FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION
Why Should I Receive a Massage?
A Brief History Of Massage
Massage is considered to be among the oldest of all treatments used by man. Chinese records dating back three thousand years documented its use. The ancient Hindus, Persians, and Egyptians used forms of massage for some ailments, and Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems. Today, massage is an accepted part of many physical rehabilitation programs and has proven beneficial to many chronic conditions such as low-back pain, arthritis, and bursitis. Massage helps relieve the stress and tension of everyday living.
Can Massage, Bodywork, Or Somatic Therapies Benefit Me?
Massage provides relief to people from all walks of life—the weekend or competitive athlete, the home gardener, and the overstressed executive struggling to keep pace in today’s economy. Secretaries, laborers, waitresses—anyone can feel a need for massage at some point in time. The older population, as well, will benefit from massage, as it enhances flexibility and circulation. The bedridden can also be helped in this regard. There are some conditions where massage is not recommended, however. Your practitioner should ask for information regarding any specific health conditions from which you may be suffering in order to determine if massage, bodywork, or somatic therapies are contraindicated. In some cases, the practitioner may need your doctor’s permission before providing services.
Will My Insurance Cover Massage Or Bodywork Services?
If you are in a car accident or have a job-related injury covered by workers’ compensation, insurance may cover massage, bodywork, or somatic therapies when prescribed by a physician. If your insurance covers chiropractic or osteopathic services, the services of a bodywork professional may be covered when prescribed by a chiropractor or osteopath. Therapies provided as part of the prescribed treatment by a physician or registered physical therapist are often covered. The best thing to do is check with your insurance company to see exactly what is covered under what circumstances.
Finding A Qualified Practitioner
Your massage, bodywork, or somatic therapy services should be provided by a professional who has received proper training. Don’t hesitate to ask practitioners about their background, training, and experience. Referrals from friends can usually be relied upon. Members of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals have met stringent requirements regarding training and must adhere to a strict code of ethics in order to remain members. ABMP offers a referral service to the public and will provide you with a list of practitioners in your area, for information visit www.massagetherapy.com.
Taking Care Of Yourself
Care of your body should be at the top of your priority list. You will feel and look better if you take the necessary steps regarding health and nutrition in this age of increased longevity. Stress relief alone can improve your vitality and state of mind. Massage, bodywork, and somatic therapies could play an important role in your life.
Massage For Pain And Emotional Problems
With many chronic ailments, massage can relieve the pain and help heal. As with physical problems, emotional problems may also be stimulated into self-healing with massage. In many cases, this helps eliminate the need to take harmful chemical drugs, which will unnecessarily burden the liver, kidneys, and other vital organs.
Types Of Massage, Bodywork, And Somatic Therapies
Swedish Massage — The most common form of massage, Swedish mainly relaxes the muscles and eases aches and pains.
Sports Massage — For the athlete, sports massage techniques are utilized at all stages: pre-event, post-event, during training, and to expedite rehabilitation after injury.
Shiatsu — Japanese acupressure massage that restores energy to the body.
Reflexology — Massage of the feet, hands, and/or ears stimulates corresponding areas in the body.
There are more than one hundred fifty variations of massage, bodywork, and somatic therapy techniques. Many practitioners utilize an integration of techniques.
What To Expect During A Massage
Will I be covered during the session?
You will be properly draped at all times to keep you warm and comfortable. Only the area being worked on will be exposed.
What parts of my body will be massaged?
You and the practitioner will discuss the desired outcome of your session. This will determine which parts of your body require massage. A typical full-body session will include work on your back, arms, legs, feet, hands, head, neck, and shoulders. You will not be touched on or near your genitals (male or female) or breasts (female).
Will lotion be used?
A light oil or lotion may be used to permit your muscles to be worked on without causing excessive friction to the skin. The lubricants used should hydrate the skin and be readily absorbed.
What will the massage or bodywork feel like?
