in Tamarac, Florida. 6. STONES REQUIRE CARE You'll want to wash your stones with hot water and dish detergent after every use; then they need to be dried and disinfected. Don't forget to change the water in your stone heater after every use, too. "The biggest complaint I hear from therapists is 'I don't have enough time between clients' to wash the stones," Mayrhofer says. Point taken. Her advice is to include extra earn CE hours at your convenience: abmp's online education center, www.abmp.com 85