FAQ

Should I come if I have an injury?

Massage can be great for healing injuries, reducing stiffness and restoring movement. If you have just been injured it’s recommended that you spend the first 72 hours in R-I-C-E mode (resting, icing, compressing & elevating the injury) to minimize inflammation and pain. Generally after the 72 hour mark the injury will start to enter the repair phase which is a good stage to start massage therapy.

What happens during the massage?

Before the massage we will discuss the areas to be massaged, and check for any contra-indications. Then I go behind the curtain so that you can get changed and jump on the table under the towel. I massage with oil, any areas that are not being treated at the time will be covered by the towel. You’re welcome to talk during the treatment, or if you just prefer to relax and breathe that’s fine too and may even help to make the massage more effective. Every treatment is different, but the normal process is to warm up the area I am working on, and then work progressively deeper, sometimes using friction techniques, long slow strokes, and compressions where I target a really tight spot while you breathe deeply.

I’m nervous about pain, will it hurt?

You don't need to worry about pain, I understand that every persons pain tolerance and preference is different so I always adjust my pressure for each person and what you're comfortable with. Sometimes in massage we work with pain and the breath to help relax your muscles and relieve tensions. I will often ask if the pressure is okay, and at any time during the massage you can ask for more or less pressure.

How often should I get massage?

It varies from person to person, and depends on the goal of treatments. For chronic pain I may recommend weekly massages at first, while some other cases you may just need a one off massage. I personally believe in getting regular massages to massage the tensions and stresses away before they manifest as pain or dysfunction. I also believe in looking after yourself with other practices which will mean that you don't need as many massages i.e. strength training, stability & cardiovascular training, breathwork, self massage, yin yoga, non-sleep-deep-rest & stress management strategies for the challenges in your life.

Do you have any recommendations for getting the most out of the massage?

Breathe - I love a chat, and you might too! But don't feel like you have to talk to me - my job is to work out your aches and pains. So the sooner you can drop out of talking and into the breath the better. I recommend deep slow breathing as much as possible - especially if an area is painful - as you exhale, let your whole body relax into the table as much as possible, especially the area that I'm working on. By working with the breath like this you are signalling to your nervous system that you are safe which promotes relaxation letting go of the tensions that you have come to be relieved of.

What should I wear?

Wear something you feel comfortable in. Generally I massage with oil on your skin for the best results. I will leave the room so that you can get changed into what you're comfortable in (usually underwear) and then you lay on the table underneath a towel which is used to preserve your modesty and cover any areas that aren’t being worked on throughout the massage.

How long should I book for?

I highly recommend at least an hour because, even if you only have a small area that you are concerned about, your body will be holding tensions in other areas that will most likely benefit from being released too.
The other great benefit is that because of our fast paced lives it can take a little while to fully relax into the massage, so sometimes during a 45 minutes you might just be getting to that fully relaxed place on the table and then your massage is over.
I have stopped doing 30 minute massages because it just never feels like I can do enough in that time to really help. I'm still happy to do 45 minute massages. I just think the longer you can come for, the better you will feel when we're finished! That said, for many people I also believe that 1 hour massages more regularly will probably help your body more than a 2 hour massage irregularly.

Do you massage "normal" people?

Yes of course, I massage people from all different ways of life. Some examples of different kinds of people that come in to get loosened up are: tradies, desk workers, hospo people, parents, athletes, people with high workloads/stress, older people, younger people, active people, inactive people, big people & little people. Everybody benefits from massage, and everybody's welcome, if you have any hesitation feel free to email me at andrew@andrewboltonsportsmassage.com.

Cancellations

Please see my Refund & Cancellation Policy

Do you do sensual massage?

NO. You will need to find somewhere else for that.