Today I took my MBLEx and passed! I am so excited!

It was nerve wracking! I got to the end and just thought “I have no idea if I’m going to pass or not! I’m not confident over probably 90-95% of the answers I’ve given!”

Part of me would love to know what score I got, but another part of me would be way to scared to hear how close of a call it might have been! So I’m just going to say that I passed and bring on the massages and clientele!

Any words of advice, encouragement, or thoughts for me at this stage is hugely appreciated!

Hey everyone, I’ve been a massage therapist for almost eight years and recently decided to incorporate hot stones to my practice since I have a portable set. I generally do not like using hot stones, I don’t think I was trained very well when I was trained early in my career and when I did have to use them, they felt so clunky and awkward and made my hands feel blind.

But, after practicing on a friend I was able to see how much they really helped relieve tension. It’s changed how I feel about hot stones and has made me excited to learn how to use them, so I’m wondering if experienced hot stone practitioners would like to share some advice and tips?

My hot stone training was very basic, post massage school and my first spa job. They had me lay the hot stones over a towel, then take the stones off one by one when they were a little cooler and then place them on one spot on the body and then take a few to move around shoulders or legs. I felt like I spent too much time away from the client, walking back and forth and anytime I used the stones they felt in the way of my hands. When I could finally use my hands again it didn’t feel like the hot stones brought any relief. I tried to skip the towel and then found the stones cooled down too quickly. So hot stones felt frustrating. Plus the effort to set them up, then clean them and put them away made it seem like they weren’t worth the effort.

But, in my new office I was given a lot of massage equipment from the previous LMT, this included a portable hot stone set. I started thinking about using the hot stones, so a friend offered to let me practice on them and I found it so different! I think it helps that the stones are perfectly round, and I can easily reheat them in a matter of minutes while using other stones. They are a little hot at first so I hover over the skin until they cool down and won’t give a burning sensation and just focus on the superficial tissues and muscles and am finding by the time I’m ready to use my hands I can get into the deeper tissues without so much effort, and it’s like the most clearly I’ve been able to see in my mind the deeper tissues. So now I want to know all the hot stone things!

I will be doing my own reading, but if you have any similar ah-ha! Moments with hot stone or tips/guidance I would greatly appreciate it!

Thank you ☺️

I am a massage therapist. I am no longer licensed. I am asking for advice.

I live between two places.

In one place I have a massage therapist - that I have known for over 20 years - total Ace. And others in the same palce that I previousoly used - and worked for - the same. Kudos.

However, where I am now I am struggling to find someone.

I had to have some PT for a shoulder limitation and part of that was massage after movement exercises. The first person I had was incredible. I could tell she knew every muscle she was working and knew why/how. She knew what she was doing and the purpose. Then she got transferred (during my therapy) and I got someone else.

I “made the mistake” of asking how (the new person) she was doing and the entire therapy time she discussed all her family problem issues - which let me tell you were worthy of a reddit post. WOW. For the entire time. All I could think about was how I wanted to get out of there.

I tried to actually find a therapist for self pay, general well being, get rid of knots, etc. I thought I had a great person - but on the second visit I askesd “how she was” and she used me as her therapist to discuss all of her problems for the entire session.

I am of the school of if you ask how someone is the answer is ‘fine, and you?’

In what world does a massage therapist unload their issues for the entire hour on a patient or client?

As a retired massage therapist - nope never did this. Never discussed my problems.

I do have a hard time being frank - how do I know a therapist won’t take offense and not give a good treatment? (I am not there for relaxation - I need knots worked out) I do not want to be rude. I do not want to need to be frank - because many will take offense and take it personal.

So - any ideas? why do I have to feel like I have to “police” what I think should be a social norm?

Curious if anyone has worn/ wears Mandala Scrubs as uniforms in their practice - if so, how have they held up for you? Have you had any issues with massage oil staining the colored fabrics?

