One question Bella Santé massage therapists frequently hear from their clients is “How often should I get a massage?” As with many health and wellness services, the answer depends on the person asking and the benefits he or she hopes to receive.
Here are the general guidelines our experienced massage therapists recommend:
Schedule Regular Massages For Good Health
For general wellness aim for a frequency of about once or twice a month. This allows people in generally good health to receive all the health benefits, and allows each massage to build upon the last so that you are not essentially starting over from scratch each time.
Massage For Treatment of Chronic Conditions
If you want a massage for the treatment of a chronic condition such as migraines, neck aches and backaches, you'll need to receive one more frequently to see relief. It is recommended to start off with twice weekly massages for the first four to six weeks, and then gradually increase the time between sessions as symptoms improve. While chronic conditions are generally not solved in a single session, most can be well managed by regular, effective massages.
Massage For Enhanced Athletic Performance
Massage is a necessary support mechanism for athletes to maintain muscle health and flexibility. People heavily involved in sports should have a massage as often as two to three times per week during periods of intense training and less often—perhaps once or twice a month—during the off-season. Massages helps athletes reach peak physical fitness while giving some protection from injury.
Massage For Stress Relief
Studies conducted on the benefits of massage have demonstrated that massage helps combat stress, anxiety and insomnia related to stress. People going through a particularly stressful situation or those leading high stress lives should aim to get a massage every one to two weeks.
The bottom line is that people who wish to treat specific medical conditions will need to have massages more frequently than people who want massages strictly for enjoyment and relaxation. If you want to know which category you fit into best, it's always a good policy to speak with an experienced massage therapist to create a schedule that's customized for you.
