Face Cradle Mechanism

[designerKat]

Hi everyone,
I am not a MT but have been faced with the task (as an Industrial Designer)of studying the ergonomics and use of the table and face cradle.
I usually do not get massages but due to my research I have recently started to and I love it.
I have a few design questions and I hope some of you can help me with this.

FACE CRADLE
1. The face cradle (the one I have) has two options of adjustability:
A vertical pivot to adjust the angle and then a "second one" that raises the cradle at the chin-neck level. Does anyone use this "second" option? Do you really need to have it?
2. Is it usually easy to manipulate? or does the "tab" break?
3. What parts usually break, rip?
4. What would you change on it?

Thank You in advance for any ideas and feedback on this.

[Blisss]

I do use the second option, to raise the face cradle parallel for clients who are overweight. This helps keep their neck in a neutral line. I have an earthlite deluxe face cradle. It's well-made, easy to move, and nothing's broken.

As an FYI, there's one other fancy face-rest out there, called the pivot posi-tilt. (It allows movement of the face rest horizontally as well as vertically):
http://bodyworkmall.com/p-69008.aspx

[nybor7]

Oooo Bliss, just took a peek at that one.
I was just going to suggest to the OP about a lateral and maybe rotational pivot.
Sheesh though, is over $100 a good price?

Robyn

[fozzyo]

I would actually like one that can be lowered below the table slightly. So that the face can be slightly lower then the chest - if you look at the profile of someone their face is usually infront of their shoulders / chest.

Mat xxx

[fudja / aka Greatlakes]

I would actually like one that can be lowered below the table slightly. So that the face can be slightly lower then the chest - if you look at the profile of someone their face is usually infront of their shoulders / chest.

Mat xxx

Mat,

I have an Oak Works. My face cradle does go down. It has two knobs to adjust it, sometimes I wish it only had one... but I am used to the face cradle the way it is. I use both of the adjustment knobs all the time. Usually to put the cradle up high, often times up REALLY HIGH!! Higher for heavy set clients or women who are big chested. The highest I can set my face cradle above my table height is about 4 inches. I could also set it that much below the height of the table as well.

Christine

[BlackPearl]

Howdy designerkat,

How sweet it is to be asked such a question.

1. Yes, I use the second option if it's there. It is necessary, it's absence in a fixed cradle is a compromise.

2. It's not usually that easy, well, kindof. It would be nice if they didn't have to take their head up out of it somehow. Nothing breaks that I've seen, but I'm a rookie.

The big issue here is that these things usually suck. The worst is when they ratchet down while someone is blissfully half-asleep, jolting them severely when it gives way. This should be your main focus. Fix this problem and you'll have a winner. The ones I'm talking about are the ones that articulate via two plastic circles of triangular "gears" that radiate from a central point. They mesh together, but they are only a /\ and a \/ coming together, so the lateral (?) strength of this coupling is very limited. And it doesn't take much to have those opposing triangles slip over one another. Hence, jolting, and me appologizing.

This setup with the thing that pivots then "clamps" down is a peice of junk. Design me a good one oh saviour of my jolting woes! haha.

4.) Changes. As above, change this. I don't have a suggestion for what would be better, that's your talent, I guess. Maybe a true ratchet. *shrugs*

I would allow for opening and closing of the space between the tips of the "U"

I would allow for a dip in the table somehow so that the client's throat isn't crushed into it. The relationship b/w the cradle and the table often puts the front of their throat right on the edge of the table, choking them, not good, because often they won't complain about this unless you straight up ask them about it. Then more appologizing.

I have many more ideas for table and cradle design, but that's all you get for free.

Offers of prototypes and/or super-duper discounts on finished products would likely coax this information out of me though.

Good luck. Lemme know what you think.

[BackrubMonster]

I have an Earthlite table with an adjustable headrest, it tilts up/down and rises/lowers, locking with one clampy-lever-thing on the side. I haven't had a problem with it, it stays locked, and I find the range to be just what I need. As for pivoting, I think I'm okay without it, hee, though of course I haven't tried it.

Ugh, the ratchet-y sounding headrest sounds annoying ...

[designerKat]

This post has been amazing! I'm so happy that so many people have chipped in! I have my massage table all set up in the living room!

It is great feed-back! I thought about removing the 2nd feature but maybe it wasn't a great idea.
Hmm...lowering? I didn't even think about it. thanks again!
I read about the Kurve and the Boiance and I find that the first one seems interesting.
Please keep sending more ideas and I'll do my best to make something amazing.

