Yes, your Massage Therapist does the heavy lifting, but there are many things you can do to maximize the effectiveness of your treatment beyond the massage table and even increase the benefits.
Some tips to keep in mind:
1) Time it perfectly:
Your body needs time to rest, heal and process all that great stuff that has just been done to it. Ideally you should allow yourself at least a few hours of quiet time after your treatment. Think of your RMT as a facilitator, pointing your body in the right direction - over the next 24-48 hours your body does the actual healing. Give it the best chance possible by not rushing out right after your massage and doing a million errands or heading back to work. Scheduling your treatment at the end of your day, work week, or at a time when you don't have much to do afterwards is the best thing you can do for yourself. Saying that, if you are in absolute agony - don't wait. It is much better to get a massage at a not quite ideal time, then not get a massage at all. There's no reason you have to spend more days in pain just because you can't get in after work. But if it's not a rush, try and schedule your massage on a day and time where you can simply relax afterwards.
2) Arrive on time:
This kind of goes hand-in-hand with #1. When you are scheduling your massage, try and book it at a time when you know you can make it. There's nothing worse then missing out on the full hour of treatment or stressing about making it there on time. Sometimes the RMT will be able to go a little bit over if you are only a few minutes late, but usually they have another client booked after you and will have to cut the session short. This isn't ideal for many reasons, first - you are stressed and anxious when you arrive and not in a relaxed frame of mind, and secondly - you are missing out on valuable treatment time that you may desperately need. Also, most businesses will still charge you the full rate if you are late, as that time was reserved just for you. Try and arrive a few minutes early, take a seat and let yourself begin to unwind, have a sip of water and set the stage for your massage.
3) Drink plenty of water:
You've probably heard this again and again, but really, water does the body good - especially where massage is concerned. Why? It's simple. Our bodies need water to work properly and efficiently and massage is as demanding as exercise, especially when you are having deeper work performed. Properly hydrated muscles are much easier to work on, respond more quickly to manipulation and have the ability to remove wastes much faster. One of the biggest effects of massage is an increase in circulation, and along with that is the release of water, salt and other minerals and energy by-products, such as lactic acid from the muscle tissue. It is especially important to drink water immediately after your massage and during the next few hours to assist in the removal of any waste materials that were released. This will help to prevent muscle soreness or stiffness and give your body a fighting chance at repair. Be extra vigilant about drinking water if you have had deep tissue or lymphatic drainage as part of your massage.
4) Communicate your needs:
While we may be able to find knots you never knew you had, or muscles you never realized existed, we are not, in fact, mind readers. The more you can tell your RMT about what you want or need out of your massage, the better it's going to be. Generally you will be asked before your session, "What can I help you with today?". Take the opportunity to be as honest with your therapist as possible, indicating which areas you want them to focus on and what you would like to get out of the massage. With the right information, your RMT can suggest a specific treatment plan to meet your needs as closely as possible. Sometimes it is better to focus an entire session on a particularly bad area then massaging a little bit of everywhere. Or perhaps you want a full body massage, with a few minutes of extra attention to your upper back and neck that is bothering you. Be as specific as possible and you will get more out of your massage. Also - don't be shy to mention anything during your treatment that may be relevant. Finding the pressure a bit too much or not enough? Say so. We would much rather be corrected halfway through then not give you the treatment you were after. Sometimes its hard to tell how much pressure is exactly right for you, or if we are on the exact knot that was bugging you.
5) Have a salt bath:
You've probably heard this one as well, but it really does make a big difference after your massage treatment. Just as water helps remove toxins from your body through your kidneys, so does a salt bath but through your largest organ - your skin. Having a hot bath is good, but its the addition of mineralized salts that really does the magic. Salt helps to draw out impurities through your pores while at the same time feeding your body with essential minerals, many that our bodies cannot produce themselves. This helps to detoxify your muscles while giving them the "food" they need to properly repair. It will also cut down on the amount of stiffness and soreness you may feel after a particularly deep massage and actually moisturizes your skin. I generally recommend natural sea salts because they contain a higher number and assortment of minerals and are naturally produced, but you can also use epsom salts which contain magnesium and sulphate. Try and have the salt bath the day of your massage, it doesn't have to be right away but before you go to bed is ideal. If using sea salts add 1/3 - 1/2 cup to a hot bath, if epsom salts you will need 1-2 cups. Soak for 20 minutes and then pat dry, do not rinse off the salt water on your skin because it will continue to absorb and do good things for you! Make sure to stay properly hydrated with lots of water.
