As a massage therapist, I get this question a lot: “How often should I be getting a massage?”
Honestly, there isn’t a perfect answer. We all have different bodies, so it depends on the individual.
If someone is feeling a little tight and stressed, then they could benefit from an occasional massage. However, a different person having the same symptoms may find that regular massage helps them to stay active, manage recurring areas of tension, and feel more comfortable in their bodies.
The right frequency depends on the individuals: activity level, stress, lifestyle, goals, and what the body is telling you.
At Grounding Fitness in the Woodlands, we look at massage as one piece of a bigger picture. This can include strength training, mobility work, yoga, and recovery. They all have a place in a healthy routine and massage can be another tool to help you feel and move your best.
So how do you know when you’re due?
One of the biggest misconceptions about massage is that you need to wait until something hurts. If you’re in pain, then the door opened letting out whatever hidden issue you had (honestly, we don’t know what we don’t know).
If you’re already experiencing significant pain or discomfort, massage may be something that can help support your recovery, but you don’t have to wait until you’re uncomfortable (or in pain) to schedule one.
Think of it like exercise. You do it to maintain your strength and activities of daily living, not start after you’ve completely lost your strength (although sadly, some do).
This same idea can be applied to recovery. Continuously checking in with your body can help you notice areas of tension, stiffness, or fatigue before they become something more serious (like pain) that interferes with the things you enjoy doing.
So…How Often Should You Get a Massage?
The short answer? It depends.
There isn’t a scientifically established “one massage every XYZ weeks” rule that applies to everyone. Research on massage varies considerably depending on the condition being treated, the type of massage, length of session, and frequency.
A little FYI….Evidence-backed: A 2024 systematic review examining massage therapy research for painful adult health conditions found that the research does not establish one universal dosing schedule. Studies have been done doing different frequencies and length of times of massages, however, it varies depending on the condition being treated.
Read the 2024 systematic review in JAMA Network Open / PMC
This means that your massage schedule should be centered around your needs, rather than following a one-size-fits-all calendar.
If you’re still not sure, below are some great guidelines of massage scheduling:
1. If You’re Just Looking For Relaxation & General Wellness
Getting a massage on occasion, maybe every 4–8 weeks would be great or whenever you’re feeling like you need a reset. For some, massage is a regular part of self-care and they do it more often. For others, it’s something they schedule when life gets particularly stressful.
Either approach is fine!
2. If You Exercise Regularly
If you strength train, run, practice yoga, or do some other type of regular exercise, you may notice that your body can get stiff or muscles get achey. Your body will benefit more from consistent recovery.
You could consider a massage every 2–4 weeks, depending on your training volume and how your body responds.
This is not a hard rule. You could try one out every two weeks and go from there. You may need a massage more or less often. It simply gives you a starting point to experiment with.
Your recovery needs can also change when your training changes. For example:
Are you…..increasing your mileage?…..Starting a new strength program?…..Adding more workouts?…..Feeling more muscle soreness than usual?
These are great reasons to focus and pay more attention to recovery. Massages can help and temporarily give you relief from those aches and pains.
A little FYI…..Evidence-backed: Research has found that massage can help reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) following strenuous exercise. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 studies involving 504 participants found that “massage therapy after strenuous exercise could be effective for alleviating DOMS and improving muscle performance.”
Read the systematic review and meta-analysis on massage and DOMS
More recent research continues to investigate massage as one of several approaches for managing post-exercise soreness, although researchers also note that the quality and consistency of the evidence varies.
Read the 2025 umbrella review on physical therapies for DOMS
Therefore, if you’re someone that wants your body to perform well consistently, then getting massages more often should become part of your recovery regiment.
What If One Specific Area Always Gets Tight?
This is where paying attention to your body becomes especially important.
Some examples could be your:
- Neck and shoulders
- Lower back
- Hips
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Calves
- Upper back
You might notice that the same area becomes tight over and over again.
Instead of waiting until it becomes painful, getting regular massages could be one tool that you use amongst many to manage that recurring tension. However…..
***Massage shouldn’t be the only answer.***
If the same area continues to bother you, the why becomes super important! For example:
~ Are you sitting at a desk all day or staring down at a computer?
~ Are you repeating the same movements?
~ Are you lacking mobility somewhere in your body?
~ Are you compensating for weakness or an imbalance?
~ Are you training too hard without enough recovery?
~ Are you sleeping poorly or just not getting enough sleep?
~ Are you overly stressed (this can cause tension)?
Sometimes the answer isn’t simply “you need another massage.” Massages are great to reduce the symptoms temporarily. It is one of the protocols amongst many to help get to the root of the problem and reduce pain/tension and increase relaxation.
