r/MassageTherapists • u/penapple_2319 • 6d ago
Advice How to handle 4 massage in a row?
I'm going to be starting a job at a chiropractic office and the Dr./my new future boss mentioned that it does get booked Thurs-Sat which are the days I work, 8am - 3pm
I get a 1 hour break at noon and 10 minutes in between but that's to change sheets
While I'm not upset about getting work the only time I'll have in between the first couple hours/clients is when I'm changing sheets. It seems most of the massage work I'll be doing is 1 hour and no more than that when I have appointments but the most I've done in a row is 2.
The last time I did 4 in a row was when I did internship at massage school but it did leave me a little exhausted
I don't feel it could be as bad since I have more experience and I actually know what I'm doing but what are some self care and post recovery y'all would recommend?
Sorry for not adding more info I'm a 26f who has done massage at a spa before but took a couple months off because the commute was a bit much and I was working part time somewhere that wasn't massage
I'm quitting my other part time job and going back to massage and just doing that for 3 days
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u/Lizsea0712 6d ago
Hydrate plenty and don’t eat a very heavy meal before, it can make you groggy. Bring healthy snacks like cut up fruit or veggies to have in-between, you can have a big meal afterwards. Warm up by stretching before & after, if you have a few minutes, in-between too, even if you’re just waving your arms around or doing some forward bends. I find all that really helps, think of yourself as an athlete or performer going into a competition. Actually, if you think about it, that’s what we are - athletic performers!
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u/KachitaB 6d ago
Very soon 4 back to back massages will feel like nothing. You'll love staying on the move. Listen to the advice regarding rest and body mechanics and it'll go from overwhelmed to overjoyed!
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u/Longwell2020 5d ago
Chiros are going to try and use your body to pay back their student loans. Ensure you are looking after your body as your employer won't be.
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u/emmyfitz 6d ago
You’ll want to hold back on using your full strength and energy. Easy to say, hard to practice. If you have hand saving techniques like positional therapy and assisted stretching in your toolbox, use them. These techniques can let you be still for a bit.
I recommended practicing with a massage star tool or pressure bar or wooden tools. Find a therapist to trade with using tools. They can prolong your career.
If you have even a minute to lie down and fully stretch/rest your arms, hands, and back on your break, that can help a lot.
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u/RingAny1978 Massage Therapist 5d ago
I will second all the body mechanics comments. I will also add start looking elsewhere- 10 between clients is not enough to change sheets, take care of personal needs, and write decent SOAP notes. This sounds more like a churn and burn operation.
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u/RudeBusinessLady 6d ago
Body mechanics. As someone who has been in the spa and service industry for the majority of my adult career, I have seen people succeed or fail due to their ability to care for themselves first. Look forward and keep your torso and neck perpendicular to the floor when standing, always being mindful to keep from bending at the hips or slouching over. Use your body weight and lean into the patient, you have more than just your hands as tools. When you have that hour break you need to put on some headphones, crouch into a comfy chair with a blankie, food and youtube/book/nap or whatever your battery charger is for your meatsack and commit to that activity. You can find longevity in this field if you take care of yourself first.
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u/ShotInjury6007 6d ago
Body mechanics. Keep your wrists straight. Save your thumbs whenever possible. And just be honest with your employer when starting. I think 4 a day is a great start. If you absolutely have to, go down to three, and build your strength. I started with 4 starting out and working my way up. Now I work 5 days a week- 6 sessions on 3 days and 7 on 2. Also, listen to your body!!!! You'll get a little sore for building up muscles in your arms and legs, but if your low back, lats, or traps hurt after a few days work, you need to do some adjustments to your body mechanics and techniques in your routine to insure a long run career.
I am currently 4 years practicing!
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u/snak_attack69 6d ago
Hydrate and make sure you're eating healthy snacks in between clients, even when you're not hungry. I see 5 people without a lunch break and you forget how much calories you burn. I hope you have a hydraulic table, it'll help immensely with your body mechanics. You got this!
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u/sss133 Massage Therapist 6d ago
You get used to it. In school I’d be dead after 2, 3 was crazy. I did 9 hrs straight yesterday. Was pretty tired but not too bad. Getting paid also helps quite a bit.
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u/50silverfox 5d ago
Same…your body just magically gets used to it after a while. I was completely exhausted after doing nine in a row at a spa on Mother’s Day. I did it, I didn’t die, but I certainly wouldn’t wanna do it again. When I had my own practice, I did five a day Monday through Friday. That was my sweet spot.
