A strenuous workout after a full-body massage is not advisable. During your massage, the therapist works deep into your muscles, and it’s not uncommon to feel sore after your time on the table. Exercising can increase this soreness and decrease the benefits of your full-body massage, because jumping right into a workout does not give the muscles time to return to their natural state. If you have to work out soon after a massage, some activities are more acceptable than others.
Keep It Light
Working out creates damage to your muscles that massage therapy seeks to repair. The more vigorous the workout, the greater the potential damage could be. If you cannot work out before your massage, consider swimming laps or walking at a moderate pace uphill instead of jogging, lifting weights or taking that aerobics class.
Thixotropic Effect
A key reason to avoid strenuous physical activity after a massage is the tendency of the body’s muscles and connective tissue to become more gel-like during bodywork. Known as the thixotropic effect, it is what leaves you feeling loose and limber after a full-body massage, but may also leave you more prone to injury after a session. Because your muscles are in a state of relaxation, it can be easier to strain them during a post-massage workout. Straining them may also create new areas of tension in the body as the muscles return to their pre-massage state. These spots of tension are known as trigger points and will land you back on the massage table for treatment if they are inflamed during a workout.
How Long to Wait?
Plan to wait 24 hours after a full-body massage before you resume the normal intensity of your workout. This provides time for any muscles that were damaged during the treatment to heal, and any issues of soreness from the massage should be resolved in this time.
Sports Massage
If you can’t avoid a workout soon after your massage, opt for a sports massage instead of a full-body treatment. Rather than focusing on the long, fluid strokes that are common in full-body sessions, sports massage uses short bursts of pressure and vibration to bring blood to the tissue and optimize it for athletic performance. Many professional athletes use sports massage as a component of their training regimens.
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