Should A Massage Hurt?

Should a massage hurt? That’s a very common question I get a lot when I am talking to a new client over phone. Many people think that a deep tissue needs to be painful, and that’s simply not true.  If there is an area that has a knot and it tight, yes you will feel some pain/discomfort. But what you are feeling while the knot is being worked out should feel good. You should never feel tense or uncomfortable while you are having the area worked out.

During your deep tissue massage in the intake it’s important as the client that you let your therapist know about your pain, where the pain is, how long you have been in pain, and if you are taking pain medication. This will help your therapist understand the big picture of what’s going on in your body.

During your massage always please speak up if the pressure is too deep or comfortable. Don’t ever think you just need to take it! When the pressure from the massage therapists is too deep for the client, your body get tense and doesn’t allow the therapist to be able to move through the different layers of your muscle and soft tissue. By feeling you need to “take it” you are setting yourself up to be sore or even bruised the next day. And we don’t want that. Therapists are trained to watch out for those no verbal clues, but even the most seasoned therapist can be fooled. That’s why it’s important to ask your therapist to adjust their pressure if it is too uncomfortable.

After your deep tissue massage ways to prevent from being sore the next day are: Put ice on the area that has had a lot of work on. Apply an ice pack 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off, while watching TV is a perfect time to apply an ice pack. And some gentle stretches at home can also prevent the muscle from getting tight again. Just ask your therapist for some suggested stretches or check out www.youtube.com there are plenty of video’s to pick from.

No pain no gain is not a good mantra for a deep tissue massage. Super deep and comfortable massage is not always option for a lot of people. You may be doing more harm than good. And the whole point of getting a great massage is to help your body heal faster.

Lesson here a massage should never hurt too much.