Massage Medic: Meeting Expectations

If you're reading this then I imagine you are trying to decide what therapy or treatment you should have, or you think is best either through past experience or recommendation.

If you haven't been referred on then perhaps you'll be considering many different things in addition such as price, location as well as using your instinct too - quite a few decisions needing to be made before you book your first appointment with a practitioner.

It is important, certainly at the initial consultation and thereafter, to work together to get the best from each session making sure that it is an active session and that we work towards achieving tangible gains such as alleviating pain and discomfort, reducing tension, increasing range of movement and flexibility etc.

What's important to understand, especially if you're not used to regular massage whether for remedial or relaxing purposes, is that after each session the massage may resonate with you in different ways - everyone reacts differently.

You may feel worse the next day depending on the session's objective particularly if you haven't had massage before or for a long time - your body may be more sensitive than you realise. You may also feel benefits that you weren't expecting. For example: being more relaxed, brighter, a more felt-sense of your body, increased flexibility and range of movement.

With the massage sessions your body will become more pliable and attuned especially if you have regular massage for maintenance and injury prevention.

I always make the comparison with exercise and how if you exercise regularly you slowly but surely begin to feel these benefits. However, like exercise there is no 'quick-fix' with bodywork and massage. One of the 'key' things is setting realistic expectations which can often be difficult to gauge. Initially, I would suggest a minimum of 4 sessions - consecutively and weekly.

Some of my clients, and all being well you too, feel the benefits quite quickly. There are clients who come to see me with long-term stress and strain having built up in their body which can take many sessions to begin to affect change.

I will do my utmost to be as effective as I can in the quickest possible time. However this approach can sometimes be detrimental to both you and me as you then have an expectation to be 'fixed' within 4 sessions - I use this number based on my own experience. I understand cost is a factor but it shouldn't over ride the necessity and importance of addressing the immediate issues with your body to find some form of balance.

More importantly, it is up to you to make the necessary changes in your lifestyle to make a positive dynamic shift where change is realistic and gradual.

I will also do my best to give you appropriate homecare advice whether it is regarding an active stretching programme, rehabilitation and necessary exercise where appropriate or refer you onto to fellow colleagues in other areas of bodywork, if need be.

Whatever you decide to do, may it be a worthwhile and necessary journey towards a healthier you. In the meantime if you have any questions or concerns please get in touch.

Finally, my priority is to try and exceed your expectations - this is my commitment to you. However, it has to be said that sometimes a session may not have gone well for some reason. If you feel that this is the case then I will happily waive the treatment fee.