Sarah Babbitt Massage Therapy
Truly Personalized Therapy
8 Myths about Massage Therapy

8 Myths about Massage Therapy

Sarah M. Babbitt 

  1. You must be nude to receive massage.

Your comfort level is the guide. There are many types of massage, and for some of them the client never removes any of their clothing. Most typically in this country, clients remove most or all of their clothing, sometimes leaving on their underwear. But a good therapist should be able to give you an effective and satisfying session no matter your level of dress. If you are undressed, you should be covered with a sheet, blanket or towel except for right where the therapist is working. Your Massage Therapist should address this question before your session, but if they do not, feel free to ask about their expectations and let them know of your preference. It’s your body and your session----you’ll get more out of it if you are truly comfortable.

  1. It must hurt to be effective (aka: More pressure is always better).

Nope!

Very focused, deep work can be hugely effective. But even very soothing, light touch can have profound effects on the nervous system. So even if it isn’t deep work you are receiving many of the benefits of massage: relaxation of tight muscles, stress relief, enhanced immune system, decreased blood pressure, better circulation, etc. And there are times when gentle coaxing of the tissue is much more effective than more direct, intense work.

Let your therapist know what type of work you tend to prefer, and always feel free to ask about why they are working a certain way. But also remember that more is not always better.

  1. Massage feels nice, but that’s all.

Bodywork can accomplish many direct and indirect benefits, and different types of bodywork can have different goals. Yes, it can feel very nice when it’s happening, and potentially be very relaxing and cleansing. Those are important goals in themselves. It can also accomplish profound changes in the body’s soft tissue (muscles, fascia, tendons, etc.), leading to improved range of motion, injury rehabilitation, a more balanced body, decreased pain, and better performance. Lower blood pressure and stress levels, an enhanced immune response, increased body awareness and a general increase in your sense of well-being are also added bonuses!

  1. The Massage Therapist is in charge

 

Since yours is the body receiving the work, you are always in charge of what happens to it. If you are in any way uncomfortable with what is going on, it is your right and responsibility to speak up. Ideally, the client and therapist are working together during the session. Breathing into the work (never hold your breath!), and giving feedback on pressure, your temperature or if the headrest or bolster need to be adjusted slightly are all important. And of course massage therapy is not sexual, and your therapist should never touch you in any remotely inappropriate manner! If that occurs (and it never should!) you should stop the session immediately and they should be reported to the authorities.

 

  1. All massages are the same.

Every massage therapist is different, and you are at a different place, physically and emotionally, every time you walk in the door. If you are interested in receiving massage but didn’t like a past session when you tried it, consider trying a different massage therapist. Or talk in more depth with the original therapist about your hopes and preferences for the session, so they understand what you might not have liked about the first session, and so you leave the session pleased and having received what you came for.

  1. You must have a full-body massage.

It’s your session. Having a full-body session is not a requirement. If you want to focus on your back, shoulders and neck the whole time, or just on your hands and feet---or whatever combination of areas you want---that’s fine. Be sure to make clear to the therapist what you’d like to focus on. They will likely do some additional work to integrate the focused areas into the whole body at the end of the session, but overall the time can be spent any way you’d like.

  1. The Massage Therapist should only work right where it hurts.

The human body is highly complex, and our muscles and connective tissues exert complicated forces on us. Often pain in one area is caused by patterns of tension or dysfunction in other areas. So your Massage Therapist will work with the painful area, but also will likely address other related areas so as to get to the root of the problem. Always feel free to ask questions if you have them----your therapist can explain why they are working where they are, and offer ideas for ways you can address the problem between massage sessions.

  1. I’m going to feel spaced-out after a session

Most people feel very relaxed after receiving bodywork, but also find that they can be very focused and clear-thinking. That is one reason why employers find it beneficial to offer chair massage at their companies. It’s amazing how productive and relaxed you can be after even just a 15- or 20-minute chair massage! Consider asking whether chair massage might be possible at your place of work.

Always feel free to stop by or call your massage therapist to ask questions or voice concerns. We love doing bodywork, and we love educating people about how it might be of help!

Sarah M. Babbitt, Licensed Massage Therapist

Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
Member, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals 970-472-0766
530 South College Ave., Suite 3, Fort Collins, CO 80524
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