Four Things To Bring Up In Your Pre-Massage Conversation
Posted on: 2 June 2016
Whenever you make an appointment with a different massage therapist, there will be a slight adjustment period as you and the therapist begin to develop a bond. If you've been seeing the same therapist for years, it's likely that he or she can give you your desired treatment with little discussion — but with someone new, it's important to open the lines of communication right away. The first thing you'll do is fill out a health history form that the therapist will review, and then you'll talk about your reason for making the appointment. Use this opportunity to also bring up these three things.
Any Areas You Don't Want Treated
While your conversation might focus on the parts of your body that you want treated, you should also be clear about any areas that you do not wish to have massaged. These areas are different for everyone, so don't assume that your massage therapist will know. For example, perhaps you're especially ticklish when your feet are touched, so you might request that any lower-body massage doesn't descend farther than your calves.
Your Desired Pressure
You can count on your massage therapist trying different pressures on you and gauging your response, but it's never a bad idea to talk about the type of pressure you most enjoy right away. For example, if you find that light pressure is your cup of tea, make sure this is clear — doing so will avoid the massage therapist digging into your muscles too deeply and you having to say that you'd like the pressure to be lessened.
Your Goal For The Appointment
Talking about your desired outcome for the massage therapy appointment will help to ensure that you and your therapist are on the same page right away. Don't fret about brainstorming your goal; in many cases, it can be as simple as you wish to relax because you've been stressed for a couple weeks. In other cases, you'll look to have the pain of an acute injury lessened through the treatment.
You Previous History With Massage Therapy
You can also think about discussing any noteworthy details about previous massages to ease the transition into visit the new therapist. For example, you could tell the therapist that you tend to enjoy quiet during the treatment or that you'd love if the therapist could provide any feedback on your muscles throughout the treatment; some people favor hearing which muscles seem tight or are loosening up nicely during the course of the massage, for example.
For massage therapy, contact a practitioner such as Haring Marc DC.
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