Face Cradle or Torture Device?

face cradle set for prone positioning

When you step into the treatment room and see the table set up with the cradle in position, do you get a shiver of excitement? Or do you take a deep breath, and try to start making deals with yourself about how long you can last in that thing in order to knead out the tension in your shoulders? For every Massage Mate (MM) that loves it, there is one who despises its very existence. Ok, maybe that is a little extreme. But people have very clear reactions that are important clues to consider when getting their massage treatment.

One MM falls asleep almost instantly when they slide between the linens and rest their weary head in the cradle. Another clogs up so much after a few minutes that they spend the rest of the massage managing the drip or struggling to breathe. A recent massage with this MM was particularly challenging due to the snots from lying prone to begin - the entire remainder of the massage was overshadowed with nose blowing & blocked breathing. When they came for the next session, we decided to try starting supine to see if we could postpone the discomfort of congested sinuses long enough to be able to receive deeply restorative work with minimal distraction. To both of our delight - it worked!

Do you like to start face up (supine) or face down (prone)? Does your nose get stuffed up or filled with mucus when lying face down? If you always begin prone, have you ever tried beginning supine to see how that changes your experience? Are you comfortable asking for the position of the cradle to be adjusted, or do you just suffer through until your LMT says it is time to turn over? What signals does your body give you when you think of being in one of those positions on the massage table? Do you listen to those signals - or better yet - communicate them to your massage practitioner? Are you comfortable for a certain number of minutes, and then want to turn over immediately? How can you work with your massage therapist if you start to feel the urge to get out of the face cradle? Can you turn your head to the side while your hamstrings & calves get worked on? 

A few observations I’ve made over the years: Seasonally, I find once pollen starts to populate the air more heavily, some people have a lower tolerance for being in the face cradle. More tissues seem to be used in winter, though the discomfort of the cushion itself does not increase. Some people want the cradle angled up high, others prefer it a little lower. Taller Massage Mates might need the cradle pushed away from the table an inch or two. All of these points can be tended during your massage.

Bodies are fascinating. I love learning about YOUR particulars and I am always ready to adjust for your needs.