Massage Questions
Some answers to common questions to help make your first visit both informed and comfortable.Massage Questions
Stirling Sports Therapy aims to provide you with the best service appropriate for your needs.
At this stage you may never have booked or considered having massage before. Or it may have been a long time since you last had massage. To help you make that decision to book your first massage, we have created this page to provide answers to just some of the popular questions that people generally have in their mind to begin with.
Hopefully these FAQs will provide you with the information you need to make your first booking with us. This page is designed to make your first visit go as smoothly as possible so that you can relax and enjoy the full benefit of your treatment.
If you feel you still have any questions that remain unanswered before you make your first booking, then please get in touch and we will help you as much as we can. We look forward to seeing you sometime soon!
Before My Massage
What Happens on My First Visit?
We will ask you to complete a short health questionnaire. We will ask you let us know about any parts of your body that are particularly sensitive or are giving you discomfort. The questionnaire should take around ten minutes. We will ask you if there are any particular parts of your body that you want us to work on and what you want to get from the session.
What Should I Wear?
For massage, it is best that you remove as much outer clothing as possible down to loose shorts or suitable underwear to allow access to the area being treated. You will be given privacy to undress. For your modesty and warmth you will be covered in large towels and only the area being massaged at any one time is uncovered. The room will be warm and quiet. The lights may be dimmed with soft relaxing music in the background to aid relaxation.
What Massage Should I Get?
Most of our first-time clients come for either a Swedish massage or Mixed Massage where relaxation and de-stressing is high on their agenda.
Part of the way through you might ask for massage strokes to be lighter or stronger. Also, during the massage we may discover knotted areas within muscles, or trigger points. Part of the massage may then focus on aspects of trigger point release massage. Likewise, once your muscles are warmed up the massage may change direction according to what we find and what you feel comfortable with on your first visit.
Your first visit very often makes you aware of where the niggles are and what the focus of your next massage will be. Some people may require a greater focus on Sports Massage, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Release or Remedial Massage. For others, it may simply be more of the Swedish massage or Mixed Massage. You will begin to learn more about your body and you will develop an idea of how different sections are functioning.
Are There Times I Shouldn't Get a Massage?
There are few conditions which would prevent you from enjoying massage. However, you should postpone your massage if you have a fever, cold/flu, or contagious skin infection. That’s it.
There are many other conditions in which our therapist may need to adapt her techniques (e.g. arthritis or osteoporosis) or avoid an area completely (e.g. cuts or burns). With some conditions it is a good idea to get an approval from your doctor before you receive massage (cancer, certain heart conditions, pregnancy). This doesn’t mean you can’t get massage. But its always better to err on the side of caution.
Our therapist can advise you about your specific needs if you are in any doubt.
During My Massage
What Will I Do During the Massage?
You will be asked to lie on our comfortable and sturdy massage table and to make yourself comfortable. We will guide you and can provide you with a towel or pillow to help you get comfortable if you require.
Basically, relax and enjoy your massage. You can change your position at any time to get comfortable. Let us know if you feel any discomfort or if any of the massage strokes are too strong. Or, let us know if you would like the strokes to be heavier in a specific area. You can maintain silence or you can talk, It’s up to you. Feel free to ask any questions along the way. You won’t hurt our feelings! At the end of the day, we want you to get the best experience and to be able to relax and enjoy.
How Long Does Massage Last?
The average full-body massage treatment lasts approximately one hour. A half-hour appointment only allows time for a partial massage session, such as neck and shoulders, back or legs and feet. Many people prefer a 60 to 90-minute session for optimal relaxation. Always allow relaxation time prior to and after the session.
Will The Massage Hurt?
This depends on the type of massage and the depth of the strokes. A light, relaxing massage that doesn’t probe very deep into the muscles shouldn’t hurt. With that being said, there is often a ‘not too bad’ hurt and an ‘please stop it’ hurt. A good massage, even a really deep tissue massage, should always be within the ‘not too bad’ hurt range, if indeed it hurts at all.
Pain may well be an indication that the muscle is possibly injured or inflamed and we will be able to adjust the pressure accordingly. Also, pain can cause you to tighten up and counteract the positive benefits of the massage. The most effective and deepest massage always works with your body’s natural response, not against it.
After My Massage
How Will I Feel Afterwards?
Most people feel very relaxed. Some experience a significant decrease or freedom from long-term aches and pains. Many feel a little slowed down for a short period and then notice an increase of energy, heightened awareness and increased productivity which can last for days.
If you received a deep massage, you may be slightly sore the next day – much like a good workout at the gym. Sometimes a hot shower, or a soak in the tub can ease this soreness.
After your session you should increase your water intake a bit. Just a glass or two more than normal is usually fine. This helps keep your body’s tissues hydrated and healthy.
How Often Should I Get a Massage?
Good question! Some of our clients are able to treat themselves to a relaxing massage once or twice a month while others come for a relaxing Swedish or Mixed Massage once every two months to keep themselves feeling great. Some clients have given up smoking or alcohol and prefer to spend their saved money on our body treatments instead. If you are in a similar situation yourself, we can put you in touch with clients who can explain to you how their lives have been transformed.
We have other clients who know they need to address a specific condition. For this, we recommended to come more frequently (say once a week) at first and then slowly taper down to an appropriate maintenance schedule. Sometimes more frequent 30-minute sessions can be effective until your goals are met and a maintenance schedule is in place.
Frequency of sessions can be discussed with our massage therapist after your treatment when she has a better hands-on understanding of your particular muscular issues. Our therapist can also discuss block booking discounts if you require multiple sessions to get healthy again.
Is There A Question We Haven’t Answered?
We’d love to hear from you.
If you still have any questions before making a booking then please get in touch. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have at this stage.
If you want to speak to us, call us on
0754 526 7822
Email: info@stirlingsportstherapy.co.uk
Contact Us
Your body has the natural ability to heal itself. Our Massage Therapy and Sports Therapy techniques are effective in helping the body’s muscles and connective tissues to remodel and realign. We help you get back to full function by targeting the root cause of your condition. But don’t just take our word for it – check out our Testimonials section to see what some of our clients are saying!