How often should I get a massage?
There are places like Thailand and (surprising to me) Switzerland where regular massage is seen as a health essential like dental work or an eye test. There are also people who get through their whole lives perfectly happily without ever having one! Massage can be quite an investment of time and money, so what’s the best way to schedule your appointments to get the best results?
The short answer
✨ Pain treatment: 3-6 appointments spaced 1-2 weeks apart
✨ Regular care: once every 3-6 weeks
✨ As a treat, or as support in difficult times: as needed
The long answer
The key here is that massage mainly works by giving the body a sensory experience which “reminds” or “teaches” the muscles to relax and adjust. Like all learning, repetition is key! This is why you might float off the couch, but then feel pain creeping back after a few days at your desk job. Your body has forgotten the relaxed way it held itself after your massage, and is doing its best at its remembered job of keeping you in a hunched desk-work shape.
It helps your body “remember” its new-found freedom to have a series of massages, so each one can build off the results of the last. You can enhance this between sessions by doing any self-care exercises recommended by your massage therapist, by keeping mobile and well-hydrated, and by using a mindful movement practice like qi gong, yoga, tai chi or Alexander Technique to train your ability to sense your body and adjust movements for maximum ease.
Maybe you’re seeking massage for a pain complaint, but don’t want to commit to 6 weekly sessions straight off? A good approach is to book one to begin with. After this first appointment, if you feel comfortable with the therapist and felt better during and immediately after the session (even if it didn’t last long), that’s a good sign to continue. After three appointments, if you feel better after the third then after the first, that’s a good sign to continue. After 6-8, it’s probably worth moving to a less frequent maintenance schedule. Studies have shown that the benefits of weekly massage usually peak before session 8.
I hope that’s useful to you in your massage planning! Do get in touch if you’d like any advice on your specific case, and I’ll be happy to help. You can contact me at bookings@joannecraven.co.uk.