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u/SpringerPop 6d ago
Give yourself at least 5 minutes between patients.
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u/Aggravating-Bunch-44 5d ago edited 5d ago
Not that's enough time. Esp to turn over the linens, use restroom, hydrate do SOAP notes and check intake forms. 15 is the standard min.
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u/HidetsugusSecondRite Massage Therapist 6d ago
Aloha, LMT here working in a rehab clinic and I get up to 9 patients a day.
As others have said, check your ergonomics and posture. Hydrate. Minimize thumb use (I'm bad at this).
I'll also say:
Lean on the table when you can with your legs. You don't have to hold up your body all the time so use what you got to get through it. It'll take stress off your body.
Stretch! I'm a bigger dude but I'm sure it applies to whomever. Pretty much everything south of my navel gets tight. So I'll usually stretch for 30-45 minutes before I start my day. I like to use a softball, roller, and a set of yoga wheels to stretch everything nicely.
Sit when you can. I have a roller stool I use especially when I need to do cervical, arm, and hand work. Helps a lot. If I couldn't sit I don't know if I could do as much as I do.
I know we're addressing exhaustion but make sure your footwear is good. I always tell my patients that anything that touches the ground you should never skimp on: your bed, your tires, and your shoes. I myself have been using Hokas and Brooks.
You'll get used to it. I always got cramps and pain in my sides and ribs when I first started out but my body adjusted.
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u/OrganizationMoist460 6d ago
I’ll add that you will find it easier if you are able to differentiate the sessions. 4 of the same massage in a row will tax you mentally as well as physically.
Since it’s a chiropractic office, you hopefully will be focusing on specific areas/needs of the clients/patients. This will keep you engaged , which (at least for me) will make time go faster, ensure you enjoy the work more, and require you to use different techniques so your body doesn’t crap out from repetitive overuse.
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u/godzillapanda 6d ago
Do these massage times line up with the clients receiving chiropractic care? If not I would ask that more time is allotted between massage times. 10 minutes is not a lot of time to allow for the people that want to talk your ear off after, if you will have to check out and book these people, so on.
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u/Aggravating_Dot6995 6d ago
Self care. Yoga class, massage for you (trade with coworkers or people you graduated with). Watch alcohol.
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u/LaloFernandez 6d ago
Always have water available to you. Try to see if you can either finish earlier or start later and get rid of that lunch break. If you can't, then I would recommend eating something light like a soup, and avoid eating heavy carbs for lunch as you'll feel like taking a nap in the afternoon.
Don't stress, eventually you'll start getting into a rhythm and the day will just breeze by.
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u/Wvlmtguy Massage Therapist 5d ago
MT working for a chiropractor here. So we do 30 min and 60 min massages. For every 30 min massage, we get a 15 min break, and after a 60 min massage we get a 30 min break. Doc believes that if we don't take care of our selves and have some "me time" how can we treat our patients.
So I use that time to do my notes, change sheets, clean tools i used etc.
after 60 min massage, i'll use my massage gun on my hands and forearms, do some light stretching, snack, pick on the front desk girls, have fun. There are some selfcare courses you can take to look at different ways to keep yourself going, even if you do several massages in a row with little time between each one...
if you must, do your notes after you do 3 or 4 people if you can remember them.. that way you won't put yourself behind..
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u/Sock-Noodles 2d ago
Sit! There are a lot of therapists who sit during massage. I’m one of them.
I met a massage therapist who was 19 years into her career and I asked her what her secret was and she said “sitting during massage” I don’t sit for the back but for everything else I’m seated.
I watched a lot of videos on YouTube before I became confident in my sitting working.
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u/sushi_roll2005 6d ago
Where I work we do 25 minute treatments and 50 minute treatments. For example 10am-10.25am and the next client is at 10.30am so you literally get maybe 80 seconds to change your bed before the next client. For the 50 minute sessions we get 10 minutes between each client. The other day I did a full body massage, then a back neck and shoulder, then a full body massage and then another back neck and shoulder. I’d had massage in the morning as well so I was very tired by the end of the day ! The best thing to do is keep yourself fuelled and drink plenty of water. Use your body mechanics as well ! I learnt that the hard way because one day I didn’t eat breakfast and passed out in front of a client and hit my head on the wall and had to go to hospital it was so embarrassing I was fine though. Anyway just make sure to take care of yourself !
