Is really Hot Stones massage good for your hands?

To me a hot/cold stone massage is a different type of massage to hands on. It meets different client expectations and is probably more limited in its application. I have some clients who are better suited to Hot/cold stone massage and others who aren't.

I can't see hot/cold stone massage providing any benefit for the therapist unless you're prone to RSI. But that's the case, then some technique analysis should be considered.

But for me hot/cold stone is more about client choice and expectation than therapist benefit.

I also like to give my clients a choice of techniques, not just one or the other, but combinations as well.

Myarka.

Thanks Myarka
MassageSpace

When I went on HSM course it was well touted as being better for therapists from the point of view of RSI.

Didn't see it myself, not unless you want to spend the whole massage gliding up and down and doing little else.

My HSM starts off with the stones to heat up and relax muscles and then a bit of the hands and thumbs and then the stones again over the area just to heat and relax again.

I just don't feel I have done a massage unless I get some hand/body contact.

Ooooohhh that sounds so noooooottttttyyyyy!! 😉

Patchouli

Didn't see it myself, not unless you want to spend the whole massage gliding up and down and doing little else.

What about cold stone, and pointy stone techniques?

Myarka.

If you're holding the stones using your fingers you're not giving your hands a break. If you're using small stones you're not giving your hands a break.

If you use large stones and guide them along, the weight of the stone will contribute to the pressure, therefore you need to use less pressure, therefore you do less work, the weight of the stone is doing the work.

If you're actually involving your fingers in holding the stones, you're adding additional strain on your hands by clutching the stones. You need extremely neutral hands (no clutching stones), and decent sized stones for the weight.

Pointy stones and more narrow ones save your thumbs, which in turn can save your hands. It's why a variety of shapes and sizes are very improtant.

Cold stones are important when there is imflamation, either caused by something like an injury, or just a lot of heat from using the hot stones.

Personally, I find stones DO save my hands in the treatment, but if I only do one stone treatment in a day and then have to wash the stones, it almost evens out to not much benefit, with all the carrying and cleaning of the stones. If I do 2 or 3 hot stone treatments and then the cleaning at the end of the day, it is big difference. It's just that time building up the stone clients to more than one a day can make stones seem a lot of effort for little benefit.

I block book hot stone treatments, the first one that week can pick any day, the next person that wants one, I tell them they have to have it on the same day as the first one that booked (though I only say something like 'we can fit you in for a stone treatment on Wednesday' I don't tell them 'you have you have it the same day as someone else'). The next person, gets the same day, I'll only take them on another day once I get past 3 in one day, or if they give a very good reason why the can't do the day I offered. I'd hate doing stones if I had to do only one treatment every day of the week, not worth the effort. Block book them and you can feel the benefits.

When I was training in massage we had someone come in to guve a demonstration on hot stone massage and they sold it to us as being great for saving your hands and loads of us signed up to do the course after we qualified with swedish massage.

Hot Stone massage is probably my least favourite massage because of all the extra hassle of equipment, cleaning, heating etc. and I have to say I don't feel that it saves my hands or wrists at all. I actually feel that my back aches more and my wrists ache more after I've done a hot stone massage. I don't seem to be able to control my posture as well when doing it but also holding the stones in my fingers and working the muscles that way really puts strain on my wrists.

I feel the same as Lavandula. So I am glad I am not the only one!

And I also agree with Cola in that using medium to big stones means you need to press less as the weight of the stone works for you BUT what happens when you are working in non-horizontal surfaces, i.e ITB with the client prone or supine, sides of low legs, etc... Then is when a medium/big stone becomes a big weight that I have to hold and manouvre.

Using the stones for trigger points or other "pointy stone techniques" as Myarka says is great and yes, definitely I see how that is saving my thumbs/ fingers but I find it is just a very small part of my treatments...

I found interesting the comment about cleaning the stones at the end of the day. Does everyone do this? I tend to clean them everytime after each client, which sometimes means too much hassle if I don't have too much time between clients. But somehow, it seems that there would be bits and pieces of skin, etc on the water...Am I being too fussy?
Massage Space

No you are not being fussy. I was taught to clean them after each client.

Frankly I do not like using the pointy stones for trigger work etc. I would rather use my hands.

I do HSM but imo it is totally over rated. I just like using the stones for heating the skin and relaxation.

Patchouli

Absolutely clean the stones after each client, we make a point of fresh towels each time so why not clean stones we have rubbed all over the clients body with oils on!!! I use the stones from a relaxing heating the skin view point as above said, and i do any more deep specific work with my hands......... I dont see the need to use the stones with so much vigour that you would cause any trauma to your own hands at all.

I can see how it would be better for the hands as you don't use heavy manipulation or percussion movements.

Hot Stone Massage

I have just read all your comments, they make for interesting reading as I am about to start my Hot stone Massage course, I will let you know how I get on, hope I find it not too hard.

Wow ... YES... definitely clean the stones after each client!

Also you need to recharge them regularly as they pick up negative energies from your clients, in the same way that crystals do.

I always teach my students to do both of these when teaching Hot Stone Massage.