09/06/2026
Questions I often get asked
* What do I need to wear?
Comfortable clothing and I only ask for you to remove clothes where I need to massage.
I ask you to leave your pants on so that I have something to tuck the towel in and also for hygiene purposes.
* What happens on my first visit?
After I send you a new client form to fill in and return back to me before your appointment, we then have time to talk about your answers and get to know you and what matters to you and any areas of concern you may have, this is called a subjective assessment.
We then go through some movement patterns so I can see how well you move and if there are any restrictions compared to the other side. We have a look at strength, comparing one side to the other such as resistance exercises. An example would be if you had restriction in your shoulders, I would do a few movement patterns and check to see how well you can place your hand behind you back and then i place my hand on yours to see how well you can push mine away, this tests the strength in the rotator cuff muscles. Each test is based on what matters to you and we often do a cluster of tests.
I no longer do posture checks as there is no need to, as we are all different and if I was looking at your hips for example and noticed that one side of the hip bone is higher than the other that doesn’t mean there is a problem, it could just be the bone is longer and points out a tadge more. It doesn’t actually give me anything to use for your treatment so why waste your time!
Movement patterns could be looking at how well you can side bend, twist, extend your back, how well you can do calf raises etc. to see if there is any restrictions that can be part of your treatment and exercises given to you if needed to help you after your appointment.
If you had a knee problem we would test for any excessive movement in the ligaments by doing a few tests of the joint on the table and some strength tests so each test would be unique to an issues you had, this helps build up a case for me to determine what treatment would be needed and if you needed to reduce your activities slightly across the week to allow some specific strength training in to help.
So after a few tests we then decide on what your treatment is going to be and make sure that you are aware of what is going to happen and that you are happy to have the treatment and you sign and date the form.
I then ask you to undress and pop your clothes into the white tub for you as I hold a big towel up so you feel comfortable.
I use wax or cream for massage as I only use this so I can keep my skin hydrated nicely too as well as yours.
It’s really important to me that you are really comfortable so please do say so if I ask you if you’re not as we can always adjust towels, bolsters etc.
I always check the pressure is comfortable for you by asking is this pressure enough for you? Then follow up can I go deeper so you have the opportunity to let me know what pressure you are happy with. As always feel free to let me know if you need it lighter or deeper as we go through your treatment.
I do not go excessively deep to the point you are grimacing and want to get off the table that is just not me, firstly there is no need whatsoever to do this as I call this GBH to be honest! So if that is something you’re after then please do not book in with me.
I usually advise to book 4 treatments a year, so once every 3 months and offer 5% for this as a thank you.
It’s a bit like looking after your car with regular services and a mot, that way you can tune into your own body and deal with any niggles before they get bigger.
Hope this helps and if you’ve got any questions then please just ask as I’m happy to have a chat about any concerns you may have.
Best wishes as always
Ave x