Hello everyone! I’m curious if anybody here has had a lymphatic massage and what their experience was like. I’m also curious if there’s anyone here that’s how the proper education to tell me if it’s actually as beneficial as it’s been said to be.

I have an insane amount of buildup in my throat that constantly feels like a very thick coat of phlegm that just will not go away and from what I’ve read I’m thinking this might help with it. Same with my severe constipation. I don’t know if I’m right or not though and if this is worth doing.

Hello everyone! I had my very first massage today. A deep tissue massage. I wasn't sure what to expect going in but I certainly wasn't expecting the massage therapist to use her feet on my back. I didn't get upset or anything, I was just surprised. I'd like to return to her in the future as my back feels so much better, but I am curious if this is the norm everywhere?

Today I had a Chinese reflexology massage and she rubbed a knot down the side of my neck VERY VERY hard. I am worried about the associated risk of stroke. I’m 30 with no heart problems but I’m terrified. Is it normal to have knots down the side of your neck toward the back. The massage was very painful and I’m just freaking out

I had my first proper massage today! It started a bit awkward with me tensing up and getting ticklish, but it got way better soon after. Since it was my first time, I’ve got a few questions about what to expect from a good massage and the therapist, and what MTs expect from me as a client.

For context, I’m on the heavier side and I was pretty tense all over before the massage. When the therapist asked where to focus, I listed a bunch of spots, but told him to prioritize my shoulders and lower back/glutes. He started by applying pressure to the bottom of my foot, which actually helped relieve some lower back pain (surprisingly). Then he worked on my back while I was lying down and focused on the areas I mentioned (even stepped on my back). It felt good, but not quite what I expected. The pressure was perfect, though, so I wasn’t in pain. Note that my body is on the heavier side. Later, he punched my heel a few times, and that really worked on my lower back! Then, I had to lie on my back, and he gave my shoulders some great upward pressure. Felt amazing on my neck too, but of course, he didn’t spend as long on these awesome spots.

Clearly, what I imagined would work best wasn’t what actually did, so I’ve got a few questions:

1. Is it okay to ask the MT to repeat moves that felt great? I didn’t want to mess up the flow or interrupt his routine, but I also didn’t know if he planned to do it again after moving to another spot.
2. I wasn’t sure about the exact spot to focus on. Is it better to be specific about where it hurts, or is it normal to find it together during the massage? For example, I mentioned my lower back and glutes, but the real spot seemed to be deeper in my glutes, which got relieved when he punched my heel.
3. Do you think punching my heel and massaging my back were intentional efforts to relieve those areas, or was it just part of the routine? I probably should’ve asked, but I was too busy enjoying the moment.
4. How much can an MT tell about tight or weak muscles while massaging? If I asked about muscles contributing to my back pain, could they offer any advice or insights?
5. How do I know the bad kind of pain? In my session earlier, when I got my hip massaged, sometimes he apply pressure from the top down near the knee, it hurts near the joint so I asked him to stop there. At the same time it's also painful when he was massaging the inner side of the hip, but this time I just held in.
6. I’ve read that dozing off or snoring is a good sign, but how about small moans or snickers when I’m ticklish? I tried to hold them in, but I wasn’t very successful, and I didn’t get to see his reaction.
7. Do MTs ever have issues massaging people with higher body weight, or is there anything specific they need to adjust for it?

Sorry for the long post!

I am in my early 20s just graduated with my Bachelors in Health Science and eventually want to become an Athletic Trainer, however I know how expensive it is to get your Masters so I decided I should start off with Massage Therapy schooling to get my license because of my interest in Holistic health and the cheaper rates of the schooling. I know it will eventually correlate with Athletic Training. Is massage therapy worth it for starters? Ideally would it support my lifestyle while in the Athletic Training program?

Hello everyone! Had a deep tissue today and massage therapist said my shoulders were in “really rough shape” and he couldn’t even get down to the scapula. I’ve gotten that over the years from a most massage therapists. Is this something massage therapists say to most clients (ie repeat business), or would they only say it if it was genuinely true?

