Massage.... Gotta Have It

[Nicolette]

I wouldn't think it would not be a very effective massage if you were clothed

Works perfectly for me as I need remedial massage not relaxation.I hate massages with all those oils without being able to shower straight after, prior to putting my clothes back on, with the exception of reflexology as it's only a pair of socks.

 

[Hashi]

For people concerned about taking clothes off, body size and belly rubbing, shiatsu (pressure point) massage can be very relaxing and ease muscle tension. Often you have a blanket over you as well as wearing your clothes. After having shiatsu I feel like I've done a 90 minute yoga session but with someone else doing all the work for me.

Chair massage is also good, especially if you have a longer session than 15-20 minutes.

When I lived and travelled in South East Asia I often had general massage with my clothes on. In some countries like Taiwan, there was so much modesty that people bathed in hot spring baths fully clothed (eg jeans and T shirt) rather than swimming costumes. So clothed massage was normal. In Singapore, I had a foot massage under a big towel completely covering my legs and feet so the massage therapist couldn't see my legs or feet at all - again for modesty.

I loved the coin-operated massage chairs in Taiwan. These were at the big stations, so while waiting for a train you could put in a small amount of money and get 10 minutes of mechanical back massage. Bliss!

 

[Barberian]

My wife and I beat the odds and both have fibromyalgia, amongst other conditions. Her's pretty mild most of the time, mine... not so much.

We bought massaging recliner chairs, the kind that help you stand up by extending up and forward. We bought them because we had the money at the time, which we normally don't. There are days where one or the other of us are in a lot of pain, and as we age expect more of these days. The chairs will help "whenever" with the massage, and on the bad days whenever they come with getting out of the chair. I actually took my computer chair out of my puter room and put my recliner chair in it's place. The wife is going to do the same soon. :p

I'd love to go to a masseuse, but they are expensive around here, and far too many of them specialize in the "happy ending" type of massage. I don't want to spend the money searching for a good masseuse, and the Mrs. doesn't trust me on the not so good ones. :eek:

 

[KBE]

I need my bi weekly massages or I suffer in every possible way. I went through a number of massage therapists before I found one who I connected with.

You can be fully or partially clothed and if the therapist is good that wont matter for the quality of the massage. Also, my therapist covers all of me except what she is directly working on, so you're not fully exposed even if you do strip down. In the beginning she didn't even uncover that, because I was so body shy.

She also gives me stretches I can do at home to combat the tightness that will start to build up. She is caring and gregacious. If anyone is in Toronto and looking for a massage therapist, pm me, I'm happy to give her a reference. When no one was able to figure out where and why my pain was occurring as it does, she found a way to bring me relief.

 

[faraway]

I get a massage once a month, too. I hold a lot of tension in my shoulders. I don't actually think I am ever relaxed because people comment on my tension even when I think I am relaxed. I guess I don't actually know what being relaxed is..? Anyway, I'd definitely recommend massage too.