Massage for General Health and Relaxation
For general health and relaxation massages are recommended 1-2 times a month for people under light to moderate stress. This would also include people who are sedentary or exercise only occasionally. Receiving massage therapy once or twice a month can have excellent health benefits and helps reduce the effects of stress.
Massage for Stress Management
For people in high-stress occupations or living conditions, or frequent travelers, a higher frequency of massage treatments , weekly or bi-weekly, is recommended. In these cases, massage therapy helps the individual in coping with their stress. Tension build-up from stressful situations can be more easily managed with weekly massage. Additionally, just knowing that you will be receiving massage therapy each week or every other week can be very comforting.
Massage Therapy for Pain Reduction and Management
Reduction of, and management of pain requires a different type of frequency, sometimes referred to as “diminshing frequency”. People with severe pain not requiring medical intervention can and do receive massage therapy 1-3 times in the first week. Although rare, this may continue for the second and third week of treatment, depending on the response of the client to the massage therapy. When the pain is reduced, so is the frequency of the massage therapy. At first it may be reduced to once a week, then every other week or less often.
Massage Therapy for Athletes
For athletes the frequency of massage therapy depends on the sport, training schedule, and athletic goals. A massage therapist can help develop a massage therapy routine according to the athlete’s individual needs.