- Q. When is the best time to receive a massage?
- Q. Can I work out before or after my massage?
- Q. How often should I receive a massage?
- Q. I have heard not to eat prior to massage. Is this recommended?
- Q. What will my first massage session be like?
- Q. What should I wear during my massage?
- Q. What should I do during my massage?
- Q. What if I can't make my scheduled appointment?
- Q. How can I get help with an injury?
- Q. What causes muscles to become sore?
- Q. Will massage be painful?
- Q. Whats the difference between a muscle and tendon?
- Q. What are ligaments?
- Q. What is fascia?
- Q. What does LMP refer to?
Q. When is the best time to receive a massage?
A. The best time to receive a massage highly depends on why you are interesting in receiving a massage. What are your specific goals? If you want massage to speed recovery after a hard workout or race, it's recommended to receive a massage within 24-48 hours following completion of your activity. If you develop an injury, it is best to receive massage as soon as major inflammation has subsided, usually within 24-48 hours. For general maintenance you may receive massage whenever fits your schedule.
Q. Can I work out before or after my massage?
A. Many people have been told by a massage therapist not to work out on the day of their massage, although Leah feels there is little validity to this. Your body will be adjusting and making some changes during and after your massage, but if you are healthy, fed, and adequately hydrated, you should have no problem doing your workout. This would be a great day to consider an active recovery or easy workout and use the time to pay attention to any changes in how your body feels or moves.
Q. How often should I receive a massage?
A. Frequency of massage depends on the goals of treatment. If you are suffering an injury, it is best to treat it frequently to help the scar tissue align as functionally as possible to prevent it from recurring. This would ideally be twice per week at minimum. If you start receiving massage with no current injury but present chronic tightness or imbalances, it is nice to keep some momentum when working towards a specific goal. Weekly sessions allow for keeping the progress moving forward. If you are healthy and using massage for maintenance, massage as desired is beneficial. Some prefer weekly, others monthly, depending on time and resources available to you.
Q. I have heard not to eat prior to massage. Is this recommended?
A. Many massage therapists recommend this and some clients prefer this, but Leah sees no reason why you should not come to your massage adequately fed and hydrated, unless you are receiving deep abdomen work, which would not be the norm. Most active individuals have very high metabolisms and will probably prefer a light meal or snack before and after the massage. Your body is doing a lot of processing of fluids and repair of tissue during and after your massage.
Q. What will my first massage session be like?
A. During your initial visit, you will spend some time talking about your medical history including current or past injuries. This is to ensure that the massage will be safe for you and to get insight on making the massage as beneficial as possible. Leah likes to spend much of a first massage session getting to know your tissue quality and responsiveness during the treatment.
Q. What should I wear during my massage?
A. You may undress to whatever level is comfortable for you. Most people prefer to receive massage unclothed, but many prefer to wear underwear or running shorts. A sheet covers you during the massage, except for the area being treated. Your modesty is always respected.
Q. What should I do during my massage?
A. Take part in the session by letting Leah know what you are feeling. Often areas are sore or tight where you may not have expected. This is a great time for you to tune into your body and gain awareness. Communicate if you would like more or less pressure or more attention in certain areas. Relax and enjoy your massage!
Q. What if I can't make my scheduled appointment?
A. Scheduled appointment times are reserved for your care. If for any reason you are unable to make your scheduled appointment, please give a minimum of 24 hours notice. Failure to do so will result in full charges for your session time. If something comes up last minute, you may consider sending a friend to take your appointment. If running late, please phone so Leah knows you are on your way. She will wait 20 minutes before assuming you will not show and you will be charged for your session.
Q. How can I get help with an injury?
A. Massage is very beneficial during the healing process for most injuries. In addition to massage of muscles in the general area of injury that may be guarding or have secondary injury, massage directly to the injured area while it is healing is important for helping scar tissue heal in a functional fashion. Muscles and tendons are aligned in a uniform parallel order. When these fibers are injured, scar tissue will form in the area of injury. Cross fiber and circular friction massage, along with gentle stretching, pain-free range of motion and exercise, will help this scar tissue form in a functional manner. By forming functionally, this scar tissue can work well with the rest of the muscle and tendon fibers.
Q. What causes muscles to become sore?
A. Muscles may be sore for numerous reasons. Soreness that comes the day or two after a hard workout or event, when you are probably not surprised to be sore, is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Part of this soreness is micro-trauma to the muscle fibers, causing micro-tearing and inflammation throughout the muscle tissue. This is considered normal, but it is important to take good care of the body with adequate nutrition and hydration during this time.
Q. Will massage be painful?
A. Some regard brief periods of intense pain during a massage as being a worthwhile price to pay for promised long-term improvements. Massage should be easy for your body to receive and not cause you physical pain. Acute pain announces the onset of tissue damage. Even in the absence of actual damage, acute pain causes a reflex contraction in the muscle which reverses the muscles ability to soften and lengthen. There are some exceptions to this, such as during the breaking up scar tissue, and of course there is that "good pain." When receiving massage, you need to use your own judgment and only let your therapist as deep as you are comfortable. Pain is not a necessity of good work!
Q. What's the difference between a muscle and tendon?
A. Muscles are the contractile units that move our bones and thus move our bodies. Tendons are the portions of muscle that connect the muscle to the bones, so the unit looks like this: bone-tendon-muscle-tendon-bone. Each muscle has a responsibility of moving bones closer together when contracting, to provide movement or maintain posture. Muscles and tendons have relatively good blood flow and thus speedy healing, in contrast to ligaments.
This is important to understand as the junction between muscle and tendon and tendon and bone are common areas of injury when something is causing extra strain and the unit has to give somewhere. You can think of the junctions as forming a seam. If your calf is chronically tight in the belly of the muscle, it may eventually pull enough to strain at the tendon. Much like if you are wearing a pair of pants that are too tight and stretch out past the point of resistance, the pants will most likely rip at the seam.
Q. What are ligaments?
A. Ligaments are the connecting units between bones. They are not contractile units and thus do not provide movement for the body, although they do have some flexibility to allow for movement. Their purpose is to provide structure to the skeleton, and are usually injured by trauma, such as in twisting an ankle or a blow to the side of the knee. Ligaments have a limited blood supply and are thus slow to heal, in contrast to the speedy healing of muscles and tendons.
Q. What is fascia?
A. We tend to think of the body as having many separate functional units. We often forget to think of how they work together to bring support and balance to the body. All of these separate units- the muscles, tendons, and ligaments- we have grown familiar with are wrapped in sheets of fascia creating a functional unity. Fascia forms a web that supports and enwraps, connects and separates all functional units of the body. Think of the body as one major muscle with innumerable lines of pull. This single muscle may contract or lengthen any number of fibers in order to change its consistency and shape. When this fascial network is understood, it becomes clear why you may benefit from massage of your hamstrings, for example, to help your recovery from foot problems.
Q. What does LMP refer to?
A. In Washington a massage therapist is referred to as a "licensed massage practitioner (LMP)." In most other states, they are considered a "licensed massage therapist (LMT)." A massage practitioner provides massage and hydrotherapy. Unless licensed in an appropriate field to do so, massage practitioners do not diagnose injury or prescribe medications of any kind, prescription or otherwise. We do work with other health care providers and can assist you in your recovery or recommend you see another health care provider when appropriate.
