By: Daniel J Brownell

© Copyright 2008 Full Throttle Massage, Inc.

You slept wrong last night and your neck is stiff and sore. Maybe you have been working in the garden all weekend and your back hurts from being bent over. You are under a lot of stress from your job and can't seem to relax or sleep at night. A friend suggested you get a professional massage to help ease the pain. It sounded like a great idea, but you have never been to a massage therapist. You are a little apprehensive because you are not sure what to expect.

If you are reading this, you have taken the first (and right) step to improving your health and well-being. There are many benefits of massage. But how does it work? What really happens in a massage therapist office?

What are all these forms? I just want a massage.

In a professional massage therapist office, the first step to receiving a beneficial massage will be the filling out of some basic forms. They include a client intake form, a health history, and an informed consent form.

• The Client Intake Form This form will tell your massage therapist some key information about you. It will let the therapist know what areas of concern you have (ie: back pain, stiff neck, leg pain, etc.). If you are under a doctors care for anything that may be important to the outcome of the massage. It also informs the therapist if you have ever had a professional massage.
• The Health History Form Why do I have to fill out a health history form? It is very important for you, and the massage therapist, that this form be filled out completely. It informs the therapist of any medical condition that may dictate the use of a certain massage technique, or a technique that may be contraindicated (should not be used).
• The Informed Consent This form is more of a legal form than anything else. It is for your protection as well as the therapist. It gives the therapist written permission to perform a massage.

Okay, I filled out the forms, what's next?

Your therapist will take you to the massage treatment room. Before the massage begins the two of you will discuss your concerns and health history in a little interview. This interview usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. This is when you and your therapist will start to get to know each other. You will discuss your expectations of the massage. Your health history, if there is information that will determine the massage techniques used during the massage. This is a good time to ask your therapist questions. After the interview, the massage therapist will leave the room so you can get undressed.
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