Increase the Comfort of Your Massage by Addressing These Areas
Posted on: 3 August 2016
When you receive a massage, it's imperative that you're comfortable on the table. When you're in comfort, you'll be able to truly relax and allow the massage therapist to work on your muscles. When you're not comfortable, your body may be under tension, which will keep your muscles tight and limit the efficacy of the treatment. While your massage therapist is an expert in keeping patients comfortable, he or she doesn't know exactly what you're feeling. As such, you shouldn't shy away from making the following requests to ensure that your comfort is as high as it can be.
Raise or Lower the Headrest
When you're positioned on the stomach, the comfort of your neck is largely dependent on the position of the headrest. If it's too high, you may feel a pinching sensation at the rear of your neck, which can be uncomfortable. If it's too low, you could feel a strain in your neck. Don't be afraid to ask the massage therapist to either raise or lower the headrest; he or she will do so quickly to provide relief before you begin to get uncomfortable. Keep in mind that your neck's comfort can change over time, so you may need to have the headrest adjusted more than once during the massage.
Provide More Support for Your Body
During a massage, the therapist will often use pillows and other types of cushions to support your body. Whether you're lying on your front or your back, you should be in a pain-free, neutral position that promotes relaxation. You can always make support-related requests. For example, when you're on your back, a pillow will often be placed beneath your knees. This allows your legs to bend slightly so that they're not stiff. If the pillow is too thin, and you're aware of some knee discomfort, ask to have the pillow replaced with a thicker one.
Adjust Things for Your Temperature
Regardless of the time of year that you're visiting the massage therapist, you want to be sure that your body temperature is comfortable. Being too cold can cause you to tense your muscles, while being massaged when you're hot won't likely be pleasant. Simply ask your therapist to remove or add a blanket at the beginning of the treatment. As your relaxation deepens, you may begin to feel chilly toward the end of the massage. In this case, the therapist can add a second blanket to counteract your relaxation-related chills.
For more information about how you should feel during the ideal massage, ask your massage therapist or a professional like Haring Marc DC for more information.
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