Do you always need an hour massage?

Massage has a variety of benefits no matter how long your session is, but do you always need an hour or more? The most common session length advertised at any massage business is 60 or 90 minutes, however there may be instances, or even certain conditions, where shorter sessions offer more benefit.

Here at Massage Harrisburg, our main focus is pain relief and restoration of function, rather than relaxation. While we can get a lot accomplished in 60 or 90 minutes, it may actually end up being too much for the client. Much of the work we do here is very focused and intense work, and a 30 minute session is all that is required. Additionally, we may see clients that have conditions like fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, or even scoliosis where their body simply cannot handle an entire hour on the table.

So how do you know how long your session should be? That depends on what your goals are, what you are using massage for, and if you have any conditions that would have adverse reactions to a longer session. We typically recommend a 30 minute session if you have an acute injury or pain, or if you need work in a specific area. This type of focused work, while most of the time not very relaxing, will give you the most benefit in the shortest amount of time. Massages are also cumulative, so each one builds on the next. Research on massage therapy for injury treatment or pain management shows the greatest amount of success when frequent, shorter sessions are done consecutively. A typical plan might be 2 - 30 minute sessions 2 times a week, for 2-4 weeks. These shorter, more frequent sessions are often easier to fit into a busy schedule, and can be easily budgeted.

Sessions longer than 30 minutes, such as an hour, will let us build upon the primary area you need work on. For example, if your primary area is the neck and shoulders, the first 30 minutes would be spent on the neck and shoulders for the more intensive work, and the remaining 30 minutes could include work on the arms, or the back. The same could be said for the lower back, where the ancillary areas might include the hips and legs.

No matter what length of session you choose, the biggest component of any massage appointment is communication. Clear and open communication about what problems you are having, what activities aggravate your condition, etc. will help your therapist understand what is going on, and how best to address the condition.