Hot Stones Create the Perfect Tools For Massages
Do you always have the right tools for the right job? Though the forms of tools that humans have used throughout history have changed, their function has not. Tools improve our lives. In a scientific sense, tools decrease the amount of force that we need to exert, to do work. On a more basic level, tools make work easier. But without the right tool, tasks can be hard as nails to complete. Imagine digging a ditch with a spoon, or washing a car with a cotton ball. We know that hot stones are required for a hot stone massage. But exactly why are stones used, and can any run-of-the-mill stone be used in the procedure?
Once upon a tool time
The modern use of stones for massages demonstrates the fact that Mother Nature makes some of the best tools. Scientists believe that humans in East Africa used the first stone tools, about 2.5 million years ago. However, since the first stone tools were discovered at Olduvai Gorge in Ethiopia, the type of tools are referred to as Oldowan tools. Like the majority of massage stones used, these tools originated from volcanic rock.
Cores and flakes
Two main types of Oldowan tools were used. Using another rock as a hammer, stone cobbles were created by chipping off numerous flakes. This created the perfect handheld tool, known as a core tool. These core tools were probably used most often for tasks such as hammering, chopping, and digging. However, some experts suspect that the core tools were only byproducts of another type of tool: the flake tool.
In fact, the flake tools were probably more important to early humans, than the core tools. These simpler tools were created from the stone flakes manufactured in making the core tools. Flake tools functioned as knives, and were helpful in piercing the thick skins of animals, in order to remove chunks of meat. They were the first humans to dig in at mealtime!
Rightly using the right tools
When providing a massage with hot stones, knowing how to use your tools can be instrumental in the effectiveness of the massage. The right stones should be used, heated properly before usage, and applied correctly to the patient.
An effective massage with stones begins with the right stones. Basalt stones are typically used for hot stone massages. These smooth volcanic rocks are effective as they are attractive, having an extremely excellent ability to absorb water and heat. But before you buy a plane ticket to the volcanoes of Hawaii, keep in mind that not just any old rock can be effectively used for a stone massage. Stones of the proper shape and weight must be selected, and then treated properly.
Next, the massage stones must be correctly heated. Special hot stone heaters are available, to ensure that the stones are warmed up properly. In particular, the stones must be heated at a precise temperature, to ensure that your patient does not get a permanent stone tattoo on his or her skin. These heaters can vary in both size and voltage needed.
Finally, the right stones must be properly positioned on the patient, during a hot stone massage. Here are some tips:
• Wipe off the stones before placing them on the patient, to minimize slippage.
• Be cautious when handling the stones. Tongs can be used.
• Use the right sized stones on the right body parts.
• Always ask the patient if the stones’ temperatures are okay.
• When removing the heated stones, use caution.
Though today’s technology improves faster than sports cars racing along the autobahn, some basic tools have remained as effective since the beginning of human history. Hot stones for a hot stone massage are basic tools that produce extraordinary results!
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