It depends on the techniques used. In a general Swedish massage, your session may start with broad, flowing strokes that will help to calm your nervous system and ease exterior muscle tension. As your body unwinds, pressure will gradually be increased to relax and relieve specific areas of muscular tension. You should communicate with your practitioner immediately if you feel any discomfort so that another approach may be taken. Massage and bodywork are most effective when your body is not resisting.
Are there different kinds of massage and bodywork?
There are numerous types of massage and bodywork. Various techniques utilize different strokes, including basic rubbing strokes, rocking movement, posture and movement reeducation, application of pressure to specific points, and more. Ask the practitioner about the methods she uses.
How long will the session last?
The average full-body massage or bodywork session lasts approximately one hour. A half-hour appointment only allows time for a partial massage session, for instance the neck and shoulders, back, or legs and feet. Many people prefer a sixty-to-ninety-minute session for optimal relaxation. Always allow relaxation time prior to and after the session. Hot tubs, steam baths, and saunas can assist in the relaxation process.
What should I do during the massage or bodywork session?
Make yourself comfortable. The practitioner will either gently move you or tell you what is needed throughout the session (such as lifting your arm). Many people just close their eyes and completely relax. Others like to talk during their session. Feel free to ask the practitioner questions about massage and bodywork in general or about the particular technique you are receiving.
Who will perform the massage or bodywork?
Your session will be conducted by Donita Grebner, Licensed Massage Therapist, a professional who has received proper training. Although no two massages are exactly alike, you may request a certain technique or modality.
Must I be completely undressed?
Most massage and bodywork techniques are traditionally performed with the client unclothed; however, you may decide what amount of clothing you prefer to wear for your own comfort. You will be properly draped during the session.
The practitioner will leave the room while you undress, relax onto the table, and cover yourself with a clean sheet.
How will I feel after the massage or bodywork session?
Most people feel very relaxed. Some experience freedom from long-term aches and pains developed from tension or repetitive activity. After an initial period of feeling slowed down, people often experience increased energy, heightened awareness, and greater productivity, which can last for days. Since toxins are released from your soft tissues during a massage, it is recommended you drink plenty of water afterward.
What are the benefits of massage and bodywork?
Massage and bodywork can help release chronic muscular tension and pain, improve circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental and physical fatigue and stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular tissue, improve posture, and reduce blood pressure. Massage and bodywork are also known to promote better sleep, improve concentration, reduce anxiety, and create an overall sense of well-being.
Are there any medical conditions that would make massage or bodywork inadvisable?
Yes. That’s why it’s imperative that before you begin your session, the practitioner ask general health questions. It is very important that you inform the practitioner of any health problems or medications you are taking. If you are under a doctor’s care, it is strongly advised that you receive a written recommendation for massage or bodywork prior to any session. Many practitioners may require a recommendation or approval from your doctor.
Sports Massage
How Is Sports Massage Administered?
Sports massage should be a regular part of every athlete’s training program. Athletes have different massage needs at different times. There are three basic categories:
Pre-Event: A quick treatment (rhythmic pumping) is a supplement to warm-up. It boosts circulation and increases flexibility and range of motion, thereby reducing muscle pain and soreness, leaving muscles relaxed and ready for action. Pre-event massage can help prevent muscle and tendon injuries and reduce the strain and discomfort of training. It also can be a great psychological advantage in competition.
Post-Event: Recovery after a competition involves not only the normalization and repair of tissue, but also general relaxation and mental calming. Post-event sports massage increases circulation to quicken the removal of fatigue toxins, relieve muscle spasms, and prevent soreness. It is used to assist athletes in recovery and in regaining their pre-event condition by relaxing tight, fatigued muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Training: Throughout training and rigorous regular athletic activity, massage helps prevent injuries. Areas of muscular stress can result from repetitive or stressful motion and are typically precursors to injury. Sports massage assists in relieving muscular stress and preventing injuries, enabling harder and more consistent training. Adequate recovery is also a major factor in avoiding nagging minor injuries that inhibit maximum performance.
What Are The Common Causes Of Sports Injuries?
