Sports Massage FAQ

Our Sports Massage FAQ page contains questions our clients commonly ask us before their first visit. Please call or email us if you have additional questions.


Should I do anything special to prepare for my first Sports Massage visit?

There is nothing different that you must do the day of your Sports Massage session. However, following these tips may help your experience to be more enjoyable.

1. Drink plenty of water, especially before Sports Massage. Tight muscles become dehydrated. Giving your body more fluid will help your muscles to soften faster during your session.

2. When bathing, omit shaving the day of your session. Razor burn and nicks are not serious, but they may pose as a minor distraction. Don't worry. Your therapist is concerned with your health issues, not body hair.

3. Eat regular meals. An empty stomach may prove to be distracting during your Sports Massage session.

What should I expect for my first visit?

Since our practice focuses on massage and other healing therapies, you can expect to enter a quiet, relaxing environment, free of the odors and noises associated with a salon. After you have completed a Confidential Health History Form, your therapist will take you to a private room to discuss your current conditions and preferences so that your session will be more individualized. Expressing your concerns at this time (areas to avoid, draping, room temperature) will enable you to be more relaxed during the Sports Massage session.

What should I wear during a Sports Massage session?

Sports Massage is usually received with a minimal amount of clothing so that oil may be used on the skin. This allows the therapist to massage the tissues without friction or tugging the skin. At Hands On Healing Arts all clients are required to wear underwear or shorts. You are welcome to wear additional clothing if doing so will make you feel more comfortable. You will also be draped with a sheet and/or blanket.

What happens during a Sports Massage session?

You will be properly draped at all times. Only the area of the body being massaged will be exposed. It is important to give your therapist feedback so that pressure may be adjusted to your comfort level. When your therapist moves one of your limbs, it is not necessary to help. In fact, he/she may be using movement or traction (gentle pulling of the limbs) to help assess where you are most tense or whether your body is unwinding. Just relax and let your therapist do all of the work!

What does Sports Massage feel like?

Your therapist should utilize strokes and pressure that are effective, yet comfortable. It should feel nurturing and as though the tension is being melted away from your muscles. When a muscle has been chronically tense, you may experience a sensation of "good soreness". Just take a couple deep breaths and focus on letting go of the tension within that muscle. Do not hesitate to let the therapist know if this is uncomfortable. Each session can be modified to meet your needs.

What happens after a Sports Massage session?

Sports Massage can be balancing. It is possible to feel both energized and relaxed after a session. Regarding your level of activity after your session, just listen to your body and modify your routine as needed. If this is your first massage, you may feel so relaxed that you want to rest a while. It is important to drink plenty of water to help flush from your body any toxins that may have been released during the session. Some clients experience slight soreness since massage affects the body like mild exercise. This feeling usually dissipates by the end of the following day. Drinking water will help this effect, also.

How often should I have a Sports Massage?

If you want the benefits of Sports Massage to be cumulative, it is best to schedule your sessions every 4-6 weeks. In other words, receiving massage therapy regularly will help to maintain the benefits you experience.

Submit a question for our Sports Massage FAQ.