Massage machine versus massage man: you might as well use an elephant.

Over holidays, I found an article through Twitter about a Japanese foot massager that killed three people.

My first impression was to laugh outloud. Visions of evil foot massagers sparking to life, rolling themselves quietly around domestic corners, cords trailing, stalking their owners until the last moment. People did die, though, and the thought was horrible - that someone so desperate to just to feel better would come to such an end - so I didn't laugh.

But it was a bizaare thought - death by massage.

In the article, learned that the consumers, of course, were using the product incorrectly - on their necks, for example, and not their feet - but it did prompt the question: who or what do I trust to touch my aching body?

According to the American Massage Therapy Association's (AMTA) 2007 Consumer Survey Fact Sheet, 22 percent of Americans use massage therapy as a method of relaxation. Relaxation requires a certain level of trust between client and massage therapist. I would say that the consumers who bought and died by the "hand" of this foot massager, should have been a little less trusting, but overall, I believe most people would consider a machine safe - maybe more trustworthy than an individual they haven't met yet and have to be next-to-nude in front of.

I have several clients who use their personal massage machines on a regular basis between sessions without major incident, and I am pretty sure massage with a foam roller would not lead to accidental death.

However, the AMTA also says one third of Americans have used massage therapy at least once for pain management. With that to consider, I think a wise consumer would think twice about using his or her foot massager for an knotted neck. Even a foam roller cannot tell you where a muscle origin or insertion is. What about contraindications? Will the Shiatsu chair massager tell the third-trimester pregnant woman to get out of it when it starts to jiggle her around?

Here is where human touch and knowledge become critical. Ask yourself this: does your foot massager know where your iliotibial band is?

Answer: Does the elephant?

Labels: massage, massage deaths, massage elephant, massage machines, massage therapist