Injuries are commonly experienced when an individual has over trained, fails to sufficiently warm up, receives trauma, or has muscular imbalances, poor flexibility, mineral deficiencies, inadequate endurance, or simply does too much too soon. Insufficient muscle strength and poor muscle tone may also lead to injury or a muscle tear.
How Can Sports Massage Help In Rehabilitation?
Sports massage can accelerate the healing process, increase range of motion, reduce adhesions, and reduce swelling, bruising, and pain. Areas of stress in other muscles, created through compensating for an injury, can be eased with a regular sports massage regimen. Sports massage can partially compensate for lack of exercise during inactivity while recovering from injury. Sports massage is also used to relieve muscular spasms and fatigue-related injuries.
Why Is Sports Massage Recommended?
Sports massage is more than just a reward at the end of a workout. It is a vital tool for keeping athletes primed for top performance and even lengthening their careers. Recognized as an important part of a regular maintenance program, sports massage is widely used by individuals, teams, and Olympic and professional athletes.
What Areas Will Be Massaged?
Sports massage may focus on specific muscles used in your sport or fitness activity. For example, areas of greater stress for runners and cyclists are the legs and lower back; for swimmers, the upper body.
What Is Sports Massage?
Sports massage is a form of massage that utilizes specific strokes to help athletes obtain maximum performance and physical conditioning by increasing power, endurance, and mobility—both before and after an event or exercise.
Who Can Benefit?
Sports massage is particularly beneficial when an athlete is in training for an event. It’s also helpful for anyone who routinely stretches physical limits through movement. Swimmers, weight lifters, runners, golfers, ball players, skaters, dancers, tennis players, musicians, and boxers, as well as weekend warriors and those who practice strength training or aerobics, have benefited from sports massage.
Geriatric Massage
What Is Geriatric Massage?
Geriatric massage encompasses basic relaxation and stress relief and is also a beneficial tool in fighting many of the symptoms of aging. Today, massage in all its forms is at the forefront of alternative and complementary therapies utilized by millions of people.
How Will It Benefit Me?
Geriatric massage can increase blood circulation, combat depression, improve balance and flexibility, reduce the pain of arthritis, increase joint mobility, improve posture, and encourage overall well-being.
What Should I Be Prepared For During The Massage
Whether having the massage at your home or at the practitioner’s office, there are certain things you should expect during a massage. Most massage and bodywork techniques are traditionally performed with the client unclothed; however, you may decide what amount of clothing you prefer to wear for your own comfort. The practitioner will leave the room while you undress, relax on the table, and cover yourself with a clean sheet. Throughout the session, you will be properly draped or covered. Only the area being worked on will be exposed. A light oil or lotion may be used to permit your muscles to be worked on without causing excessive friction to the skin. The average full-body session lasts approximately one hour, but some clients enjoy shorter, thirty-minute sessions.
Should I Have A Doctor’s Permission?
In most cases, the answer is yes. If you have a specific health condition, you must receive permission from your physician to proceed with massage. Oftentimes, the massage therapist will ask to speak to your doctor directly. This is merely a precaution to ensure your good health. As with any population, there are certain conditions that are contraindicated for massage, hence the importance of communication.
Will My Insurance Cover Massage Or Bodywork Services?
If you are in an automobile accident or have a job-related injury covered by workers’ compensation, insurance may likely cover massage, bodywork, or somatic therapies when prescribed by a physician. If your insurance covers chiropractic or osteopathic services, the services of a bodywork professional may be covered when prescribed by a chiropractor or osteopath. Therapies provided as part of the prescribed treatment by a physician or registered physical therapist are often covered. The best thing to do is check with your insurance company to see exactly what is covered under what circumstances.
Finding A Qualified Practitioner
Your massage services should be provided by a professional who has received proper training. Don’t hesitate to ask practitioners about their background, training, and experience. Referrals from friends can usually be relied on. Members of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals have met eligibility requirements regarding training and must adhere to a strict code of ethics in order to remain members.
If you don’t find all you need please call 563-210-7198 or email Donita at dgrebner@mchsi.com.