The first thing to remember when preparing for your first massage experience is that each office, and each practitioner is different. Although the techniques may be similar, the office environment and philosophy of each therapist will vary. With that being said, there are some basic similarities you can expect from your first massage appointment.
Scheduling
An estimated 65% of massage therapists are self employed. You can expect to leave a voicemail or send an email to schedule an appointment. Be sure to clearly say your name and phone number and the type of massage you are interested in. It may be useful at this point to state that you are new to massage, and new to their office.
Your first appointment
It is polite to show up 5-10 minutes early for your scheduled appointment to get checked in. This ensures that you receive the full amount of allotted massage time. After you fill out your paperwork, your therapist will probably want to talk with you about your goals for your session. This is where you can express why you thought massage would be a good treatment. You can also state what you hope to get out of your appointment i.e. more flexibility, decreased pain, increased relaxation, etc. Based on your discussion, and the information you provided in your paperwork, your therapist will create a treatment plan which may include a variety of techniques and styles to address your needs.
Disrobing and Draping
Eventually, your therapist will excuse themselves and you will need to prepare for you session. It is important to note that you are not required to remove any clothing for treatment. It is true that there are many techniques which are not as effective when done over clothing, but disrobing is completely optional during a massage. A few reasons people choose to disrobe is because it is more comfortable, and it keeps their clothes clean of massage oils which may stain or soil clothing. If you have questions about the disrobing policy, ask somebody to explain it to you. During your session, only the part of your body being worked on will be exposed at that time. For example, while the therapist is working on your back, only your back will be draped. When it is time to work on your left leg, your back will be covered again and then your left leg will be exposed.
After your session
Eventually, your therapist will indicate that your session is over. So, its time to get up! You can get dressed at this time and wait for your therapist to come back. Most therapists will want to check in with you to see how you are feeling and document any changes you describe from your session. For example, is the effected area less painful? Do you feel more relaxed, etc?
Water, Water, Water
It is important to stay hydrated before and after your massage therapy session. This is especially true if you are new to massage. You may have heard somebody describe soreness after their massage session. The level of soreness one can expect is related to the type of work the therapist has done, as well as the health of the soft tissue during the time of treatment. One way to increase the health of your soft tissue and decrease soreness from your massage is to hydrate the muscles before and after your sessions. This ensures that your body has one of the necessary ingredients for tissue repair and elasticity. It will keep your body functioning best so drink plenty of water before your appointment and absolutely after your appointment.
Remember, there are many different styles of massage therapy and in order to receive the full benefits of massage you should be sure to try different techniques. The end of October is a good time to try new therapies at Living Massage because all treatments will be discounted by 10%.
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