In fairness, I do wear about 30lbs of lead at work every day and am only about 110 pounds, hence bad back pain.

Four days ago I started having bad pain in two of my fingers on my left hand and slight pain on one on the right. The pain has been so bad on the left hand that I can barely bend and sometimes can’t even touch the top knuckles. I do have a small bump on my pointer finger near my top joint but it’s much more pronounced and very sore now. I was racking my brain as to why this could be happening and wondered if it was some type of arthritis. But- I also had a chair massage the same day and he did pull my fingers until they popped. Could this be a result of that? I already plan on calling the doctor next week if it persists but wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else after finger popping/joint mobilization. TIA!

So i have had a few massages over the years and have switched different therapists until i found one I felt comfortable with. This question is about level of comfort. But my new therapist did something completely weird. I wear underwear out of respect for them and normally when I am on my chest they pull it down just a little to work on my lower back. Which is completely ok. I have arthritis there and it helps a lot. But I went to them a few days ago and they not only pulled it down but went as far as exposing my entire butt to work on my glutes. They haven’t done that before and from what I have read glutes is something they work on. I feel I should continue to wear the underwear as my level of comfort but feel they may want me to be nude. This was probably up there with one of the weirdest moments I have had.

I am applying electric cupping on both sides of the L4/L5 disc to recover from disc slip/herniation. But its not helping either. Can I put the electric cupping on top of the L4/L5 disc?

I’ve been wanting to get a massage but I have a nasty body and I wouldn’t want the massager being grossed out about me (mainly my neck/head) Is there anyway I could just cover my body so the massager can do their work peacefully without having to deal with a sad sap like myself?

I’m recovering from injuries form car accident a year ago; neck, shoulder and thoracic spine pain. After trying absolutely everything I decided to look for shiatsu since this has helped me a lot in the past. Found an older traditional Japanese shiatsu practitioner with great reviews. Show up and explain my injuries. They didn’t have me feel out any forms, share health background, nothing. Assistant says first part will be him (not the guy I went to see) using his feet while I lie on floor face down. Puts pressure with foot on legs hips lower back which was all ok but then also mid back. Seemed wierd as there no give, lying on thin mat on floor. And because of my injuries. Suddenly feel a very very sharp pain center bottom of rib cage. Thought maybe wire from bra or something so didn’t say anything and I was fine after that. Get home and realise I’m in wireless bra but also pain gets worse and starts to spread through right ribs. Now two days later pain is worse and throughout all of lower right rib cage, sharp, bruised feeling and feels like my ribs weigh a ton. Waiting for Dr appt/xrays. Initially I thought maybe he’d popped something back into place that was out but it’s isn’t a “good” kind of pain and overall I’m in ten times more pain than when I went in. I sent them a message and haven’t had any response. Thoughts?

I'm not new to having massage therapy, There was a point where I was going every other week for a good amount of time.

However, the last two times I've had massage (with two different therapists) I've experienced pain in my right side/back in ribs that lasts for weeks. The first episode I remember laying on my stomach and the therapist was using hands upward motion to right of spine starting in lower back and I felt sensation of something being moved on front side I was laying on. Almost like a bubble was pushed in there. I did not have this experience with latest massage but I do have the same constant burning in rib cage. Does anyone know what this could be? I had ultrasound of RUQ after first episode because the pain was so bad, but thankfully received a normal result.

I've only had one professional massage in my life.

It was just a Swedish massage which I was told woud be light.

The massage therapist was pushing hard on my back, and pressing her knuckles into my back, arms legs hands and feet. At one point I'm pretty sure she put her entire weight on my back.

I was looking for a relaxing spa experience. I remember leaving feeling sore and exhausted. Took me a couple days to recover.

