How to Take Responsibility for Your Massage Results:
As a MASSAGE therapist, I have had countless clients who took responsibility for their health. And unfortunately, there are those that want me to do all the work. I don’t mind, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the movements and energy that caring for another person creates within my own being. I used to work on a client to “fix” them but now my goal is to make the client aware of their own tension areas and weaknesses in the muscle, so that in time, they can work on
Giving, to me is almost as good as receiving, concentrating on the body one muscle at a time is a totally relaxing and at the same time, very satisfying experience knowing you can make a difference in another’s well-being. Most of the time I send the client home with some pages of specific stretches they can work on in between sessions, so their cost will cut in half as well as recovery time.
To really get the most from the massage there are several things, simple things that make for a huge difference, if the client will cooperate with the body and follow instructions. Here are a few things I have discovered over the years that help my clients.
- Be receptive and open to the massage process as you can. Talk positive to yourself and read some testimonies of wonderful results of massages received from clients you find on the Internet.
- Don’t eat several hours before a massage session. Let your body digest your meal first.
- Be on time. If you arrive in a anxious, hurried state, it might take longer to relax, which lessens the quality time on the table. Do some deep breathing before showing up.
- Take off only as much clothing as you are comfortable removing. If you don’t want to remove your clothing, wear clothing that will be comfortable during the massage and will allow the massage therapist to touch and move the areas of your body you expect will need to be massaged.
Privacy – The therapist will either leave the room or otherwise provide privacy while you undress. A sheet or towel is provided for draping during the massage and the therapist will uncover only the part of your body being massaged, ensuring that modesty is respected at all times. After the massage is finished, you will be provided with privacy while dressing. - Communicate with your massage therapist
- Before the session, give accurate health information and let the massage therapist know your expectations and reasons for the massage.
- Allergies to oils, lotions, powders – The therapist may use oil, lotion or powders to reduce friction on your skin. If you are allergic to any oils, lotions or powders, tell your massage therapist, who can choose a substitute.
- Some massage therapists play recorded music during the massage session. Others find music distracting. There may be a choice as to what kind of music is offered so don’t be shy in requesting a genre of your choice, if available.
- Some people like to talk during a massage, while others remain silent. Tell your massage therapist what you prefer.
- Be willing, during the massage to report any discomfort, whether it’s from the massage or due to any problems or distractions related to the environment, room temperature, music volume, lighting, etc.
- Giving feedback to the therapist as massage continues on the amount of pressure, speed of hand movement, etc. If anything happens that you dislike or seems improper, you have the right to ask the massage therapist to stop. If you are indeed uncomfortable enough, you also have the right to end the session, at any time.
- Discuss any fears or concerns. It’s important that you be as relaxed as possible during your massage, so your comfort is of utmost importance. Your massage therapist is a professional dedicated to do his or her best to help you feel at ease.
- Remember to breathe normally. Breathing helps facilitate relaxation. People often stop or limit their breathing when they feel anxious or a sensitive area is massaged.
- Relax your muscles and your mind. Tightening up by contracting or hardening your muscles during the massage is counterproductive. Let your massage therapist know this is happening. They may need to adjust the massage technique they use and may also be able to help you relax the affected area. If you find your thoughts are racing during the massage, one way to be more body-centered and to quiet your mind is to follow the hands of the massage therapist and focus on how the touch feels.
- Drink extra water after your massage.
- Don’t get up too quickly and do allow for some open, quiet time after your massage session. If you’re dizzy or light headed after the massage, do not get off the table too fast. It also may take a little time to integrate or absorb the results of the massage session. You might need to take some time to sit in the waiting room, breathing deeply to receive all that was offered.
- Be prepared to schedule several massage sessions. Massage has its greatest benefits over time. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, so the more often you get a massage, the better you will feel and the more quickly your body will respond. From one session to the next, relaxation deepens as the chronic patterns of stress in the body are affected and released. If you’re getting massage to address chronic muscular tension or recovery from a soft tissue injury, more than one session is usually needed.
Drinking extra water and possibly forgoing animal products a couple of days before and after heightens the effects of the massage. It one of many detoxification processes to help the body recover and rejuvenate itself. . In order to get the full benefits, there are steps the client can do to experience the euphoria and emotional release that is so amazing about a massage. The more you cooperate with your body and begin to release the toxins before the massage and after, there is nothing like the
Our bodies year after year, move in the same way day after day, whether you are a carpenter, plumber, HVAC repairman, mechanic, guitar player, violinist, etc. Each repetitive motion, in time can bring stiffness and become inflamed and sore from these continuous motions. For example, one year I brought in fire wood daily. In doing so, I would throw the log over my left bent arm, and carry the whole load on that one arm till I couldn’t add any more to it. Didn’t seem to be a big deal but eventually I noticed a soreness in the ligament where the muscle in the front shoulder area connected to the bone. Seemed to right on the bone….which was where the muscle connected to the bone. The tightness in the bicep was causing a contraction of the muscle because I was not stretching out the used muscle after a lot of usage….over and over, the inflammation increased, till I now continually have issues. It is only after much stretching and working the tightness from he bicep that I will find relief at the shoulder connection. Most do not understand that a frozen shoulder will release after stretching and using the stretch-reflex release action in a massage.
As a therapist, working on several people during the day, I must take about an hour break to stretch out all my ligaments and tendons in my hands and shoulders and legs….since the whole body is used in a massage in order that I continue to work as long as I desire.