#5 Remove jewelry

Pretty obvious, but, it’s as much for you as it is for the massage therapist. The two most important accessories are necklaces and earrings (especially the straight back kind-they’ll poke you in the neck…not relaxing). Rings, bracelets and watches aren’t that important unless you like to get a good hand and wrist massage.

#4 Communicate with your massage therapist

Before the massage: Never had chair massage? Let him/her know.  Got a headache? Show your therapist where you feel it. During the massage: Don’t wait for the therapist to ask if the pressure is just right. It’s best to be proactive. After a few minutes of warm up, you’ll get a good sense of how the therapist works. Let him/her know how they’re doing. “That pressure is just right” “Can you go deeper and slower” “That’s a really good spot to work on”

#3 Remember to breath

Breathing deep into the diaghram and slowly exhaling will really help you get in touch with what is tight and tense. Using your breath also helps communicate to the therapist that you are actively partnering with them to give you the best massage.

#2 Avoid “helping” your massage therapists

Some clients get into the habit (knowingly or not) of raising their own arm when they feel the massage therapist start to move it.  Some may be thinking, “oh, here, let me help you move my arm.”  It’s a nice gesture but not necessary.  Unless your therapist asks you to actively move your arm, it’s best to just keep the arm relaxed and let the therapist do all the work.

#1 Take it all in

Plan to give yourself a few moments afterwards to get in touch with the changes in your mind and body.  Avoid “connecting” to the outside world for like 10 minutes.  Get a drink of water, take a stroll…accessing the memory of this renewed sense of well being will have a cummulative effect towards future massages.

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A 2010 The Bureau of Labor Statistics report states over 346,000 cases of musculoskeletal disorders exist, causing an average of 11 missed workdays per person.  

The following excerpt was taken from David Palmer's "21st Century Workplace Seated Massage."

The revolution

The future of workplace massage is tied to the economics of health care policy. At long last, corporate, governmental and academic policy makers have come to the conclusion that a health care system whose primary focus is sickness care is doomed to bankruptcy. They have concluded the ultimate foundation of an economically viable health care system has to be prevention and wellness.

This radical paradigm shift is stamped indelibly into the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. While the media and partisan politicians were obsessing about the constitutionality of ObamaCare and its new framework for financing health care, mostly overlooked was the fact that the 954-page ACA legislation specifically “directs the creation of a national prevention and health promotion strategy.”

The law created the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council(National Prevention Council), composed of the heads of 17 Federal agencies and chaired by the Surgeon General. This high-level federal action group works closely with a 25-member Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health, also mandated in the legislation. Both of these groups are developing plans and recommendations that will impact every strata of society, including workplace wellness.

It's easy to forget proper ergonomics when using a laptop.  Follow these tips to avoid eyestrain, tension headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, and upper/lower back pain.