What to expect at your first massage appointment
You have questions like: Do I have to completely undress? Hurts? Is there anything I need to do to prepare? What will I feel afterwards? What is the process?
All of those questions can be answered with the simple statement: It depends on your goals and desired outcome. Some clients expect relaxation, some expect pain relief, and others expect improved athletic performance.
However, there are some elements common to all first massage appointments and aftercare instructions.
Admission and Consultation
First, you are asked to complete a client intake form. This form alerts the therapist to any special needs, areas of focus, or contraindications to treatment. Be as thorough as possible and be prepared to briefly discuss any conditions that impede or enhance your massage.
This is a good time to discuss the techniques used and your comfort levels; pressure tolerance, degree of nudity.
Privacy and Comfort
After a brief consultation in the massage room, the therapist leaves you private to strip down to your comfort level. There are some massage techniques that can be performed fully clothed if you don’t feel comfortable getting naked; Shiatsu, for example.
Lie down on the table; usually face down, with the head resting on a padded face rest. Cover yourself with the sheets provided. You are fully covered while lying on the massage table. Only the area being treated is uncovered.
Room temperature, heating pads and body position are adjustable. Do not hesitate to ask for what you need for your comfort.
Scope and technique of massage
A full body massage typically includes: the face and scalp, neck, shoulders, upper and lower back, arms, hands, buttocks, legs, and feet. If there are areas to avoid, let the therapist know during your consultation.
Most massage therapists use a combination of techniques. Two therapists trained by the same school personalize the techniques and are never exactly the same. Therefore, choosing your therapist is an intensely personal decision. Communication and responsiveness are the keys to a successful relationship with a professional.
The techniques applied are determined through the consultation process and by the conditions that occur during the massage.
The intensity of the work varies from less physically demanding energy work, such as Reiki and relaxation techniques, to deeper tissue and pressure point techniques, such as Shiatsu, Swedish, trigger point therapy and assisted stretching. The deeper techniques are for injury rehabilitation, improving flexibility and athletic performance.
There should be no intolerable discomfort. The pressure used is to the customer’s tolerance, so speak up if the pressure is too much. Having said that; there are benefits to tolerating some pain, depending on the desired result. If you are there to relax, no pain. If you are there to enhance athletic performance, no pain/no gain.
Be conscious; There is good bread and bad bread. Good bread is a pain that is local to pressure and can move SLOWLY. It is somewhat dull or sore. The best way to handle this type of pain is to breathe through it and let your therapist know if it becomes too much. Severe pain is a sharp, stabbing pain. This is never good. Stop the technique immediately. You may need treatment from a chiropractor or doctor.
Post-massage care
Drink plenty of water. A massage can dislodge toxins and waste products from your tissues. Your body uses water as a means by which to flush them out. Your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, your activity level, and your environment. A general rule of thumb is 8 to 12 8-ounce cups per day. Healthy kidneys in an adult can process fifteen liters of water a day. You will not get water intoxication if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink it over a period of time. Do not drink large amounts at one time.
The level of activity after a massage, again, depends on the results goals. Plan to relax for the rest of the day.
Don’t plan a competitive athletic event for three days after a deep tissue massage. If that is unavoidable, it is recommended that you do light training (30-50% of normal training intensity) prior to the event. This prevents muscles and joints from being too lax and vulnerable to injury.
If you have residual pain from deep massage, use ice to reduce sore spots.
If you have a headache, chances are you haven’t been drinking enough water.
Following these guidelines goes a long way toward ensuring a positive first massage experience. These processes and techniques are used in our clinic with great success.