If you haven't had a massage recently or if it's your first one, you are more likely to feel sore afterwards.
Don't worry. It's normal to feel sore after a massage. After stimulating muscles that you may not usually use, you might experience the soreness for a day or two.
5 tips to relieve soreness
Stay hydrated - We cannot emphasize the importance of drinking water before and after a massage. A good massage therapy like a deep tissue massage releases toxins from your muscle. It is essential to increase your intake of water for at least 24 hours after your massage to flush them out of your body.
Avoid Alcohol or Caffeine: Try and avoid as much as Alcohol and caffeine products as possible as this can further dehydrate your body.
Rest well - Allow your body to enjoy the benefits of the massage by giving yourself enough rest for a couple of days. The body needs time to set back if it's been a very long time since your last message or if your muscles were very stressed.
Sleep - Do not try to be awake for long and miss your sleep post therapies. We all know how our body resets during sleep hours. Provide enough sleep for the next 3 to 4 days after a massage
Stretch it out - Do a few gentle stretches on your own. This helps release muscle tension, improve flexibility, and improve circulation. Stretching exercises can help to maintain and increase tissue length. Do stretches 3-5 times a day and hold each stretch for 15-60 seconds and increase by 2 seconds each week.
It’s important to do a consultation with a senior therapist at your nearest spa before choosing a therapy. The more open you are about your pains and aching muscles, the better it is for the therapist to understand your issues and provide you the right treatments. Always ask for a therapist for consultation.
If your spa doesn't offer a consultation, then that may lead you to serious injuries. It is important to discuss the pressure you prefer. Your therapist will check during the massage but you should feel comfortable to voice out if the pressure is not enough or you can take more. Everyone's capacity in taking pressure varies.
The massage shouldn’t feel painful at any time. Massage to relieve deep muscle knots will be quite different from a massage to stimulate relaxation, so keep this in mind.
Your body will create muscle memory if you have frequent massages, so aim to be regular with your sessions when possible.