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How Long Should I Book a Massage For?

This is a common question I get!


First, you should know that I include an extra 15 minutes for free at all first appointments so we have plenty of time to talk about your goals, do a little assessment, and you can still enjoy an extra-long massage.


The time always goes by faster than you think!


With that said, here's what you can expect when you book a 30min, 60min, 90min, or 120min massage therapy session at Sage Bodywork.


60min provides time and space to treat one symptom. For example, if your upper back is bothering you, in 60 minutes we could assess that you have a hypertonic upper trapezius muscle, and treat the trapezius itself, as well as the antagonizing muscles (like the neck, chest, and shoulders). So the massage would include multiple areas, but all focused on re-balancing a group of muscles for one single goal.


With an extra 30 minutes, we can include the rest of the body with for an abbreviated full body massage. This extra time is very effective for helping you feel cohesive and whole. In my opinion, 90 minutes is the perfect length for pretty much everyone.


120 minutes can be helpful if you have multiple items you want to address (like upper back pain plus carpal tunnel syndrome plus plantar fasciitis). There can be a lot of transformation in 2 hours!! I recommend trying 90min before going for 120min. 120min is a long time to be on the table, and it's generally better to receive regular 60min treatments than infrequent 120min treatments. For this reason, I only offer 120min to returning clients. But yeah... 2 hours of massage is pretty awesome.


30 minutes is most appropriate for a mid-day refresher, when you have to go back to work and don't want to be too relaxed. If you need maintenance for a very specific area (like releasing the muscles of at the base of the skull to prevent headaches), 30min is a good choice.


There's other factors to consider...


If it's been a while since your last massage (1 month+), I recommend 90 or 120min.


If you're trying a new massage therapist, you may want to book 30 or 60min so you can get to know them and see if you're a good fit before you commit to longer treatments.


When you book your massage with at my website, you can choose between 60 or 90 minutes. If it's your first appointment, an extra 15 minutes will be automatically applied.

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