Thank you Katherine for the below guest post! I am currently with my family remembering my amazing grandmother with her friends and loved ones during her funeral. Luckily, I have blog friends like Katherine who can step up during times of need!

Hello Healthy Happier Bear readers and a big thank you to Ashley for the chance to guest post on her blog. I’m just so sorry the opportunity comes under such sad circumstances, but my thoughts, and I’m sure yours too, are with Ashley, Bo and their family.
You might have seen my name on this blog in the past, while Ashley was training for the NYC Marathon this past fall, which she completely rocked by the way! I’m Katherine and I used to write A Runner Wife’s Life. Then, seemingly out of the blue, I disappeared from the blog world. Truth is, massage therapy school got the best of me. I was taking neurology, shiatsu, swedish II, and an assessment class, in addition to having clinic hours on Sundays. Basically, I was pretty much MIA from everything – the blog world, my social life and even my family life! Now, even though my schedule is even more hectic, I feel like I’ve turned the corner and am finally starting to discover who I am both personally and professionally. Personally, I’ve revamped my blog identity and now write These Healing Hands, and professionally, I’m going to be a healthy, happy massage therapist. I’m going to help people recover from injuries, accomplish new goals, and generally feel better as they go about their every day lives.
How will I do these things all within a 60-minute session? Well, I won’t! How many of you have gotten a massage at a spa, or on vacation, and felt great when you walked out, but found yourself just as stiff or uncomfortable a few days, or even a few hours, later? That’s because massage therapy isn’t a purely passive treatment. It takes two! Sure, while you’re on the table you get to relax, zone out, even sleep. But when you go home, the real work begins and that work is exactly what can help increase the efficacy of your massage, and help you get back out on the road to log more miles, or back to your desk without having low back or sciatic nerve pain.
So what exactly are you supposed to do? Isn’t paying all that money for a massage supposed to fix everything? The good news is you can do a few, easy things that will greatly improve the effects of the massage, and your overall comfort.
1. Drink water. Chances are, if you go to a spa for your massage, you might be offered some hot tea before or after your massage. Tea may be chock full of antioxidants and radical-fighting factors, but it’s also dehydrating. Try to have at least two cups of water for every cup of tea you drink. And keep your water intake up for the next few days. While massage can’t actually eliminate toxins (a common selling point suggested by many spas), it does manipulate tissues and increase circulation. If you have toxins floating around in your blood and you’re dehydrated, those toxins aren’t going anywhere because, let’s face it, you’re not going to eliminate as often. A simple fix for that? Drink more water! Keep your body well hydrated to support your body’s natural impulse to eliminate waste through urine.
2. Do your homework. If you see a massage therapist for an ache or pain, it’s likely due to either an inflammatory condition or a postural imbalance. Either way, a good massage therapist will give you homework to do after your session. She might ask you to apply ice or heat (or both!) for certain periods of time, or give you a few stretches to perform to keep specific muscles loose. You might also be assigned some exercises that will help with postural reeducation. For example, if you sit at a desk all day, your back muscles are tight, but they’re also stretched. While massage might help reduce the adhesions that aggravate the condition and increase circulation to nourish the muscles, you’ll go right back to your slouched, slumped posture without some simple exercises and stretches. Your therapist should suggest stretching your pecs and strengthening your back extensors. This simple homework will help reeducate your muscles so you’ll naturally sit more upright, which will keep your back from becoming overstretched and your pecs from returning to their short, hypertonic state. The same concept applies to conditions like achilles tendinitis, sciatica and other soft tissue disorders.
Who knew you could fix your own problems with just some water and some stretching? Well, that and a good, focused massage session from an informed, professional massage therapist will go a long way to help you live a happier, healthier life, just like Ashley! I hope you enjoyed this post and, most of all, I hope you enjoy the benefits of your next massage even more now!
Katherine
Disclaimer: I am a student in massage therapy and am not yet licensed or insured to practice massage or any other soft tissue body work. I also am not a registered dietitian or nutritionist. Please consult a professional to discuss appropriate water intake and please consult a personal trainer of physical therapist regarding additional strength training regimens.