Abstract:
A hand-held massage tool for promoting circulation to the tissue and muscles of a patient is provided. The hand-held massage tool comprises a substantially conical first end and a dome-like second end substantially opposite the first end. A concave elongated center portion is positioned between the first end and the second end with the center portion having a longitudinal axis and being shaped for grasping by a single hand for beneficial manipulation of the first end and the second end against a patient using slight adjustments while maintaining contact with the patient. A method for massaging a patient is also provided.

Description:
[0001]    The present application is a continuation and claims the benefit of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/988,238, filed on Nov. 19, 2001, entitled “Hand-Held Massage Tool” which is a continuation and claims the benefit of pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/253,177, filed on Nov. 27, 2000, entitled “Hand-Held Massage Tool”. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates generally to a hand-held massage tool and, more particularly, it relates to a hand-held massage tool, which allows the massage therapist to work more deeply while inhibiting occupational injury to the massage therapist.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    The massaging of various parts of the body is an old and well-known art. It is well known that massaging relaxes the muscles, improves circulation, and generally improves the feeling of well being of an individual or patient. It is also believed that massaging has major health benefits. In fact, massage therapy is a popular way to treat a variety of ailments including sore or tired muscles, headaches, minor injuries, stress, poor blood circulation, chronic pain syndromes, and decreases injury rehabilitation time.  
           [0006]    Perhaps the oldest and most well known technique of massaging is by the use of the hands and fingers of the massage therapist. While hand and finger massaging is believed to be most beneficial, the hand or finger massage is exhausting for the massage therapist and cannot be self applied without additional stress to the hands. Continuous massaging stresses the fingers, the thumbs, the hands, and the wrist. For this reason, certain implements have been developed in an effort to provide somewhat equivalent benefit to hand or finger massage and also to enable self-massaging. Unfortunately, one problem with the conventional massage tools is that they were not comfortable for the massage therapist to hold and manipulate.  
           [0007]    Accordingly, there exists a need for a hand-held massage tool which promotes circulation to the tissue of a patient. Additionally, a need exists for a hand-held massage tool which has an ergonomic shape for inhibiting occupational injury to the massage therapist. Furthermore, there exists a need for a hand-held massage tool which imitates the hands, thumbs, and fingers of the massage therapist to provide a beneficial massage to a patient.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0008]    The present invention is a hand-held massage tool for promoting circulation to the tissue and muscles of a patient. The hand-held massage tool comprises a substantially conical first end and a dome-like second end substantially opposite the first end. A concave elongated center portion is positioned between the first end and the second end with the center portion having a longitudinal axis and being shaped for grasping by a single hand for beneficial manipulation of the first end and the second end against a patient using slight adjustments while maintaining contact with the patient.  
           [0009]    Additionally, the present invention is a method for massaging a patient by a massage therapist. The method comprises providing a massage tool having a center portion, a substantially conical first end, and a dome-like second end, concaving the center portion of the massage tool, grasping the center portion, positioning either the first end or second end of the massage tool against a patient, and applying force to the massage tool to separate and compress muscle tissue, release muscle tension, and dissipate trigger points, and clean and flush the tissue of unwanted toxins.  
           [0010]    The present invention further includes a device for massaging a person&#39;s body. The device comprises a handle having a dome-like first end and a dome-like second end, the handle having a longitudinal axis. A substantially cylindrical first projection extends from the first end along the longitudinal axis of the handle, the first projection having a diameter less than the diameter of the handle. A substantially wedge-shaped second projection extends from the second end substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle, the second projection tapering to a point.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand-held massage tool, constructed in accordance with the present invention, which promotes circulation to the tissue of a patient while inhibiting occupational injury to the massage therapist; and  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a hand-held massage tool, constructed in accordance with the present invention, which promotes circulation to the tissue of a patient while inhibiting occupational injury to the massage therapist. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]    As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention is a hand-held massage tool, indicated generally at  10 , for promoting circulation to the tissue and muscles of a patient (not shown) while inhibiting occupational and potential injury to the massage therapist without compromising the comfort of the patient. The massage tool  10  separates, compresses, and releases muscle tension and dissipates trigger points for better blood flow and release of pain and stiffness in an area of the patient&#39;s body. Additionally, the massage tool  10  flushes tissue effectively helping to stretch and elongate the muscle.  
         [0014]    The massage tool  10  of the present invention includes an elongated member  12  having a first end  14 , a second end  16  substantially opposite the first end  14 , and a center portion  18  between the first end  14  and the second end  16 . In a first embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the first end  14  and the second end  16  of the elongated member  12  are substantially rounded. In a second embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first end  14  is substantially rounded and further includes a first end protrusion  20  extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis  24  of the elongated member  12  and the second end is substantially rounded and includes a second end protrusion  22  extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  24  of the elongated member  12 . Actual construction and benefits of the various embodiments of the tool member  12  of the present invention will be described in further detail below.  