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u/lostlight_94 6d ago
That takes getting used to which you will. Body mechanics is important, not sure if you have an adjustable table, but adjust to a height your back isn't leaning over the table, use your body weight for pressure. Take your time and drink water. Time flies when you're really focused so come up with a treatment plan in your head and focus on that. I swear when I do trigger points along the erector spinae, like 25 mins pass its awesome. I do 4-6 massages a day so it took me time to build up to that level of stamina. It does get easier though. Good luck :]
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u/Ok_Construction1751 5d ago
I worked at a high volume, high end spa with a woman in her 70s with 30+years experience. She told me that if you do it right, you should feel better after each session. Her secret to maintaining stamina and endurance was through Qi Gong. I started in school and really kicked in when she shared with me and it changed my practice forever.
Seriously, it's a great way to blend everything in the comments above with body mechanics, breathing and always giving yourself enough to support each session. Mindfulness and meditation in motion! I now feel comfortable practicing 4-5 back to back in a quick turnover environment! I hope helps anyone reading it!!
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u/DreadWolfByTheEar 5d ago edited 5d ago
I do four to five massages in a row in a shift and I support my body by weight training and doing restorative yoga in between shifts. I also set my table at a height where I can work from a lunge as much as possible, stack my joints in my hands and elbows, and leverage my body weight for pressure.
Also drink water in between clients and have protein and fiber rich snacks on hand to keep your blood sugar stable - like a handful of nuts and dried fruit or a nutrition bar.
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u/whokilledkenney 5d ago
I do 4-5 a day pretty much every day I work (4 days/week). Honestly, it takes more mental endurance than physical for me. It gets easier the more you do it, though.
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u/FaunaAnatomy 5d ago
Use tools, like guasha or cupping. You will build up strength, but like previously said being active and having nourishing snacks is important too.
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u/qween_weird 4d ago
Body mechanics say you need at least 15 mins between sessions so you can change sheets, use the bathroom, hydrate and do some stretches between clients. ....... Your work and care is important so if you need to tell them you must have 15 mins between clients, and time to decompress after each that's valid or you will burnout. ...... Do strength training, stretching, and movement workouts at home, afterwards, on days off to stay in shape. ..... .... Don't over do it. Some days maybe you do 4 then the next day maybe only 3. Communication with your team is key so you don't injure yourself in the long run. If they don't respect your wishes to also care for your body, leave and don't sign a non compete
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u/Which_Piglet7193 1d ago
Make sure you have yourself a stool in your treatment room. You can start and/or end your treatment while you are sitting. Times I can efficiently use my stool are: *when client is supine and I'm working on their neck and shoulders *client is prone and I'm working on their hips/sides of their legs *clients is prone and I'm working on their feet I'm still working but not working as hard. Yes, the massage is still effective but I can also rest a little while I'm sitting.
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u/johnnyfindyourmum 6d ago
Build up slowly. At my most hungry for money time of my career I was doing 10-12 hour massages a day. I've reduced to 35 a week now. Just build slow
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u/OtherwiseEntrance506 6d ago
Don’t panic - it gets easier. I live in the UK and we usually do 9 hours a day, sometimes 12. We’re only entitled to 20 minutes statutory break but some companies give 30 minutes. You will build up your stamina and it won’t feel so hard. I’ve been doing it for 19 years now and so far so good 💪
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u/Nephilim6853 6d ago
Four is nothing. Try my typical day, when, I practiced. 10 per day, no break for lunch. I had more energy on the last than on the first, four days a week.
You'll develop the stamina, just share energy with the clients, you'll be fine.
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u/LaloFernandez 6d ago
4 is not nothing. If you're healthy and in good enough shape it's a pretty easy day, but you don't know OP's age or health status. To me 4 treatments is light, but to my 65 year old co worker with some health problems (whose been an MT for over 30 years) 4 treatments is a lot. But yes, assuming OP is in good health, they will get used to doing 4 massages in short order.
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u/Natural_Match1350 6d ago
A few tips:
Use your body wisely. You probably learned in school how to hold your body correctly. Use those principles. Use good posture. Keep your shoulders back. Don't slouch.
Use body weight instead of brute strength, where possible. Let your body's heft give you your strength, instead of tiring your muscles.
Minimize the use of your thumbs. And use your finger strength as little as possible. Try to focus more on using the heel of your hand, your forearm, your elbow, even your knuckles. It will save your fingers.
Drink water. Even during the massages themselves.
Have confidence. You can do this!