How often should you get a massage?

The reason why I love massage!

It is clear to see that sports massage is on the rise in UK and when you do your research it’s easy to see why.

As a younger athlete I was fortunate enough to play sport 4 or 5 times a week and never had to worry about my body. I was able to stay injury free for the best part of my career and it wasn’t until my late 20’s early 30’s, after pulling my hamstring playing football that I fully understood the frustration of not being able to play sport due to debilitating pain.

To make it worse I was guilty of doing what I’ve seen most of my team mates do in the past, to try get back to playing again as quickly as possible, without seeing a specialist or fully treating the injury. As a result it won’t come as a surprise to you that after a game or two back playing my hamstring would go again and I would be back at square one. To make it worse if it wasn’t my hamstring going then it was my neck or something else going on the right side of my body.

It wasn’t until a few years ago playing football with a friend, who ran his own successfully massage business, that I experienced sports massage for the first time. After coming off the football field, yet again, with another injury he was able to treat me after the game and found that my injuries were caused by a pelvis tilt, which was putting stress on the right side of my body. It’s funny because I’ve been taking my car in for its regular service and MOT every year but in 30 years of playing sports I never once thought about maintaining and servicing my body! After the short treatment I could instantly feel the benefits of his work, most noticeable the increased range of movement I found at my neck. From there on I was hooked and have received a sports massage on a regular basis ever since.

How often should you get a massage?

There are no definite rules with the regularity of massage, I would say though that it's a shame people tend to only leave it like I did until they have aches and pains. You can have them as often as you like and not just as a luxury. The benefits of massage are often felt immediately, for some as soon as they hit the massage table they start to unwind. If you are however going to have deep tissue massage, you may feel a little discomfort during the massage if you have tense muscles, but after your body will thank you for it. Massage is a beautiful way to rebalance yourself as a whole, whenever you feel like it.

How often you should have a full body massage depends on a combination of elements: how your body feels, how much time you can devote to it and financial commitments. If you have no specific injuries, aches or pains a sports massage once every 4wks would be perfect to ensure that any muscle tightness or imbalance is spotted before it can cause pain. If you have a specific reason for seeking a massage it is advisable to have a weekly session until you see a result, usually within a couple of weeks, then reduce down to a massage every couple of weeks until you can leave it for a longer period. Be guided by your body and the recommendation of your therapist. If you choose sport massage this will work on specific muscles and can cause tenderness for a few days following a treatment before it all feels a lot better. If you have general tension and are looking for stress relief you may find a Swedish or hot stone massage more beneficial. I would recommend you treat yourself to a hot stone massage or Swedish massage every 4 or 6 weeks to fully receive the benefits of both.

So don’t leave it like I did or until your next suffering from an injury to book yourself a massage. Treat yourself to a massage every month and enjoy the benefits that will surely follow.

I mean come on it works out less than a coffee a day!!! .