How to Get a Fabulous Massage
Dear
Karlo,
I love getting massages, but can only afford to go once a month. What do you
recommend I do to get the maximum benefit from my sessions?
Muscle Man
Dear Muscle Man,
That’s such a great question, I posted it to a number top bodyworkers and have
assembled for you their choice advice on how to make the most of your massage:
Prepare for your healing experience. Theresa Ochenkoski, LMT, massage therapist
at the Boston Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s
Zakim Center for Integrated Therapies who also maintains a
private practice suggests, “During the time before your session drink lots
of water. Keeping you muscles hydrated will help your muscles recover after the
session. Do your best to choose a session time that best fits your schedule to
allow for absorption time. When the body receives therapeutic work, the muscles,
joints and mind need time to assimilate the changes. So, if your schedule allows
you, find a time in the day when you can take some down time afterwards.
Depending on what type of work you are getting (i.e., sports massage, deep
tissue, injury-related, relaxation), will depend on how much time you will need.
In the words of the writer Sydney Harris, The time to relax is when you don't
have time for it."
Before you begin your bodywork session, communicate! As
Lisa Santoro, LMT, founder of the
massage program at Harvard University and a massage instructor at the
Muscular Therapy Institute, pointed out to me, “Some massages have ended where
the answer to this question, Was there anything you would have liked more of or
done differently? is a list of things the person wanted but didn't say. In the
interview before the massage, make sure it's clear to the massage therapist your
preferences about pressure, areas of the body you would like worked or if
there's a particular issue you would like addressed (for example: a recurring
soreness in your shoulders). If you want your whole body worked and you only
have a 45 to 50 minute session, prioritize for the massage therapist where you'd
like the most focus to be. During the massage if you need to change the
priorities, by all means do so. Remember, it's your time and massage therapists
want you to be happy and satisfied with the work being done. If your therapist
is talking too much, the music doesn't suit you, the scent or feel of the
oil/lotion/cream is not to your liking, or if you are too cold or hot, please by
all means let the therapist know. Suffering in silence is not very relaxing!”
Be sure to breathe deeply and fully. For veteran Brookline massage therapist
Francesca Graziano-Legrand, proper breathing is critical. “Since breath
makes changes, a massage session can be an opportunity to enhance breathing
capacity. If there is a sinus problem, congestion can be relieved during a
treatment. Since muscles relax with the exhalation of the breath, I encourage my
clients to allow their exhalations to last twice as long as their inhalations.”
Adds Theresa Ochenkoski, “Breathing during times of discomfort during the
session (because sometimes muscles that haven't been moved or have been injured
can be uncomfortable while healing) can be really helpful by enabling the area
to release.”
Let your mind make it easy for yourself to heal. When it comes to being on the
receiving end, many bodyworkers have their own approaches for making the most of
their session. Says Ochenkoski, “I love sinking into a bodywork table. It is
such a wonderful feeling to give into gravity in a positive way. I trust my body
to the bodyworker, while remaining in touch with the changes in my body to help
the practitioner with assessment. When they need to move my arm, my arm is no
longer under my control, and that is OK. I know that the practitioner will give
it back to me.” Her colleague at Dana-Farber,
Bambi Mathay, LMT, suggests that people “put themselves in their healing
space, whatever that is for them, such as an ocean or a garden. If people are
into energy work, try to visualize energy centers aligning and connecting, or
colors.”
As a shiatsu therapist and a grateful receiver of many a bodywork session, my
own approach here is to close my eyes and imagine that the therapist who is
giving me the treatment has the healing powers of a saint, or of the Buddha, or
of someone who is radiantly and powerfully whole. Feeling completely at ease in
the hands of such a healing presence, I can more confidently shed my armor and
open myself up to deeper levels of healing. From this perspective, it’s easy for
me to accept that whatever the therapist does is meant to be, and is part of my
healing journey.
After the treatment, gently reconnect with the outside world. Bambi Mathay
recommends to “plan time before and after the bodywork to be a transition time,
slowing down, drinking water, sitting in silence, listening to the body, what do
you need today? Feel the healing or wellness throughout the body, mind and
spirit.” After she receives bodywork, Thai Massage therapist
Julia Smith, LMT, is sure to “relax afterwards or go out to dinner with a
friend. It is also a good idea to eat moderately and avoid too much junk food
and alcohol. Alcohol will dehydrate you and make you feel worse. Be sure to
drink water. Don't go exercise. This is what I tell my clients as well.”
I should add an obvious point: one of the best ways to have a great bodywork
session is to go to a suitable bodyworker in the first place. Says Francesca
Graziano-Legrand, “A good therapist not only meets clients where they are, but
leads them to gain awareness of where that is, while enhancing their clients
ability to breathe freely, and listening as well as encouraging clear
communication.” Adds Bambi Mathay, “Make sure there is a good connection with
you and your therapist...if this does not exist, move on.”
First published in Boston Natural Awakenings magazine's March 2006 "Ask Karlo"
column.
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