No, you don't! Even if you're sitting at a desk all day, you can still suffer from muscle pain, especially in the back and shoulder area. With regular massage treatments, you can prevent or get rid of posture problems, which are caused by tight muscles.

Before starting the treatment, I will leave the room to allow you to undress to a level you're comfortable with, and give you a large tower to cover yourself. I will only expose the areas that are treated and will keep the rest covered. Top half clothing: You will usually be asked to remove all top half clothing (except underwear). If you’re a lady and you’re not comfortable being topless, that’s okay. Wearing a normal bra that is easily unclipped will allow me to access your back. You can keep your bra on, but ideally you’ll allow me to unclip it, or you’ll unclip it yourself. I can work around bras if kept on, but it’s not ideal. A sports bra without a back fastening will need to be removed beforehand for an effective massage. If you want the front of your shoulders seen to, it’s okay to keep your bra on and I will cover your other parts with a towel, or you can wear a tank top. Bottom half clothing: If the lower part of your body is to be treated, wearing a pair of loose-fitting shorts is the best idea. If they are too tight, it can cause an issue with the massage as they can restrict access to the higher part of your leg. If you're comfortable, it may be easier to wear underwear only so I can get better access to the full length of the muscles.

Getting at least one massage a week has the greatest benefits, but as it may not be realistic to everyone, less regular treatments, like once every 3-4 weeks can still be very effective.

If you're looking to get a proper sports massage with deep tissue techniques involved, it will cause some level of discomfort, but I will make sure it will be bearable and you won't be agonized. This is necessary for effective pain management if you're suffering from muscle aches or chronic pain. However you can choose a relaxation massage if you'd prefer a relaxing, soothing experience, which is still beneficial physically and mentally, and a great experience, but do not expect the same effects as you would get from a sports massage with deep tissue techniques involved.

Contraindications include: musculoskeletal issues (e.g. strains/ sprains/ fractures/ myositis/ joint replacements/arthrisis/osteoporosis/ bruisitis/ tendonitis/ other) circulatory issues (e.g. heart condition/hypertension/ DVT/ phlebititis/ varicose veins/ haemophilia/ CV disease/ other) neurological issues (e.g. epilepsy/ sciatica/ neuralgia/ MS/ parkinsons/ other) skin issues (e.g. eczema/ acne/ athletes foot/ warts/ dermatitis/ psoriasis/ impetigo/ cuts/ bruises/ burns/ undiagnosed lumps/ other) respiratory issues ( e.g. asthma/ pneumonia/ bronchitis/ sinusitis/ cold/ cough/ flu/ other) immune issues (cancer/ rheumatoid arthrisis/ HIV/ AIDS/ other) digestive issues (e.g. IBS/ constipation/ diarrhoea/ gall stones/ kidney stones/ urinary tract infection/ other) miscellaneous issues (e.g. diabetes/ allergies/ recent operations/ major operations/ PREGNANCY/ glandular fever/ headaches/ physiological issues/ menstrual issues/ substance abuse/ feeling unwell/ other) Having contraindications, doesn't necessarily mean you can't have a massage, but you need to let me know and give some details about it in the consultation form, when booking an appointment, so I can decide if it is safe for you to be massaged. Some of the conditions are total contraindications, which means if you have them, you can't get a massage at all (e.g. cancer or pregnancy -I'm not specialised do treat clients under these conditions), but if you have a local contraindication, you can still get a treatment in other areas, that are not affected by the condition (e.g. you can still have a back massage if you have varicose veins in your legs).