What Should I Do After My Massage?
Posted on 14th March 2019 at 10:00
Aftercare after a massage is so important, especially if you want to get the most out of your massage. However, we know that immediately after a massage you may be too relaxed to take in the words of advice. So we’re here to give you a recap and help you stay in that state of relaxation while maximising the effectiveness of your treatment.
Drink lots of water
Massage increases your blood circulation and hydrates your muscle tissues. Those “wow” moments you have during your massage happen when blood flows to areas that have been nutrient deprived and blocked by constricted muscles or trigger points.
Water is what our bodies need to flush out lactic acid and metabolic waste that causes knots and pain. When a muscle is dehydrated it searches for a water source, and if it can’t find it, it’ll cling to another muscle tissue instead.
Your therapist should offer you a glass of water after your treatment, but please feel free to bring along your own bottle and keep those hydration levels topped up. Keep drinking for the rest of the day at least.
Rest afterwards
You should avoid strenuous exercise after the massage as it’ll undo all the work that the therapist has just worked on, releasing all that tension and relaxing your body. Strenuous exercising could delay your recovery time. On top of that, try to schedule your massage appointments at times when you can relax afterwards. The idea behind this is to prolong your sense of deep relaxation for as long as possible. Listen to your body. If you feel like having a sleep, sleep. If you feel like curling up under a blanket and reading a book, do it.
Feel stiff? Don’t panic!
Click on this tYou’re likely to be sore and stiff the day after the massage. Don’t panic if you feel slightly bruised afterwards. This is just because we’ve worked deeply into the muscles stretching them out. It essentially causes the same effect as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS which you may have heard of. This happens after a hard training session; the thing that makes walking downstairs or getting up from a seated position a bit tricky for a day or so.ext to edit it.
Post massage stretches
After a massage, we offer bespoke exercises and stretches tailored to you and your needs. We usually send these to you via email after your session. It’s important to do these exercises and stretches to help your recovery between massages and keep the benefits lasting much longer; so remember to stretch!
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