This is a common question massage therapists ask during your massage session. We ask because we don’t find pleasure in inflicting pain upon our clients. We want you to be comfortable and feel relief from the techniques we use.
The amount of pressure desired varies from client to client. Some like the pressure super deep, others cannot take so much pressure. The secret is in the angle of entry into the muscle. Some angles will hurt tremendously with just a light touch while other angles can take a lot more pressure (like an elbow) and feel super painfully good! I aim for the “hurt so good” feeling for my clients. This feeling is a beneficial feel good feeling that you want to experience during your massage, especially on the areas you are experiencing real pain!
The key to a good massage is to keep open communication during the session. The therapist needs to know if something is hurting too much. She won’t know unless you tell her when she asks about the pressure. Don’t hesitate to say you can take more pressure either! She can simply switch up the angle and you will feel more pressure.
I personally like to hear any time there is a different pain sensation and what the sensation feels like and if it is shooting pain to any other areas. These spots that refer pain to different areas are called trigger points. An example is the scapula. Pushing on one area of the scapula can shoot pain all the way to the front of the shoulder! Trigger points can be relieved by your therapist! She will ask you to tell her if you feel a pain like this and then she will hold that spot for a period of time to release it. It is important to tell the therapist if it is too much pain, she can lighten up at any time! The idea isn’t to torture you, it’s to help you!
So be honest and open with your therapist during your massage! She is there for YOU, so make sure she knows how YOU feel! And enjoy the massage!