Mimicking Touch
I’m often intrigued by the innovative products introduced in the massage field. The latest, which is more about touch than about massage, is the Zaky Infant Pillow, which I saw mentioned on www.boingboing.com. You can view the pillow at www.pregnancystore.com.
The pillow is actually two pieces, each shaped like a human hand, and is intended to help baby feel safe and secure when the parent or caregiver leaves the room. “If you’ve ever wished for a ‘hand’ to leave behind so that your baby would feel as if you’ve never left the room, your prayers have been answered with the Zaky,” the company’s ad copy reads.
The Zaky pillow is the latest in a string of products that claim to mimic human touch, including electric “massage” and “shiatsu” chairs. Although they’ll never replace human contact, I think that such products are on the right track, in that they remind the mainstream of the importance of touch.
What do you think?
Until next time!
December 30th, 2007 09:28
Hi Karen,
Good to see someone else talking about these products - I just wish they advertised them with something like, “Nothing will ever replace the magic of the human contact in a good therapeutic massage - but in the meantime, this is the closest substitute we could find…” or something like that….I think in our busy world what we often need is to slow down and relax on a good bodyworker’s treatment table, however, many people see themselves as too busy until they are in pain. I also warn my clients that a good bodyworker is listening to your body and meeting the tissue as they do the session. A chair or a machine has two or three speeds or depths at best and doesn’t know to stop when it is going too deep or too quickly….so while I do think all of these devices are moving people in the direction of getting therapeutic touch (if only from a machine), I worry that they may think this is all there is if they have no previous bodywork experience - what do you think?
Warmest regards and thanks for all your excellent work at Massage Magazine. I am enjoying writing my blog immensely!
Suzanne Scurlock-Durana
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