Have you ever wondered how often you should get massages if you want to get them regularly or sparingly? This is often brought up with therapists at the end of a great massage and it’s time to book the next appointment. While it’s going to vary for each person’s individual needs, there is a general guideline to determine how often you should get them.
You may have stress from an injury, from your athletic lifestyle, or simply from the life where a massage would help a great deal with reducing the stress. Take a look at this guide to help you determine your personal needs and how many times you should get a professional massage each month.
If you’re an athlete
The easiest scenario to look at is when it comes to athletics. If you are an athlete, you’ll want to get massaged as frequently as needed for the specific sport you are in and your specific goals. Some athletes get massaged daily while others will do it before a certain event. You’ll need to look at your training schedule and what your therapist recommends for your specific sport, training, and goals.
Pain management
For others, pain management is the reason behind their visits and what is causing stress throughout the week. If you are in pain from an injury and want to reduce or manage your pain, massage therapy is a great technique to do this. Your pain management may be different from someone else’s and will mean that you need an individualized frequency and technique.
If you are in serious pain but it’s not something that requires medical intervention, you could get a massage 1 or 2 times on week one with reduced frequency as the weeks continue, unless two visits a week continues to be necessary.
If you find that your pain is reduced or you’ve started your pain management treatment at a lower pain level, you likely would only need to get a massage once per week or every other week as the pain dissipates.
Personal needs
Sometimes you just need to reduce stress in your life or have a way to manage the stress you can’t help but be faced with. Whether it’s stress from your career, having children, or other physical or mental demands, massage is a great way to reduce the stress and relieve the body.
This is common for someone in a high-stress occupation or living situation, as well as travelers. You can cope with your lifestyle much easier with weekly or bi-weekly massage sessions. It’s helpful to reduce the stress levels and have something to look forward to each week. You may not realize how sore you are until you have a massage, even from just the normal stresses of daily life.
Can you get too many massages?
A massage is a great tool for relieving stress, improving mood, and increasing the overall quality of life and productivity. You’ll often feel better for a full week before you’ll start to notice the need for a return visit unless you are dealing with pain or injury. Your tension headaches will disappear, your energy will increase, and your mental health will improve. Is there such a thing as too many massages when you have benefits like this?
Actually, you can get massaged too frequently. Once a week is the most you should go unless you are dealing with pain or high-intensity sports. Between you and your therapist, you’ll be able to determine the best frequency because your body’s response is a large part of this determination.
You should go at least once per month, but as often as twice per week in severe pain situations. The longer you wait though, and the more often you’ll start the process over of loosening up your muscles because they tense up if you don’t go often enough. Try different techniques, such as deep tissue massage and stress massage depending on your needs.
When your body starts to feel stiff and sore, it’s telling you that it’s time for a massage again, but the type of massage you may need could vary depending on your body’s needs.
If you’ve ever wondered how often you are supposed to get a massage, use this guide to learn how to listen to your body and the benefits of getting one frequently.