How often should you get a massage?

It is the question we get asked most, usually somewhere near the end of a session. The honest answer is that it depends on what you are asking massage to do. Someone unwinding after a hard month and someone managing years of desk tension are not on the same schedule, and neither should be.

How often most people book a massage

For general upkeep, once every four to six weeks is the rhythm most people settle into. It is frequent enough that tension does not fully rebuild between visits, and infrequent enough to be realistic for a normal budget and a normal calendar. Plenty of people go less often than that and still get a lot out of it. The worst schedule is the one you abandon in March.

How often to get a massage for ongoing tension

If you are dealing with something specific and long-standing, a tight shoulder that has been there since autumn, or the lower back tension covered in our notes on sciatica massage, a closer run of sessions at the start usually makes more sense. Something like fortnightly for the first few, then stretching the gap out as things settle. Your therapist will give you an honest view at the end of a session about whether coming back sooner is likely to help, and will say so just as readily when it is not.

How often to get a massage when you are training

Training changes the picture. If you are running, lifting or playing sport regularly, the useful frequency tends to follow your load rather than the calendar: more often through a heavy block or in the weeks before an event, less in the quiet months. Our guide to sports massage covers how a session shifts depending on whether it sits before or after the hard work.

Booking a rhythm you will actually keep

Two practical things make regular massage stick. The first is booking the next appointment before you leave, because a vague intention to call in a month rarely survives the month. The second is knowing what it costs you: if you have extras cover, you may be able to claim your massage on your health fund on the spot, which changes the maths for a lot of people. What you do in between matters too, and our notes on getting the most from your massage cover the small habits that hold the gains.

Frequently asked questions

Is once a month enough for a massage?

For general maintenance, monthly suits most people well. It keeps everyday tension from fully rebuilding between visits without becoming a commitment that is hard to keep.

Can you have a massage too often?

Weekly massage is not unusual for people training hard or working through something specific, but there is little point booking more often than your body has time to respond. If you are unsure, spread the sessions out and see how the middle week feels.

How soon can I have another massage after a deep tissue session?

Give it a few days if you feel worked over. Firm treatments can leave you a little tender for a day or two, and our guide to deep tissue and trigger point massage explains why.

Length matters as much as frequency, and our guide to choosing between a 60 and 90 minute massage covers when the longer session is worth booking.

Whatever rhythm suits you, you can check availability online any time, and see every treatment and length on our massage treatment menu.