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Room set up suggestions for a newbie

I am a student at the moment and I have been talking with a chiropractor in town and I am pretty sure I have a place to work when I get licensed in a couple of months. I was wondering how I was going to set up my room and any specific equipment that anyone can comment on that I should consider buying? Obviously I need a table which I have, but I would like some suggestions from working therapists out there.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jacqueline M Curan on January 12, 2010 at 11:17am

Dayna, i am an indep contractor in a chiropractor's office. Some of my clients i bring in from outside the office and others, most are patients. My office has everything that i would need if i had my own practice anywhere. I have: desk and office chair, client chair, massage table, file drawer, wall hanger for clothes, cabinet for linens and lube, large wall posters of muscles and bones, trigger point charts, fountain, laptop computer, reference books. I am able to use a closet in the hallway for additional supplies which the longer i practice the more i fill it up. As i am independant, i have all of my own forms too. Oh, i have a mirror too. Send me back any questions you have, i'd be glad to help you.

Permalink Reply by Serenity Achieved! on February 5, 2010 at 4:00pm

You really only need basics to start out. As you work you will find what you want and need. What is already in the room? Many chiropractors have a room all set up that they rent out to therapists. Ask if the room will be yours alone, or if you would be sharing with another therapist. Also will you be treating your own clients there or just the patients at the chiropractic office?

I would suggest in addition to your table and the obvious sheets, towels and a blanket: an adjustable headrest, a bolster, a body pillow, a stool with wheels, something for music, a light source and a chair for the client that isn't too low to the ground.

If you are needing to store client intake forms in your office, you will need a locking cabinet due to HIPAA guidelines.

Once you get rolling you might want to invest in a table warmer if the chiropractor is ok with it...some may not be. If the room tends to be chilly a quiet space heater is a must. A place to store extra sheets and supplies might be helpful too. Depends on how much room is in the room. My first chiropractic massage room was tiny, and we used laundry baskets under the table to store clean sheets.

My suggestion is to start out with less and add as you go. When I first started I bought all kinds of things that I never really needed. Look around your house for furniture you could use if the room isn't already furnished. Good Luck!

Permalink Reply by Marilyn St.John on February 6, 2010 at 10:01am

Good luck, Dayna! I've been an IC at a chiropractor's office for almost 5 years and love it. My room is very small and since I sometimes share my space alternating with another MT, just learning to keep things simple (and nice) works to my advantage. The others here have covered things, but here are a couple more suggestions: I purchased a small cabinet with doors at Target...clean lines, inexpensive, and it conceals the extra linens; lighting AND an extra bulb just in case; if you use lotion or oil, consider buying a larger size and using a pump top on the bottle...it's hygenic, more economical, makes less noise than a holster, and stays on the floor so where to place the container is a non-issue. I have my music on an iPod and have a portable sound dock for it. If the office is noisy like the one I'm in, headphones for your client are nice to offer...only one person in 5 years has actually taken me up on that, though. Nice hand towels for your clients to blot themselves with at the end of the session, and maybe some powder are also appreciated.

The only "problem" I have encountered is, in hot weather, a fan is nice to have ~ but the quiet ones might cost a bit. Mine is from Restoration Hardware, with old-fashioned open wires...I tried out lots before zeroing-in on this kind, and the plastic ones are just too loud for a small space...remember, if you're having a busy day, you will perspire! The clients love a table warmer, especially if the AC is on, and that will also heat up your space a bit...I guess it depends on the size room you're in. The chiro offices I've worked in have all been very small. I hope you enjoy your work as much as I do!

Permalink Reply by Massage sucks on August 10, 2018 at 9:08am

I work out of a chiropractors office as well. I have only been here for 8 months now. I haven't done many table massages, although I have the basics required for them. I have been doing mostly chair massages for his patients. I have had one or two of them set up appointments without scheduling with the doctor.

My room is big enough that I can keep everything in it ready to go. My massage table is all set up and pushed off to the side. On a good month I can make enough from chair massages to pay my rent. Table massages would earn more money however, if I could get more of them. Don't be afraid to offer both and see what happens.