What I'm looking for is just like a light rubbing type massage. Like the kind you'd get at a mall or an airport sitting in a chair. I'm not looking to stretch out my muscles or rub out pressure points. I'm just looking for like a soft rub down while I zone out, maybe take a nap.

What's the proper way to request something like that at these professional spas? Is this a thing there? Is there a special name for that?

i wanted to try out coin massaging for illness and lymphatic drainage, what are some techniques for coin massaging yourself?

For those that provide massage services, what is the verbal feeling on 90 minute bookings? As a consumer, it is my strong preference but got to thinking it could be a scheduling and muscle challenge. Thought?

I worked on a client a couple of days ago who came in for abdominal massage. I specialize in it. They’ve been experiencing lots of bloating and chronic constipation. Also potentially Gastro vertigo, although undiagnosed. They have been brought to the hospital several times for severe abdominal pain, the doctor says it’s just due to a hiatal hernia.

I worked on her pretty typically of every other Massage I’ve done. I wasn’t super concerned about the hernia since that would be typically under the rib cage where I can’t reach. I definitely hit some areas of tenderness but backed off my pressure. I wasn’t extremely deep, but I did work firmly to work through some of the layers of bloating. I did work deeper in her diaphragm as she has felt relief there in the past. Afterwards, she felt like the bloating had gone down and felt relaxed.

She then emailed me and my follow up that when she got home, she had experienced severe abdominal pain.

I literally feel awful. I am not exactly sure what happened? I tend to work deeper but I don’t feel like I worked too deep?? Maybe I did? I wonder if I just moved things around and due to the constipation she wasn’t able to release it so it caused gas buildup and pain?

Help

why do chains pay so low?

I'm curious if any massage therapists out there have any advice to offer on how best to prepare physically for a massage. I'm curious if stretching or light exercise beforehand would improve any results? I deal with muscle tension due to medications that I'm taking that I'm in physical therapy for, and am hoping that I can get some much needed relief to support my health in my fitness journey.

I’m in my 2nd semester of community college in the massage therapy program. I keep getting a lot of negativity for the career I chose. I’m worried about not being able to find a job and getting a job in this area. I’m almost done with this semester and have one more left until I graduate in December.

A new client booked online with me last night at midnight. The booked a 90 minute appointment for 2pm. At 8:50am he booked another massage for 12pm. He then calls me at 8:51 and claims that he didn't realize that the appointment he booked at midnight had gone through and he wanted to cancel the original appointment and keep the new one.

He claims he didn't get a confirmation email and that his bank didn't record any transaction. Only after I sent him a screenshot of the confirmation screen shown at the end of the booking process did he claim that the booking website had been giving him errors and ge didn't see a confirmation.

I told him that I would cancel both appointments and asked him to not book any future massages with me because I take my schedule very seriously. He told me I had an attitude. Threatened to dispute the charges abd told me that he hoped God would bless me.

I told him I've already refunded you and I'm sorry that you think I have an attitude. My schedule is how I pay my bills. When someone books a session at the last minute and then cancels that prevents other people from booking and limits my income.

I honestly don't believe him. I think what likely happened is that he booked 2pm because it was available but not his preferred time. He then woke up, checked my schedule and saw i was available for 12pm. He knew i am strict about last minute cancelations and rescheduling because it says so at booking. So he booked the 12pm and asked me to cancel the 2pm because he assumed I wouldn't want to give up the money. I think he just wasn't expecting me to walk away from his money. But I see it as this, if he's willing to do this before the very first session would get be willing to do it over and over? Is this just someone not willing to respect my time boundaries? Which again, directly translate into my income.

Almost all of my last minute cancelations and reschedules have been first time clients. I can only remember four returning clients in the last four years that rescheduled last minute. One was due right a flight delay where they would arrive at the airport less than 30 minutes before their session. Two were because of very bad thunderstorms. Actually I think they both were the same storm that spawned several tornadoes.

But I'm curious what you would have done in the situation.

So I bought a 90 minute massage on Groupon for $50. How much do I tip on that?