9 questions you may be too embarrassed to ask about your session

  

There seems to be a lot of unspoken etiquette involved when receiving a massage. For those who’ve had numerous massages, this may be well understood. However, for those who haven’t received massage regularly, you may feel a bit intimidated or overwhelmed by all the questions running through your head about it all.

So, instead of leaving these to be ‘unspoken’ etiquette, let’s rip back the curtain and talk about some of the questions you may have, but you’re just too embarrassed to ask.

What if I fall asleep?

Great! Most people arrive for their massage having been stressed, in pain, sleep-deprived, or otherwise unable to deeply relax for a while. It’s no surprise that many massage clients tend to fall asleep. Some may sleep through most of the session, while others only doze off a little here and there throughout. No matter what you do, this is the time to take care of yourself, so don’t try to fight what your body needs. If you drool, snore, pass gas, twitch, talk, or do anything else in your sleep, we won’t think twice about it. A large reason for your appointment is to get you to relax, so why shouldn’t you sleep if you want to?

What if I forgot to shave?

I promise, I really don’t care! For many women, the idea of having someone massage your legs when you haven’t shaved in a while can be a bit embarrassing, but there’s nothing to be worried about. As massage therapists, we massage both men and women, hairy to clean-shaven, and everything in between. There’s no need to be concerned about whether you shaved that morning or not. My focus is on your muscles, not on your hair.

What if I don’t want you to touch a certain area?

Whether an area is too painful to touch, you’re ticklish, or otherwise just don’t want anyone touching you in a certain area, that’s perfectly fine. A typical full body massage would include your scalp, face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, stomach, back, hips, legs, and feet. Some people don’t want their hair messed up since they’ll need to return to work or go out; others are too ticklish on their feet. Whatever your reasoning, it’s your body and the session is all about your needs. If you don’t want any of those areas massaged, all you have to do is tell me.

How much do I really have to take off?

The quick answer is, it’s completely up to you. Yes, to have the most effective full body massage, you’ll need to remove most or all of your clothing, but it’s your time and it’s your body. While a standard full body session is best done with no clothes, if that makes you uncomfortable, I’m not going to try to convince you otherwise. There are ways to work with a client fully clothed, and that is a possibility, but please understand, that regardless of how much or how little you take off, you will always be covered in a modest fashion.

Should I tip?

Every therapist and establishment may have a different opinion on this, but the simple answer is, if you want to, sure. Tips are never expected but always appreciated. Just as tipping isn’t set in stone, neither is the amount. Do what you feel is best for the service you’re getting…period.

Should I talk to you?

This is, yet again, completely up to you. If you want to talk during the session, feel free. If you prefer silence, that’s fine too. There may need to be some communication in the massage to determine if the pressure is comfortable or answer some questions about any injury or pain you may be having. Other than that, I will follow your lead when it comes to conversation.

What if I get an erection?

This is a fear for many men concerning massage therapy. Physiologically, it is not uncommon for men to get an erection during a completely non-sexual massage; it is simply a matter of the parasympathetic nervous system relaxing the body and blood flow going where it may. Draping (the covering of the body with linens and blankets) is done in a way that usually prevents your therapist from even noticing such a thing. As long as there is no intent behind it or action upon it, it is a normal physiological response of the body that will be ignored

What if I have to go to the bathroom?

There’s nothing that will snap you out of a deep relaxation like the sudden urge to use the restroom. While it’s always advised to go before your massage session to prevent this, sometimes bodily functions don’t cooperate on our schedule. If you need to go, simply speak up and I will step out so you can get dressed and go to the restroom. Once you’re back on the table, we’ll resume right where we left off.

What if I don’t like what you’re doing?

Tell me! If the pressure is too much, too little, you’re ticklish, or something just doesn’t feel right for any reason, speak up. I can change technique, pressure, or end the session completely if you’d like.

I hope this answers some of your questions and if you ever have any others, please don’t hesitate to ask.

(info courtesy of My Massage World)

Stretching your back safely

When your back is hurting, it’s common practice to stretch it. That usually means bending forward at the hips and allowing the low back muscles to stretch a bit. This can also help to stretch out the hamstrings, calves, and with the right arm position, the shoulders and upper back as well. But what if this sort of stretching is actually doing more harm than good?

Many people who experience low back pain don’t necessarily need to stretch it. Sometimes the muscles in the lower back are already too stretched and need to be strengthened instead. While doing that traditional low back stretch probably isn’t going to hurt you, it may actually be the opposite of what you need to help your low back pain. If you notice that you round your back, especially when sitting for long periods, many of the low back muscles are being put into a stretched position that entire time, effectively making them weak. Along with those weak muscles, come weak ligaments and fascia within the spine (the connective tissue that holds your vertebrae together).

When all of these components are weakened due to this chronic rounding of the low back, it puts abnormal pressure on the discs of the lumbar spine. This, in turn, can lead to bulging and herniated discs which put pressure on nerves, causing significant pain.

While the traditional low back stretch isn’t singularly going to cause a low back or disc problem, it can exacerbate an existing problem. So if you’re experiencing low back pain, why not try doing the opposite action. Instead, stretch your abs and shorten the muscles of your low back.

This can mean something as simple as lying on your stomach and propping yourself up on your elbows while watching TV in the evenings, or starting to implement regular back exercises into your routine.

Here’s 4 simple ways to strengthen your back and reduce your back pain.

*if you experience any sharp pain during these, stop immediately*

 

Standing Back Stretch: Stand with your feet together and reach your arms overhead until your palms touch. Reach your arms back as far as you can while arching your low back.

 

Press Ups / Back Extensions: Lie flat on your stomach with your hands directly under your shoulders. Push your chest off the floor and look forward or up, keeping your hips flat on the floor. Try to use as little arm strength as possible and instead, focus on allowing your low back to do the work. Hold for 15-30 seconds, lower your chest, and repeat 10 times.

Plank: Lie flat on your stomach with your hands directly under your shoulders. Push your entire body off the ground until you’re in a push-up position. Tighten your abs and old this steady for 20-30 seconds. Be sure your head, back, hips, and legs are all in a straight line. Lower your entire body to the ground and repeat 5 times.

Alternating Bird Dog Pose: Start with both hands and both knees on the ground. Reach and raise your right arm and left leg up until both are in a straight line with your body. Hold for 5-10 seconds and return to the starting position. Reach and raise your left arm and right leg up until both are in a straight line with your body. Hold for 5-10 seconds and return to your starting position. Repeat on both sides 10 times.

(info courtesy of My Massage World)