As a massage therapist, you can hear a lot of interesting questions in the treatment room. Many of these questions are often repeated by various clients. Here are my top five Frequently Asked Questions from first time clients.
What items of clothing do I remove for a massage?
This is probably the most common question asked by first time clients. If someone comes to see me for a massage treatment and it is their first time being massaged, I always explain to them what areas are going to be treated, where the drape landmarks will be and that they will have time, when I leave the room, to get undressed to their comfort level and under the linens on the table. That being said, I think many people still get confused by the phrase “undressed to your comfort level.” Some people are perfectly comfortable lying under the linens without any clothing on and some are only comfortable removing their jewelry. As a massage therapist, I’ve known both types of clients and either way is perfectly fine with me. Those who leave all their clothing on will, of course, not need any lotion and I can treat a client just as well with or without the removal of clothing.
Typically, and this is just an example, my clients who just have a back and head, neck, shoulders massage will remove their shirt and, if they are female, their bra. Even though this is not always the case, I think this is probably the type of answer my first time clients are looking for. Just remember that if you are not comfortable removing these items of clothing, you do not have to do so to receive a massage.
Do you massage glutes/hips and the inner thigh?
I was actually shocked when one of my first time clients told me that a previous massage therapist did not massage the glute region when he/she had complained of pain originating from the hips and going down the leg.
Yes, I do treat the glutes and the inner thigh region. It is important to note that these areas are considered more sensitive and need specific consent prior to treatment. I will always get specific verbal consent prior to draping and working on these areas and, for that reason, I do not generally include these areas in a full body relaxation massage. I only treat the glutes and inner thigh if there is pain caused by a problem or injury in those areas. For example, sciatic pain is sometimes caused by tightness in the piriformis muscle which is located deep in the middle of the glute muscle and therefore needs to be treated to alleviate the pain.
Do I need to remove my underwear for you to treat my glutes/hips?
Although it’s perfectly acceptable to remove your underwear for a glute treatment, you do not absolutely need to in order for me to treat the glutes. I can treat over the linens just as effectively as I can on the skin. There are multiple techniques I can use besides Swedish Massage that may, in some cases, be even more effective and do not need to be directly applied to the skin.
Does it bother you to treat hairy legs and/or feet?
I can’t count how many times a client has apologized about their unshaven legs when I’m just about to undrape a leg. I actually find this question a little funny because if they hadn’t mentioned anything, I probably wouldn’t have noticed at all! Most of the time I’m far too focused on the muscles that are underneath the skin to actually focus on what’s on the skin. When I am focused on the skin, it’s to check how hydrated the individual is and the condition of the tissue that I’m working on.
As for feet, I have no issue treating this area because I know how a foot massage can help a client. As a sufferer from flat feet and plantar fasciitis (scar tissue on the arches), I have benefited from having my feet treated by a massage therapist and would never think twice about treating another person’s feet, knowing the relief it brings to the client. Foot massages are one of the most relaxing types of treatment a person can receive and because of that knowledge, it doesn’t bother me at all to treat my client’s feet.
How often should I have a massage?
This is a question I frequently hear and the answer is always different, depending on the individual. Actually, I like to hear this question because it’s a conversation that I believe is extremely important to have with each one of my clients. If you are in a lot of pain, obviously you are going to need more frequent treatment until you are feeling better.
For example, if you have been experiencing headaches every day for the last four months, you will need to have treatment almost on a weekly basis for a while until the headaches are less frequent. When this decrease in pain occurs, I will probably suggest treatments farther apart until we get to, what I call, the “maintenance stage”. At this point, a client will then see me once every four to six weeks to help maintain what we have achieved which, in this case, will hopefully be no more headaches.
Remember that frequency of visits depends on your needs because every client is different. The best thing to do is to book a massage and have an initial assessment with a massage therapist so that together you can work out a treatment plan that works for your needs.
