We’ve told you before about the benefits of massage therapy, particularly when it’s delivered by a registered massage therapist. From pain reduction and improving mobility, to helping you deal with anxiety and stress, massage therapy can help both your physical and mental health.
So what have you done lately to make your massage sessions even better? Yes, you’ll get all the benefits of massage therapy if you just show up on time for each treatment. But, just like you warm up for your run, or get yourself psyched up for the sales presentation, you can maximize the results you get from your next massage treatment by getting better prepared for it.
Here are just some of the ways you can walk out of your next massage therapy treatment feeling better than ever.
1. Get Psyched
OK, maybe not like you do for the sales meeting, but mental preparation will help you get more from the treatment. If you’re having a particularly busy day, try to collect your thoughts and go into the massage treatment a little more relaxed. If you start to relax mentally and physically before the session, the therapist won’t have to work through all the tension of your day.
2. Workout Before
If you have a regular workout schedule and you end up having to train on the same day as your massage appointment, make sure you work out before your massage. A deep-tissue massage is like a workout itself. Except it relaxes the muscles you work on at the gym and gets rid of built-up lactic acids and other impurities in the blood. If you work out after your massage session, you’ll be tensing the muscles you just relaxed, and replacing the lactic acid you just flushed away.
3. Eat Later
Just like you wouldn’t eat a big meal before playing an hour of tennis, you should do the same before a massage treatment. Try to time your full meals so that you have at least 2 hours between the meal and the massage therapy. If you’re hungry before your treatment, have a light snack.
4. Have a Hot Shower Beforehand
Along the lines of getting your body ready for the treatment, a warm shower helps to relax your muscles, and your mind, to reduce tension and make it easier for the therapist to deliver more relief.
5. Dress Comfortably
If you’re not comfortable removing all your clothes, then it’s best to keep on as much as you need to remain relaxed. Yes, clothing can get in the way of a good massage, but a good therapist can work around it. If your level of undress makes you uncomfortable, you will tense up and be preoccupied with it the entire time, instead of relaxing and enjoying the treatment.
6. Speak Up
If you regularly get massage treatments, you will no doubt have some preferences. While it’s important to listen to your therapist about how best to treat an injury, pain or condition, you know your body better than anyone else. If you’ve felt better results from certain treatments, like different types of massage techniques, or more or less pressure during massage, then don’t hesitate to mention it before your treatment. Your therapists will appreciate the input and use it to deliver a more ‘customized’ massage.
And if something works, or doesn’t, during the massage, be sure to let the therapist know. It all adds up to a massage that’s better suited to your preferences, body type and condition.
If you’d like to learn more about how to get the most from your next massage treatment, don’t hesitate to call PinPoint Health, we’re happy to help.
