What Should You Do After a Massage? 7 Simple Tips
You've just finished your massage. You're feeling relaxed, your muscles feel a little lighter, and now you're wondering:
What should I actually do afterwards?
Do you need to drink litres of water? Should you avoid the gym? Is soreness normal? Can you go for a run?
There's plenty of advice online about what you must do after a massage, but post-massage care doesn't need to be complicated.
Here are a few simple things to keep in mind.
1. Drink Normally and Stay Hydrated
You've probably heard that you need to drink huge amounts of water after a massage to “flush out toxins.”
You don't.
Your liver and kidneys already do an excellent job of processing and removing waste products from your body.
That said, staying adequately hydrated is still a good idea, particularly if you've been exercising, it's a hot day or you haven't had much to drink.
There's no need to force down several litres of water.
Simply return to your normal hydration routine.
2. Keep Moving
After a massage, it can be tempting to spend the rest of the day completely still.
Unless your therapist has advised otherwise, normal gentle movement is generally fine.
Go for a walk.
Move around the house.
Continue with your normal daily activities.
If you've been sitting at work all day, getting some easy movement afterwards may actually feel great.
You don't need to “protect” your muscles simply because you've had a massage.
3. Be Sensible With Exercise
Can you exercise after a massage?
Usually, yes — but consider the type of massage you've received and how you feel afterwards.
A gentle massage may have very little impact on your planned exercise.
After a firmer remedial or deep tissue treatment, however, some areas may feel temporarily tender or sensitive.
If you've just had significant work through your calves, for example, immediately heading out for your hardest interval session of the week may not be ideal.
This is particularly relevant for runners and athletes.
If you have an important long run, race or heavy training session coming up, tell your massage therapist. Treatment can then be adjusted around your training schedule.
Sometimes the best option after a stronger treatment is simply an easy session or recovery day.
4. Some Tenderness Can Happen
It's possible to feel a little tender after massage, particularly following firmer remedial or sports massage.
This doesn't automatically mean something has gone wrong.
The area may simply feel temporarily sensitive after being worked on.
However, there's also an important point here:
You don't need to be extremely sore after every massage for the treatment to have “worked.”
More pressure isn't automatically better.
A good massage should be appropriate for your body, your preferences and what you're trying to achieve.
If you're consistently leaving treatment extremely sore for several days, let your therapist know. The pressure or treatment approach can be modified next time.
5. Do Your Exercises — If You've Been Given Them
If your treatment is part of managing an injury or ongoing problem, the massage itself may only be one part of your plan.
You may also have been given:
Strengthening exercises
Mobility exercises
Stretches
Changes to your training
Advice around work or activity
A gradual return-to-running program
This is where your longer-term progress often happens.
Hands-on treatment can help you feel more comfortable, but if you're dealing with something that keeps returning, building your body's capacity through movement and exercise may also be important.
Don't let the exercises become the piece you forget as soon as you leave the treatment room.
6. Pay Attention to How Your Body Responds
Everyone responds differently to massage.
Some people leave feeling immediately relaxed.
Others feel slightly tender for the rest of the day.
Some feel sleepy.
Others feel ready to get on with their day.
There's no single response you're supposed to have.
Pay attention to how your body responds.
This can also help your therapist tailor future sessions.
If you loved the pressure and felt great afterwards, tell them.
If you were sore for three days, tell them that too.
Good treatment should be adjusted based on your response rather than following exactly the same formula every appointment.
7. Don't Expect the Massage to Do Everything
Massage can be a great tool for managing muscular soreness, feelings of tightness, training fatigue and general relaxation.
But it isn't always the entire solution.
If your neck constantly feels tight after working at a desk, massage may feel great — but regular movement throughout your workday may also help.
If your calves constantly feel tight when running, massage may provide some relief — but your training load and calf strength may also need to be considered.
If your lower back repeatedly becomes painful, continually massaging the area without understanding why it keeps happening may only get you so far.
Sometimes the best management combines:
Hands-on treatment + movement + strength + appropriate recovery + sensible activity.
What Should You Avoid After a Massage?
For most people, there isn't a long list of things you absolutely cannot do.
You generally don't need to:
Avoid showering.
Drink enormous amounts of water.
Stay completely still.
Avoid leaving the house.
Or “flush toxins” from your body.
Instead, consider how you feel and what type of treatment you've received.
After a particularly firm session, it may be sensible to avoid immediately doing an extremely demanding workout involving the same area.
Otherwise, return to normal activity as tolerated.
What If You Feel Very Sore Afterwards?
Mild tenderness following a firmer massage can occur and will often settle.
But significant or worsening pain shouldn't simply be dismissed as normal because you've had a massage.
If you're experiencing severe pain, significant swelling, unexplained bruising, weakness, numbness or tingling, or symptoms that aren't settling, seek appropriate assessment.
You can also contact your therapist and let them know how you've responded to treatment.
The Bottom Line
Post-massage care doesn't need to be complicated.
Stay normally hydrated.
Keep moving.
Be sensible with intense exercise.
Complete any rehabilitation you've been given.
Pay attention to how your body responds.
And most importantly, remember that you don't need to follow an elaborate “detox” routine after your appointment.
Sometimes the best thing to do after a massage is simply enjoy feeling good and get on with your day.