Best regards,

designerKat

[mush]

random thoughts:

i definitely do not like to use a face cradle frame the doesn't double pivot for the same reasons as blisss.

i have an oakworks and i have a golden ratio. both cradles have a double pivot. i like the oakworks because of the stabilizing crossbar. i've had to replace the golden ratio frame once (no stabile crossbar) because it slightly torqued to one side from clients hanging their hands on the frame while face down. i've never had an issue with stripping the gears with either. i will say that i like the push-button action on the golden ratio just slightly more than the handle adjustment on the oakworks.

i like the golden ratio pillow better than the oakworks. i think it's cushier (is that a word?)

if you could figure out a way to have the velcro that attaches the frame to the pillow to be more easily replaced (especially for the pillow side), and also placed on the unit so adjusting to each client's size would be fabulous. like black pearl said, sometimes your client will have the neck choked off from the edge of the table, or on the frame's crossbar. i re-place the pillow farther from the table to avoid this, but it still kind of sucks.

good luck with your project.

[akb]

I agree that the second option is handy for heavier clients particularly woman with large breasts as I do not have a table with breast recesses. I always raise the face cradle for these woman. Sometimes I'll notice that one side has lowered somehow when they get up and I wonder how long it has been like that. I am able to press down and move it so I am disppointed that it might not stay in the raised position.

I have gotten choked at the neck just below my voice box area on the table or cross bar with some face cradles. Some seem way to wide for my face as if my face is going to fall through the bottom or get wedged in the darned thing and I think that is why I might get choked. So it would be interesting to be able to adjust the width somehow.

[maestra]

I have a nine year old Earthlite Avalon and I have troubles as Black Pearl does with the face cradle racheting down as you sometimes apply pressure to a leg or or somewhere else on the body and click they're head has dropped a little bit lower...
It's very annoying for a therapist and scares the clients. I wanted to send the face cradle back to the manufacturer the first time it did it (the first week of MT school)... however the school would not allow me to, and it was part of my tuition.
At the salon I used to work at they had Golden Ratio tables and I didn't care for the cushion on their face cradles... I felt it was too overstuffed and put unnecessary pressure on the clients sinus areas. Plus it was extremely difficult to get a standard face cradle cover over!
Sorry that's all the suggestions I have at this time!

[Blisss]

have a nine year old Earthlite Avalon and I have troubles as Black Pearl does with the face cradle racheting down as you sometimes apply pressure to a leg or or somewhere else on the body and click they're head has dropped a little bit lower...
It's very annoying for a therapist and scares the clients.

Sometimes I'll notice that one side has lowered somehow when they get up and I wonder how long it has been like that. I am able to press down and move it so I am disppointed that it might not stay in the raised position.

I had this problem with my Earthlite face rest, but then I noticed the tightness of the positioning system is controlled by a nut/bolt on the side. I brought a wrench to work, tightened to bolt, and haven't had trouble since. Check out your face rest. Maybe yours is made the same way?

[MRSkitten]

I have two Oakworks face cradles. I took out the standard foam that came inside the premium vinyl covers and inserted a CORE tempurpedic in one and a Bioance in the other. The CORE I use for my portable table and massage chair, the other I use for my treatment room table, which has an extra four inches of foam on top (the CORE was too squishy for this use).

I like the Oakworks cradle better than any other I've used BECAUSE it pivots two ways, it's utterly silent, and once I lock the cams, they STAY locked until I move them again, and I can do it all one-handed. I like the crossbar support and have never had anyone choke on it (that sounds like a positioning problem). I like that there isn't a plate on the frame (it's inside the face cradle cushion itself) so I can adjust the cushion position on the frame endlessly, moving the wings in or out for narrow or wide faces, forward or back for long necks, etc. and I can move the head down or up as well as out and in and adjust the angle so that the client is comfortable, whatever their size or my need for positioning.

I do NOT like the cradle frames that use the button cams, even though they also have the double-pivot feature. They don't stay locked when bumped, they are noisy to use, they don't adjust evenly (yes, I know this is supposed to be an advantage) and they require that I use both hands to adjust--I prefer using ONE hand to adjust and having a free hand to support the frame so the client's head doesn't flop around and they don't need to painfully lift their head while I fiddle with the wretched thing.

When I'm on the receiving end on a table with the single-cam type of face cradle it never feels like I can get my neck into a truly neutral position though I always try fiddling with it to get more comfortable before the therapist comes back in the room.

[StressSolutions]

The table that I use most often has a very simple face cradle...2 sticks, one piece of plywood, one crescent vinyl covered pad. No adjustment. NO one has complained in the last year, but Ikeep thinking about replacing it. When I toured a school earlier this week, I saw several of these same face cradles on their tables.

I've used one of the FCs that the orig poster mentioned, I like to have my head/neck pointing kind of down, to help stretch it, I think.

My other table has the good deluxe Earthlight face cradle, goes up, down, swivels, tilts, and much much more. Same as my chair, good design. Adjusts with one hand.

I've also used FCs that have a spring loaded bar that you tilt to pull it out of the notches to tilt it. I didn't like that one.

Great thread.

[AnastasiaB]

Like BackRubMonster, I have an Earthlite table with the 2 way adjusting headrest. For the most part, it does everything I need it to do in the way of being adjustable, but, now that it was brought up about being able to LOWER it more, I'm intrigued by how cool that would be to help a few of my clients with an option like that.

Please keep us posted on how things are going.