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The journal · Tools & trade · the gear shelf

The best massage tools to have in 2019

When the week leaves no time for the parlour, the right gear brings the session home. Five tools that earn their shelf space.

The home massage gear shelf, laid out

Massages are the best way to relax your body and mind. But with the present age growing busier and busier, an individual is left with hardly any time to tend to themselves and visit a massage parlour for a session — and mastering the massage techniques by yourself is not an easy task at all; it can require professional help.

But this does not mean you don’t get to relax your muscles. There are various modern tools that can help you achieve the same benefits as a good massage session — easy to use, and requiring no help from a professional. Here’s a look at some of them.

A high-density foam roller
Tool No. 1

The foam roller

Actually quite a common tool — recommended even by therapists in cases of injury. Meant for the lower half of the body, especially the legs, it helps relax every muscle it is applied to.

Whether you are working out or covering long distances on foot, you are bound to choke the blood supply to your leg muscles at a few points. A foam roller eases those spots and leaves your legs feeling rejuvenated — used regularly, it can even correct walking disorders caused by damaged muscles.

A pair of rock tape massage balls
Tool No. 2

Rock tape balls

The feet are among the most commonly injured parts of the body — and we rarely recognize the damage until the pain becomes unbearable one sudden day. Massaging the soles of the feet with rock tape balls has genuinely therapeutic effects, and they are extremely easy to use. Since they come in various sizes they are easy to carry too — a great help to long-distance runners, football players, and those with flat feet.

A handheld roller massager for the back
Tool No. 3

The back roller massager

No massage helps more than a back massage — and it is, alas, the one massage you cannot perform on yourself. With a roller massager you now can, and it works perfectly, just like a normal back massage: simply rub the roller over the cramped portions of your back and shoulders, and the texture of its surface eases the tension out of the muscles. Quite budget-friendly — and a reliable answer to the backaches of long hours on the office chair.

A shiatsu neck massage cushion
Tool No. 4

The shiatsu neck massager

Massage cushions have become quite a common thing in many households, and for good reason. This shiatsu neck massager provides a complete healing session for anyone facing trouble in the shoulder and neck regions: put it on while relaxing on the couch or watching television, and you get an automatic massage that takes away the effects of pressure. Shiatsu massage is an ancient way of healing — and this cushion provides very similar physical benefits.

Tool No. 5

The Thera Cane massage stick

Massage sticks help you reach the areas a hand can’t easily find, providing a proper deep-tissue-like massage to any one small part of the body at a time. They are really easy to use — and the Thera Cane comes with a well-explained instruction manual that helps anyone use it to its full potential.

These massage tools are easily available on the various e-commerce stores, such as Amazon and eBay. They are not a budget-breaker, and more often than not you will be able to avail a discount. So find yourself the tool required to provide the right kind of care for the body.

A percussive massage gun with attachments
Also on the shelf — the percussive massage gun, the loudest arrival on the 2019 shelf.
An electric foot massager in use
And for the feet — the electric foot massager brings the reflexology chair home.