Sometimes recovery needs to include: massage ~ strength ~ mobility ~ stretching ~ better movement habits
And this is why our approach at Grounding Fitness works!
So, how do you know you’re due for a massage?
Your body always lets you know. There are little clues, therefore it’s super important that you are always in tune with your body. Some examples are:
A) You’re Feeling More Stiff Than Usual
It doesn’t necessarily have to be pain. You just don’t feel as mobile.
It could be that your shoulders feel heavy when you wake up. Or your hips feel tight after sitting. Maybe you notice that certain movements don’t feel as easy as they used to.
This is when you need to start to listen.
B) You’re Constantly Rubbing or Stretching the Same Area
If you’re constantly stretching your neck, rolling your shoulders up and back, stretching your hamstrings, or using the massage gun on a tight spot….then you definitely need to pay attention.
C) Your Workouts Are Not Feeling the Same
Sometimes your performance changes before you realize that you’re feeling tired. You may start feeling stiff, heavy, or restricted during your workout.
This doesn’t automatically mean that you need a massage right away, but it could be a sign that your body needs more recovery.
D) You’re Carrying a Lot of Stress
A lot of times, stress shows up physically. You might:
- Lift your shoulders towards your ears.
- Clench your jaw.
- Breathe shallowly.
- Have a tight upper back.
- Have difficulty relaxing.
Massage can help with all of these and give you a space to slow down and reconnect with your body.
A little FYI…..Evidence-backed: A large systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that massage therapy was associated with improvements in pain compared with no treatment and also showed benefits for anxiety and health-related quality of life in some comparisons.
Read the systematic review and meta-analysis on massage therapy and pain/function
Massage isn’t a cure-all, but it certainly helps when you add it to all of the other pieces of recovery. Combining this along with all of the other therapeutic interventions is the best way to support recovery.
However, research does support massage as a useful part of pain management and overall care for some people.
What if I get a massage every week?
Some people do and some don’t
Weekly massages may make sense for someone going through a particularly demanding period of training, dealing with significant muscular tension, or using massage as part of a short-term recovery plan. However, more massage doesn’t necessarily mean better results.
Your body needs time to recover between types of physical stress, especially if you get a massage with deep tissue or trigger point therapy. Massages should be considered alongside your overall activity, sleep, nutrition, stress, and exercise routine.
For many people, every 2–4 weeks may be a reasonable starting point for regular maintenance, while others may prefer every 4–8 weeks.
The important thing is to pay attention to how you feel before and after your sessions.
Think of massage as part of your recovery routine.
One of my favorite things about massage is that it gives me a chance to slow down, relax, and pay attention.
We’re often so busy doing that we don’t notice what’s happening in our bodies until something hurts. Massage is a chance to breathe, slow down, & notice where you’re holding tension. It gives time to put attention to your tired muscles. Taking an hour for yourself becomes important as life gets in the way.
However, recovery doesn’t stop when you get off the massage table. Hydration, sleep, movement, strength training, mobility, nutrition, and managing stress all contribute to how your body feels and performs.
That’s why massage works so beautifully alongside the other services we offer at Grounding Fitness.
Strength ensures your body can handle the demands of daily life. Movement helps you to maintain it. Recovery helps you take care of it.
And massage is one of the ways you can give your body a little extra attention along the way.
So again, are you due?
Instead of asking yourself, “When was my last massage?”, try asking: How does my body feel right now?
- Does it feel more tense than usual?
- Does it feel stiff?
- Have I worked out harder?
- Am I carrying a lot of stress?
- Do I keep noticing the same areas are feeling tense?
If you’re answering yes to several of those questions, it might be time to schedule a massage!
And if you’re not sure what your body needs, that’s okay too, that’s what we’re here for.
At Grounding Fitness, massage isn’t about chasing pain or waiting until your body forces you to stop. It’s about learning to listen to your body and giving it the support it needs to keep doing the things you love.
Recover well. Move well. Feel well.
That’s the goal!
A Note About the Research
Massage therapy can be helpful for many people, but it isn’t appropriate for every condition and shouldn’t replace medical evaluation when pain is severe, persistent, unexplained, or accompanied by concerning symptoms. It also varies significantly by condition, massage technique, and treatment schedule.
The evidence highlighted in this article comes primarily from systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. These studies support massage as a potentially useful tool for certain types of pain and post-exercise soreness, but they do not establish one ideal massage frequency for everyone. Meaning that everyBODY is different!!
If you are still not sure, or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at carola@groundingfitness.com to get your recovery & relaxation scheduled!
