Massage is wonderful for maintaining stress levels, improving skin tone, and improving overall health. But are you getting the most out of your massage? It's your money, your body and you should have a say in how your professional massage is going. In other words, you need to communicate with your massage therapist.
Here are some tips to consider when you're going in for your body massage:
- Do fill out your client intake form truthfully. Old injuries, medications you're taking, and even allergies to nuts and/or flowers could be important information for your massage therapist. The better understanding your body worker has of your medical conditions, old and new, the better she can address your needs.
- Do notify your therapist if there has been a change in your health history on subsequent visits.
- Do communicate to your massage therapist the amount of pressure you like. Even if in the beginning you say you like DEEP tissue massage and halfway through the massage session you find that you cannot tolerate the pressure...tell her! A good therapist will adjust her pressure according to the client's preference.
- Do remove your contact lenses prior to the massage, or if this is not possible, inform the massage therapist that you have them in.
- Do be a few minutes early to your massage appointment to ensure that you get your full session time.
- Do be specific about which areas you would like your body worker to spend extra time. You may be in for a full body massage, but you may need more work on your lower back. A good therapist will adjust her massage timing accordingly to accommodate your needs.
- Do reschedule your massage appointment if you are ill!
Great article, I just started getting massages monthly and these are great tips...There have been times I've asked for deep tissue, but the massage therapist was a lot stronger than any i had before and it was almost unbearable, but for some reason I was too embarrassed to say so.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the note Candace. Your story is a perfect illustration of what can happen during a massage. Remember, it's your body and you should not have to endure any pain beyond your threshold.
ReplyDeleteThe caveat here is that some therapeutic massage can be painful in order to achieve results. HOWEVER, a massage therapist can slowly work into the deeper tissue to provide release. It may take several regular massage sessions over a period of a month or longer to correct the problem.