The first step towards recovery is awareness
Preparing mentally and physically before your massage appointment, regardless if it is for wellness or rehabilitation, is a great way to enhance your experience and support your body’s natural healing.
For those new to massage therapy, or for anyone looking to get the most out of their session, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind.
Avoid setting up a session right after a strenuous workout or during a particularly hectic part of your day. Ideally, choose a time when you can relax afterward and not feel pressed for time.
Regarding what you eat and drink before your massage, aim for a light meal if you need to eat beforehand, and try to avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of your appointment. A full stomach can be uncomfortable when lying on the massage table and may distract you from fully relaxing. If you’re hungry, a light snack like a piece of fruit should be sufficient.
Breath control
The most important aspect of treatment for the patient is to concentrate on maintaining a steady breathing rhythm. Correct breathing using the diaphragm, means that the body activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Effective breathing involves adapting to the body’s needs and balancing oxygen intake and carbon dioxide expulsion. The ideal breathing pattern varies depending on current activities, emotional state, and health conditions. Here are some interesting myths about breathing
To check you breathing properly and to the highest level of efficiency,
1. place one hand on your chest, and the other on your stomach
2. breathe in and out
3. only the bottom hand on your stomach should move,
as your diaphragm stretches to pull the lungs down and fill up, then contract pushing the lungs back in to empty.
According to recent research, in general we should be breathing less, and during a myotherapy treatment, there may be moments where concentrating on your breathing can be challenging.
Concerning rehabilitation, physical diagnostic testing to evaluate various conditions can quickly shift your focus from breathing, especially when balance is involved and/or pain is triggered.
What is more important, to inhale, or to exhale?
If we lengthen the exhale, science has shown that we can accumulate more nitric oxide (NO) in the blood which relaxes the walls of the arteries (vasodilation), leading to better blood circulation and delivery of nutrients, reaching more cells and nourishing and relaxing more efficiently the entire body.
Avoid strong perfumes or heavy lotions on your skin before the massage. If you have specific shoes you use frequently this could also be useful to bring for further gait analysis.
If you have any specific areas of tension or discomfort, or if you have any health concerns, make sure to communicate this.
For those new to massage, it’s normal to feel a bit nervous and/ or have many questions, especially when you are in pain. Make sure to ask about the process or techniques if you feel necessary. Understanding what will happen can help alleviate anxiety and make you more comfortable.
Remember to focus on your breathing—long, slow exhales, and only inhaling through the nose.
Conscious breathing with extended exhales and shorter inhales helps to stretch and relax muscles supporting the spine, and therefore if the breath is constant and specifically not held at any moment during the treatment, there is less tension throughout the body, giving more flexibility to the skeletal structure, making it easier to reach tension that is possibly building up over years.
After your treatment, continue to drink plenty of water. Hydration helps flush out metabolic waste released from your muscles and further enhances blood flow and lymphatic circulation.
By preparing thoughtfully and taking care of yourself in between sessions, you can not only enhance your massage experience but balance your mind and body more effectively, helping you to heal and cleanse your self more easily.
