When you schedule an appointment with a myofascial trigger point therapist, massage therapist, or any other type of bodyworker, there are a
few things to keep in mind that will help the therapist help you. 

Here are my top five suggestions:

1. Try to arrive on time or a little early for your
appointment, so you can use the restroom, relax a while, or get a drink of
water. It’s a good idea to have a little time to get into a relaxed frame of
mind for the session, gather your thoughts about what you’d like to work on
and get a sense of how you’re feeling at that moment, so you can be fully
present for your session.

2. Please show up clean, and unscented, if possible. Other
clients who may be sensitive to fragrance may be coming in for their sessions
after yours is done, and fragrances tend to linger in an office. Also try not
to come right after a workout or after working in the garden, so you aren’t too
dirty or sweaty.

3. Tell us how you are doing that day. How do you feel? What
is happening in your body? What have you been doing recently that may be
affecting your muscles? It helps us to help you if you give us this type of
information. Even little bits of information that you may not think are relevant
are sometimes key in letting us know what we need to work on during your
session. For example, if you spent a lot of time in the kitchen, chopping
vegetables over the weekend and you’ve come in with neck and shoulder pain, or
elbow pain, we’ll have a better clue about what muscles are in need, based on what your body may have been through while chopping vegetables over a countertop. Or if you spent a lot of time in the garden, bent over, or on your knees, knowing that helps us determine what muscles to treat, as well.

4. Communicate during the session, especially if there is a
particular spot you’d like more work on, or if there’s an area that is feeling
uncomfortable as we work on it, we need to know. It doesn’t do you any good to
keep quiet about something that isn’t feeling right for you. It’s your session.
We want you to be happy when you leave, and feel we attended to what was most
important. We don’t want you to leave feeling that we didn’t address your needs
the way you wanted during the session.

5. Listen carefully to our instructions for you for self-care at home. If you don’t understand how to do one of the stretches, or if a suggestion doesn’t make sense for your situation, please ask us to clarify or help you adapt what we are giving you so that it works for you at home. The idea is for you to be able to follow through at home easily. The more you can do at home to take care of yourself, the better off you’ll be. We want you to feel your best all the time, not just after a session. Learn what you can do to take care of your body and follow through at home for the best results.