Treatment Tables, Physical Therapy Tables & Rehabilitation Equipment

Massage tables and physical therapy tables differ according to the specific functions they serve for their users. For example, a physical therapy table provides a safe and sturdy platform for physical therapists to administer treatment or therapeutic exercises to their patients. On the other hand, a massage table allows massage therapists to perform a massage on clients who are prone and stationary through most of the session. So, massage table manufacturers focus on client comfort and massage therapist ergonomics.

Massage tables have heavy padding and a face cradle for providing breathing space for a client lying face down. In contrast, physical therapy treatment tables have about 2 inches of padding with a wider surface to accommodate easy movement and transfers of ambulatory patients and ones with mobility issues. Also, the lower height of these work tables allows physical therapy patients to perform many exercise types without the concern of a fall injury. In addition, some of the physical therapy tables have motor-assisted height adjusters.

Treatment tables are reliable and safe surfaces health professionals use to treat and attend to patients. Although these tables are available in several variations, there are two main types: static and adjustable. Also known as stationary tables, static tables have a fixed height for maximum stability of the patients who have no trouble getting on the table. Conversely, adjustable treatment tables are tiltable, foldable, and height-adjustable. These tables benefit patients who use wheelchairs or those who may have trouble getting on the table under their own power.

In addition, there are treatment tables that fit a specific practice or discipline, such as chiropractic traction, physical therapy, sports medicine, spa, imaging, and pediatric tables.

Treatment tables and other rehab equipment must have the capacity to endure the daily stress and force required for physical therapists to do their jobs. Some of the treatments are very rigorous. For this reason, treatment table makers use hardwoods, bamboo, powder-coated steel, or aluminum. These materials are long-lasting and low maintenance. When constructed in an H-Brace design, the treatment table frames can’t wobble or tilt, and it is capable of handling between 300 to 900 lbs.

Most treatment tables have 2-inch foam-filled mats covered with heavy-gauge, water-resistant vinyl, or similar upholstery. These materials make the mats puncture and tear-resistant.

Although most treatment tables are available in assorted dimensions, the average measurements are 18 to 22 inches high, 24 inches wide, and around 72 inches in length. The dimensions are about the same for static and adjustable physical therapy tables.

A tilt table has vital advantages as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for a medical professional. For example, when a patient feels light-headed or faints regularly, a cardiologist may conduct a diagnostic test using a tilt table to determine the cause. With this specialized table, doctors can elevate the patients’ heads above the rest of their bodies to complete diagnostic measurements of their blood pressure and heart rate.

For bedridden or physically unsteady patients, a tilt table provides a means of assisting them in tilting their bodies at various angles to the horizontal plane. The benefits for these patients are better ventilation, more weight-bearing strength on the lower limbs, sensory stimulation, and the ability to exercise without gravitational constraints.

Physical therapists use mat platform tables to ensure the comfort of their patients receiving treatment or executing therapeutic exercises. In addition, tables with mat platforms allow clinicians to quickly transfer their patients from one space to another.

Standing tables and frames support all weight-bearing sections of a patient’s body and provide a work surface for various uses and activities. Physical therapists use them to deliver treatment or exercise guidance to an upright patient.