"How often should I get a Massage?"
In thinking about questions that I am often asked, I remembered this good question, "How often should I be massaged?"
Like most things in life, there is no easy, straight forward answer... except "It depends."
Here are somethings that you should consider when deciding how often to receive massage.
First, a massage therapist, no matter how good, helpful, or experienced is not trained (or allowed) to diagnose or give instruction unless they have further training as a doctor, physical therapist, etc... So we can't tell you how many massages you NEED, or how many it "will take" to "get better". We aren't trained how to figure that out based on your medical health history, that would take more years of school. However, we can give you suggestions of what we feel might help your muscles, if you WANT to pursue massage as a therapy. Is this a disclaimer? Yes, it is. I want my clients to be informed about the benefits massage, as well as the limitations of our profession so they may make an informed decision. Most massage therapists will let you know what is beyond their scope of practice, and suggest you consult the appropriate expert for things outside of their knowledge base.
With that in mind, here are questions you should think about. Your MT will need to know these to help you figure out how often to come in:
Like most things in life, there is no easy, straight forward answer... except "It depends."
Here are somethings that you should consider when deciding how often to receive massage.
First, a massage therapist, no matter how good, helpful, or experienced is not trained (or allowed) to diagnose or give instruction unless they have further training as a doctor, physical therapist, etc... So we can't tell you how many massages you NEED, or how many it "will take" to "get better". We aren't trained how to figure that out based on your medical health history, that would take more years of school. However, we can give you suggestions of what we feel might help your muscles, if you WANT to pursue massage as a therapy. Is this a disclaimer? Yes, it is. I want my clients to be informed about the benefits massage, as well as the limitations of our profession so they may make an informed decision. Most massage therapists will let you know what is beyond their scope of practice, and suggest you consult the appropriate expert for things outside of their knowledge base.
With that in mind, here are questions you should think about. Your MT will need to know these to help you figure out how often to come in:
- How active are you? Do you play in a league, active in sports, a weekend backyard warrior, too busy with jobs and family to get out much? These are going to play a big role in how often you may want to come in for a massage, as well as your availability to make appointments.
- Do you have a complicated health history? Been in many car accidents? High school sports injuries coming back to haunt you? Chronic illness or pain caused by an old injury?
- What is your health care goal? Do you want to feel like you did 5,10,20 years ago? Do you just want to take the edge off the pain? Are you working with another practicitor (who can give the MT instruction) toward a resolution of pain? Are you looking to relax and keep your stress levels in check? Do you want to treat yourself every once in a while, instead of being on a routine?
- Finally, your budget. This may take some prioritizing of your needs, and massage may not always be on top of the list. I'd much rather see a client further apart, then have them stop coming in at all.
Outside of these personal considerations, the positive affects massage are cumulative. Each time you receive a massage, it adds on to the work you had before. The closer together you can receive your massage, the more affective the bodywork can be. According to that idea, a daily massage would be ideal, but considering point number 1 & 4 are usually enough to make that idea not very practical.
So what is the answer that I give my clients? Usually I take in consideration what I have observed with working with them and make suggestions from there, but they are usually based around this very important question: What is their goal. If they are having a specific issue that they want taken care of as soon a possible, I might suggest they come in once a week for 4 or 5 weeks and see how they feel after that. If their goal is to maintain their health, keep themselves limber for high activity such as sports, help manage a busy/stressful lifestyle, I would most likely suggest once a month as a starting point.
One of the wonderful things about massage, is that it is very customizable... and easy to adjust to what your current situation is. Once a month not working for your active body, we can change it to every 2 weeks. Did your children join a sport that has you busy after school for the next 3 months, then we can change it to every two months, or leave it to you call when available. Did you take advantage of a package deal and you want to come in everyday for a week, we can do it! Your life changes at a moments notice, and so do your massage needs. There isn't a straight easy answer to this question, but talking with your MT, Chiropractor, or medical professional about your specific needs is the easiest way to figure out what is right for you!
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