Frequently Asked Questions About Your Massage Appointment

Massage is a relaxing experience. In order to help you feel relaxed and comfortable, here's a little information about what to expect for your massage at Structural Therapeutics.

Should I do anything before my appointment?

What should I expect when I arrive?

Do I have to take off all my clothes?

What should I expect during my massage?

What happens when we're finished?

Is there anything I need to do after my massage?

Q: Should I do anything before my appointment?

A: There are several things you can do before your massage appointment to make sure you get the maximum benefit from your massage. First, try to be relaxed. We know you're coming for a relaxing experience, and the best way to take advantage of what we can offer you is to put yourself in a relaxed frame of mind. Get a good night's sleep before (if you can) and avoid caffeine.

It's also helpful if you make a list of what's bothering you. If there are specific problem areas, write down where they are, what the pain feels like, if specific actions cause it to worsen or feel better and other contextual information. Start making the list a few days in advance; it's easy to forget what's been bothering you if it's not hurting at the moment.

Bring a waterbottle with you if you won't be going home right away after your massage. It's important to drink plenty of water following massage (especially deep tissue massage or trigger point massage). You'll be more likely to do that if you have water already in your car.

Wear loose, comfortable clothing that can be easily washed if it gets a bit oily from massage oil residue on your skin.

Q: What should I expect when I arrive?

A: If you arrive a bit early for your appointment, let yourself in the door and have a seat in the lobby area. Your therapist will be out to meet you shortly. He or she may be finishing another appointment, so we appreciate you completely turning off your cell phone and enjoying the quiet, spa-like atmosphere of our lobby.

Your therapist will guide you to one of the massage rooms, which will have soft lighting and probably ambient music playing. If this is your first appointment, your therapist will ask about your history, physical issues you've had, what your goals for movement are and generally get an idea of which treatment methods will be most effective for you.

Q: Do I have to take off all my clothes?

A: Please remove as much you feel comfortable with. Full nudity, while it may seem a little disconcerting, provides us the best access to muscles in the lower back and buttocks that frequently cause problems in other areas. Ladies, as you may guess, a bra does prevent effective access to back muscles.

A sheet is provided for you to use, and your therapist will work around the sheet. At no point will you be fully uncovered.

We absolutely understand that modesty can be a concern, so please don't hesitate to communicate what you are comfortable or uncomfortable with to your therapist. He or she will make every effort to ensure that you are at ease and don't feel overexposed.

Q: What should I expect during my massage?

A: After your initial conversation, your therapist will step out for a few minutes to let you disrobe. Place your clothing on the chair that's provided, lie down on the table and cover up with the sheet.

Your therapist will knock on the door and wait for you to give the "ok" to enter. If there's anything you would like adjusted, like the temperature or the music, this is a good time to say so.

At this point, your therapist will apply lotion or oil to your skin and begin working. The first few minutes will be exploratory, feeling around for knots and tender or painful spots. Don't hesitate to give feedback.

Trigger point massage or deep tissue massage isn't exactly the kind of bodywork that you'll fall asleep for. It might hurt, and it's important to keep a bit of a dialog going with your therapist and speak up if something hurts too much or doesn't feel right. Your therapist won't be offended if you say, "Hey, that's too much pressure," but we need to know so we can adjust.

Try to breathe deeply and steadily. It's beneficial to breathe through any pain or pressure, as it helps your muscles stay loose and release tension.

Q: What happens when we're finished?

A: Your therapist will leave the room. You might want to lie still on the table for a few minutes to allow your body to adjust and let go of any tension that's remaining.

If you'd like, you can take a quick shower to rinse off the oil or lotion. Just so you know, massage oil that's on your skin can soak into your clothes, so it's good to wear a t-shirt that can be soaked or washed easily.

Get dressed and come out to the lobby when you're ready.

Q: Is there anything I need to do after my massage?

A: Drink plenty of water and don't do anything intense for a day or so (that includes cardio activity, lifting weights, playing sports, things like that). You might feel slightly nauseous; this is normal.

If you've had more intense trigger point work done, you will probably feel a little sore the next day. Again, that's very normal, but you should take it easy until the soreness has mostly abated. Your muscles may have been stretched and worked in ways they never have before, and they'll need a little time to recover.