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What is self care?
Self care is anything along the lines of stretching, rolling with a lacrosse ball, self massage, going to a sauna, or even your favorite activity as all of these things can be mentally and physically beneficial to your overall health. Self care is very important if you have an ongoing issue that you deal with from time to time or on a daily basis. You should always consult your doctor first if you have any daily issues. The reason self care can be important is because consistency is what brings about change. It is also important to not get discouraged as you can only get a little better each day.
Why choose Body in Balance Massage Therapy?
BBMT doesn't provide just your average run of the mill massage. Whether it just be how you like to relax, or every detail with a custom massage, each massage provides the experience the client wants. That not only takes into account the strengths of the massage therapist, but also the individual needs of the client as well.
Pressure Scale
The pressure felt will be different for every person. Someone's five pressure could be someone else's eight.
Simple Scale
1. Spreading lotion- very light pressure just on the surface of the skin
2. Swedish massage- enough pressure to traction the skin
3. Firm swedish massage- a bit deeper pressure to traction the muscle as well as the skin
4. Therapeutic - deep pressure to focus more on the knots (ie. trigger points and taut bands) within a muscle, more in the tolerable discomfort range.
5. Too much pressure, you start to tense up and the massage becomes less beneficial.
Full Scale
1. Weight of hand
2. Spread lotion
3. Standard Effleurage (relaxation)
4. Back of hand (relaxation)
5. 50/50 "Hurts good" (Therapeutic)
6. 60/40 "I can take it" (Therapeutic)
7. "The Plateau, usually no more" (Therapeutic)
8. Nervous system starts to say defend (Pain)
9. Nervous system starts to say defend (Pain)
10.Most Pain ever felt
What should someone expect from their massage & massage therapist?
Mutual respect, courtesy, professionalism, confidentiality and dignity between you and the massage therapist
Being draped appropriately by a sheet, towel, or blanket, with only the area being massaged exposed.
A licensed/registered/certified professional massage therapist, working within their scope of practice and in an ethical manner. Expect them to be a member of a professional association with a code of ethics.
A health intake conversation about your medical conditions and your expectations for the massage.
The right and option to ask questions of the massage therapist and receive professional responses.
The right to determine if there will be conversation, music or quiet during the massage.
An explanation of the nature of the massage and techniques to be used before the start of the massage.
The right to consent to the massage techniques and approaches, including the level of manual pressure, used in the massage and the ability to request adjustments to pressure at any time during the massage.
The right to stop a massage and report anything they feel is inappropriate during the massage.
What should a massage therapist expect from their client?
Respect, courtesy and dignity.
Treated as a health care professional.
Complete and accurate disclosure of health/medical conditions during intake process.
Communication of expectations of and concerns about the massage.
Timely arrival at massage therapy appointment, payment at time of service and reasonable cancellation notice (usually 24 hours).
The right to stop a massage and report anything they feel is inappropriate during the massage.
Resources
"Massage: Get in touch with its many benefits
Massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being. See if it's right for you.
Massage is no longer available only through luxury spas and upscale health clubs. Today, massage therapy is offered in businesses, clinics, hospitals and even airports. If you've never tried massage, learn about its possible health benefits and what to expect during a massage therapy session..."
There are many types of massage therapy, from classics like Swedish and deep tissue to more exotic styles like shiatsu. Whether you'd like to branch out a bit or have a health condition or injury, choosing a style of massage can be confusing if you're not quite sure what it involves. Here is a list of the most popular types of massage (including some that may be new to you)..."
"The benefits of sports massage ~ maintaining your Maserati
Massage can reduce athletic injuries"
Massage doesn't just have extra benefits for athletes - the main reason athletes would benefit so much from massage is because they have to exercise and perform so much that their bodies need the extra help recovering to stay in peak. The same can be said for those that just train and play casually but also have a full-time job, those that have a full-time job and kids, people who have multiple businesses and struggle to balance their time to take care of themselves, and the list goes on. All of us that work hard on a daily basis can benefit from massage in the same ways.
"Getting injured is every athlete's worst fear. Injuries impair performance, delay training and conditioning schedules during recovery, are costly to treat, and, most of all, injuries hurt..."
