During your massage, your therapist will typically begin by massaging your back and shoulders; for this, you'll need to be laying down comfortably on your stomach. Then, the therapist will massage your legs and feet, (and your glutes if this has been agreed to) before proceeding to massage the arms.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing to your massage that you can easily take off and put back on. Dress down to your comfort level during your appointment. You can leave your undergarments on during your massage, or you can go bare. Take a shower beforehand, and be sure to drink plenty of water.
Professional massage therapists adhere to strict ethical and professional boundaries. Massaging the groin area is generally considered inappropriate and outside the scope of a therapeutic massage. Any discomfort or unease in this regard should be communicated to the therapist immediately.
A typical full body massage covers all areas of the body, including your head (scalp, crown, temples, forehead), neck (sternocleidomastoid, scalenes, trapezius), shoulders (rhomboid, rotator cuff muscles), arms and hands, back (upper, middle, lower), hips (glutes, piriformis)legs (calves, hamstrings, quadriceps), and ...
OPTION #1: Leave it all covered
It is possible to receive a massage fully clothed. Your massage therapist can perform your massage service regardless of attire. While they will still be able to work on your body, you may miss out on the thoroughness that comes when your therapist addresses the whole muscle, end-to-end.
A full body massage will typically include the back, legs, arms, head, shoulders, and feet. Some providers may also offer a glute massage as part of your full-body treatment, but you'll be able to discuss this with your therapist beforehand if you'd rather opt out.
These include direct manipulation of the spine, the front of the neck, and any visibly injured or inflamed areas.
Pelvic floor knots are muscle trigger points or tense areas that can cause pain or discomfort. They develop due to stress, trauma, or muscle overuse. Myofascial release techniques and targeted massages help break these knots and improve muscle function.
Never touch the client's genitals or anus. Clients can only provide explicit consent to have their genital area and gluteal cleft exposed for the purpose of Massage Therapy during childbirth.
During the massage, your therapist is likely to ask you to turn over.
The standard hospitality rate for massage tipping is 20 percent. For example, if a massage or body treatment costs $100, a 20 percent tip would be $20.
These are areas of the body where deep, sustained pressure should be avoided because of the structures that lie beneath. Those areas are the anterior and posterior triangles of the neck, suprasternal notch, sternum, axilla, spinal column, umbilical area, inguinal triangle, popliteal fossa, and the antecubital fossa.
Unwanted Touching: Any contact that feels inappropriate or goes beyond what is necessary for the massage. This includes touching private areas without explicit consent. Suggestive Comments: Making remarks that are sexual in nature or comments that make you feel uneasy or objectified.
That said, “full body” never includes inappropriate touch or work on areas you couldn't show at a public pool in Iowa. For a 60 minute relaxation massage, therapists, myself included, tend to default to the “greatest hits” of back, neck, arms, legs (including modest glute work with consent) hands and feet.
Gently contract your pelvic floor by pretending to stop the flow of urine or gas to help identify where the pelvic floor muscles are. Now relax, let that tension go, as if you are urinating or having a bowel movement. Try to spot the difference in feeling between tension and relaxation.
The therapist may use a gloved and lubricated finger to access specific pelvic floor muscles for internal pelvic massage. This technique involves gentle pressure, stretching, and releasing of tension in the targeted muscles to alleviate discomfort and improve muscle tone.
Points on the body that we do not massage are: The spine, as it can be irreparably injured. The abdomen, especially when it comes to pregnant women or people with stomach and abdominal diseases. The head, when there is an injury or other factors including inflammation and swelling.
Therapeutic, full chest and breast massage to support wellness and/or as treatment for medical conditions is currently legal in about 75% of the states within the USA. Breast massage used only to treat medical conditions is legal in several additional states. The client must consent to this treatment.
Clients receiving a massage must be draped to assure that the pubic area and genitals are not exposed. (g) Provide draping and treatment consistent with client safety, comfort, and privacy in compliance with recognized professional standards of massage therapy practice.
If I have an "all body" massage, will it literally be my whole body? A full-body massage doesn't have to include your sensitive areas. You can say which parts of your body you don't want to be touched. A full-body massage usually includes your arms, legs, hands and feet, your neck and back, your stomach and buttocks.
Best Way to Give a Full Body Massage
Ask your client to lie down on their stomach and start massaging their neck and shoulders. Use your hands to knead their muscles and release any tension. Move onto their back, arms, legs, and feet, before finishing off with a gentle head massage.
The area of the upper inner thigh, either in front or back, is an area that is also rarely touched. More specifically, the therapist never works within two to three inches of the genital area at the inner thigh, as doing so may evoke sexual stimulation, fear or both.