On your first visit, we will want to know your expectations of muscular therapy. Are you seeking relief from chronic pain? Migraines? From stress in general? From a recent pregnancy or an old sports injury? The list goes on and on. Your goals and expectations will be important in planning your care. Please plan on a 90-minute visit to spend the appropriate time needed for the first visit.

You will complete a medical history and your massage therapist will ask questions based on your history. If you were referred by another healthcare professional, their notes will be part of this discussion. It is important that you disclose any recent and current mental health and physical health information to us. Should you have a complicated medical history, we may want to talk with your primary care physician before providing treatment. While there are only a few instances when muscular therapy is not recommended, it would be best for us to know about any serious complications from current health conditions prior to your first appointment. We want to be sure to provide an appropriate and safe treatment.

After the interview process, the therapist will make a recommendation for treatment. If you agree, your first treatment starts. During treatment, you should communicate with the therapist if anything is uncomfortable or raises a question in your mind. Remember, this is your time and you should understand what is being done and why.

At the end of the treatment, the therapist will make notes and ask a few questions about your experience during treatment. From this, a treatment plan will be created for you. The plan will most likely be discussed at your next appointment. How slowly or aggressively the treatment proceeds is your decision. You decide whether to accept the treatment plan or to make changes.

What to wear

For sessions involving active stretching, mobility work, or Thai-style work, plan to wear loose-fitting gym or running shorts. A sports bra or fitted top is recommended if you'll be moving through ranges of motion with the therapist. For table-based work like deep tissue or trigger point therapy, you'll undress to your comfort level and be draped throughout the session in the usual way.

To achieve overall healthy muscles, it's important that you understand muscle hydration, nutrition, exercise and recovery. Depending on your state of health, we will provide basic education in these areas and, if necessary, refer you to a healthcare professional for follow-up. Your muscles need the proper support to do everything you ask of them. We will help you avoid information overload. We will share what we find out about your muscles and how you use them, and target information that serves your needs.