We’re often asked about how often people should get a massage, and it’s a really difficult question to answer properly as there are so many different factors involved.  If you already have a great massage therapist who knows you and your lifestyle, it’s a great idea to have a chat with them to come up with a guide to how often massage would be good for you.

The main things to consider are your overall health, stress levels, whether you’re in any kind of pain and also whether you are a regular exerciser or athlete.  You’ll certainly be able to get the best from your massages if you have them regularly to keep up the benefits.  Massage helps in so many ways; it relaxes you, improves circulation, relieves pain and can even help to manage long term pain conditions like arthritis.

When You’re Stressed

Whether the stress is coming from your everyday work or a life event that’s taking its toll on you, a massage can be really beneficial.  If the stress is long term and ongoing, it figures that your massage therapy should be the same.

If your job involves frequent travel, it’s also a good idea to get a massage more regularly, as this can put a lot of stress on the body on top of the inactivity from driving or flying.  A weekly or bi-weekly massage is ideal if you are really feeling the pressure, because the tension can build up when you’re dealing with stressful situations and before you know it, it can get on top of you.  Just scheduling in that bit of weekly me-time can go a long way towards relaxing you and helping you deal with the things that are stressing you out.

When You’re In Physical Pain

Massage can be a very good pain reliever.  if you are in chronic pain and don’t want to keep taking higher and higher doses of pain medication to try and alleviate it, it an be worth trying a regular course of massage therapy to get on top of the pain and manage it better.

By finding a massage therapist you trust and telling them that you are dealing with a chronic pain condition they can suggest different massage techniques, like deep tissue massage and pressure point massage to try alongside a massage on a regular basis.  For chronic pain, a minimum of weekly massage is recommended – more if the pain is severe, at least to start with.  You can then reduce to weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, depending on how you feel.

When You Exercise A lot

It is important to make sure your muscles and joints are kept in the best possible health when you’re an athlete or do a lot of exercise.  Higher levels of physical activity are great for your fitness, but it can put strain on tissues and joints and leave you prone to injury.  If you’re very active or an athlete you could consider a bi-weekly or monthly massage – even more if you are training for an event.  Every 4-6 weeks is fine if you are not in training.  Massage is a great way to give yourself a competitive advantage, as you can train harder without having to worry about injuring yourself.

In general

If you just want to have a massage for the health benefits but don’t have a medical or physical need, a monthly massage should be all you need to get the benefits of regular massage.  Scheduling a relaxing massage treatment for yourself on a regular basis means that you can build on the effects of each session, whereas if you only have a massage occasionally you have to start again from scratch every time!

Have a chat with your massage therapist if you’re looking for great advice on how many sessions you need – it’s what we’re here for!

If you have any questions or would like any more information please Contact us.

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