         [0015]    The center portion  18  of the elongated member  12  is preferably sized for allowing a hand  26  of the massage therapist to comfortably grasp the elongated member  12  while inhibiting injury of the hand  26  the massage therapist during use of the massage tool  10 . The size and shape of the center portion  18  of the elongated member  12  of the massage tool  10  actually allows a massage therapist to lightly hold the massage tool  10  thereby preventing stress and/or cramping of the massage therapist&#39;s hand  26  while performing vigorous massage techniques, in various hand-held positions, such as separating muscle fibers and muscle tissue flushing. In fact, the massage tool  10  of the present invention allows the massage therapist to continue working even with painful or injured hands, thumbs, and/or fingers without any further injury or pain.  
         [0016]    As discussed briefly above, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in the first embodiment of the massage tool  10 , the first end  14  and the second end  16  of the elongated member  12  are substantially rounded. The actual rounding of the first end  14  and the second end  16  can be identical to each other, or the first end  14  can have a sharper rounding than the second end  16 , or the first end  14  can have a shallower rounding than the second end  16 . Regardless, the first end  14  and the second end  16  of the elongated member  12  of the first embodiment allows the massage therapist to use either the first end  14  or the second end  16 , or both, to move from cross-fiber work to deep tissue flushing and compression strokes and into trigger point therapy without losing contact with the patient&#39;s body.  
         [0017]    As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the second embodiment of the massage tool  10 , the first end  14  of the elongated member  12  has the first end protrusion  20  extending in a generally outward direction from the first end  14  and the second end  16  of the elongated member  12  has the second end protrusion  22  extending in a generally outward direction from the second end  16 . With the first end protrusion  20  and the second end protrusion  22 , the massage tool  10  of the present invention further improves the abilities, versatility, and effectiveness of the massage therapist. The first end protrusion  20  and the second end protrusion  22  gives the massage therapist the ability to affect muscles of the patient that were previously hard to reach such as the suboccipitals, the multifidus, and in between the transverse processes of the spine. The second end protrusion  22  of the massage tool  10  further allows scooping the underlying muscle fibers.  
         [0018]    The massage tool  10  of the present invention is preferably constructed from a ceramic material with the first end  14  and the second end  16 , including the first end protrusion  20  and the second end protrusion  22 , of the elongated member  12  being glazed. The glazed first end  14  and the glazed second end  16  of the elongated member  12  allows the massage tool  10  to glide smoothly on either the patient&#39;s clothing or lubricated skin. It should be noted that while the massage tool  10  has been described as being constructed from a ceramic material, it is within the scope of the present invention to construct the massage tool  10  from other types of material including, but not limited to metal, wood, plastic, stone, crystal, etc.  
         [0019]    The massage tool  10  is available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. For instance, the center portion  18  of the elongated member  12  can have a variety of sizes for both small and big hands. The actual length of the elongated member  12  can be varied to allow the first end protrusion  20  and the second end protrusion  22  to extend beyond the massage therapist&#39;s hand to increase the massage therapist&#39;s ability to achieve proper tissue depth and pressure while working on patients, including muscular athletes and clients. The leverage action of the massage tool  10  increases the massage therapist&#39;s ability to maneuver deeper into the tissue of the patient.  
         [0020]    The massage tool  10  of the present invention can be used anywhere on the body of the patient. The massage tool  10  actually flushes the tissues of the patient&#39;s body comparative to the massage therapist&#39;s hands or elbow. In fact, experimental clinical tests have revealed that a patient can not tell the difference between the massage therapist&#39;hands and the massage tool  10 . The massage therapist, on the other hand, can still feel the texture of the patient&#39;s muscle tissue through the massage tool  10 .  
         [0021]    The massage tool  10  of the present invention can be used hot, cold, or at body temperature. When the massage tool is used hot, it relaxes and softens muscle tissue which promotes better circulation and pain relief. When the massage tool  10  is used cold, it inhibits local inflammation. When inflammation is decreased, circulation is correspondingly increased.  
         [0022]    The massage tool  10  is an excellent choice for reflexology and seated massage without adding discomfort to the patient. The massage therapist can literally work twice as deep into the tissue with half the effort of using the hands alone. Furthermore, the massage tool  10  is portable and can be carried anywhere. A carrying case can be used to protect the massage tool  10  from any accidental damage.  
         [0023]    The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements, which are disclosed herein.