Massage and Soreness

I just had a massage yesterday, why am I so sore today?

Chances are it was the bodywork you experienced the day before, and it’s perfectly okay. Yes, soreness can be an after-effect of the treatment and it is common to experience it. Soreness or tenderness can result from the pressure used to release the restrictions in your body’s tissue, and also can be a result of under-hydration either before or after the treatment. If the body is not being properly hydrated after the session to flush out the toxins, such as lactic acid, they may be re-deposited into the muscular system causing tenderness. A great approach would to be properly hydrated prior to your treatment by drinking 2-3 glasses in the hours before your appointment. Water is necessary for the liver to filter out the toxins and chemicals from our body, food, and medications.

A professional massage is more than an ordinary back rub. The reason that massage therapy is so effective is that it physically breaks up the restrictions in the muscle tissue causing pain. It is very much like doing a workout. If the muscles are not used to it, they often respond with some soreness. This should only last a day or two, if it does last longer, speak with your therapist about adjusting the treatment. However, just as with exercise, when your body adjusts to having this type of workout your physical response will also be less intense. As a therapist, I want to know how the body is feeling after the soreness does subside.