To maximize the benefits of your massage, follow these suggestions:

BEFORE your massage:

Arrive a few minutes early for your appointment. If you arrive stressed and rushed, it will take your muscles longer to relax.

DURING your massage:

Speak up! Is the pressure too deep? Not deep enough? Are you too hot/cold? Is the aromatherapy or music annoying you? I love to make things just right for you! So you can relax and say, “Ahhhhhhh….”

AFTER your massage:

• Allow yourself time for reintegration. Have a leisurely meal or quiet time. Some people feel slightly “out of it” for a while after a massage. Give yourself time to let your body continue healing and to integrate the healing that has occurred.
• Drink plenty of water. Toxins are released from soft tissue during massage, and hydration will help flush them from your system.
• Avoid heavy exercise. Your muscles are extra-relaxed, so there is the potential that you could over strain them. Light exercise is fine, and stretching is always recommended.

ARE YOU SORE?

• STRETCH!
  • When you wake in the morning! Before bed! Before and after your massage! Slow and easy stretching increases your flexibility and makes your muscles smile. If you have sore muscles, stretching will help to increase circulation and get them ready to go. And stretching after a workout will decrease soreness by helping the muscles to remain lengthened.
  • I believe everyone would benefit from learning yoga (which is basically – stretching!). The secret is to go slowly, breathing from your belly, and feeling the muscles relax as you gently stretch them
• ICE!
  • Pull a muscle, have a knot on your shoulder, strain your lower back? ICE, ICE, ICE! Ice is your friend! It decreases inflammation and helps you feel better. Trust me on this. (For even more healing benefit, try alternating ice and heat to increase circulation. Always put a cloth between your skin and the ice.)
  • Inflammation is characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain. Think sprained ankle. The same can happen to your muscles. The treatment for inflammation is RICE – Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Think of that sprained ankle again. Rest it, ice it, wrap it, and elevate it above your heart. Apply this treatment to inflamed muscles.
• HEAT!
  • A warm bath with Epsom salts can help for that overall achy feeling. Epsom salts have been shown to reduce inflammation.
  • Using heat on an injury is recommended for chronic problems. If you’ve had a sore back for years, heat can be just the ticket. If you strained your back yesterday by lifting improperly, ice is best for you.
• WATER!
  • Dehydration can cause muscle soreness. It can also be the cause of those muscle cramps in your leg that wake you during the night. If your muscles are sore from strain, keeping hydrated will help your body to flush the toxins out as it heals itself.
• The TENNIS BALL trick
  • If you have a small tennis or racquet ball, you can use them for some self-massage. Lie on your back and put the ball under your shoulder (or wherever it hurts). Take several deep breaths and let your muscles sink into the ball. Gravity will do the rest! After a few minutes, roll the ball to the next sore spot.
  • Another option is to put 2 balls in a sock. Lie on your back with one ball on either side of your spine. Roll them up and down your spine. If you find a sore area, stop and take some deep breaths.

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