Professional Maintenance: Taking Care of Yourself as a Remedial Massage Therapist or Myotherapist
Being a Remedial Massage Therapist or Myotherapist is fulfilling, but let’s be for realllll, it’s demanding too. Long hours of hands-on work, leaning over treatment tables, and giving your energy to clients will take it’s toll if you don’t stay on top of your own health.
We often remind our clients that maintenance matters. The same is true for us as therapists. If you don’t prioritise your own wellbeing, it’s only a matter of time before fatigue, aches, and even resentment creep in. The reality is this: the best therapists are the ones who put themselves first so they can consistently show up for others at their best.
Here’s how you can treat self-care as part of your professional maintenance plan.
1. Treat Your Body Like an Athlete’s
Your work is physical. Just like athletes, therapists need conditioning and recovery to perform well over the long term.
Practical tips:
- Warm up before shifts with quick shoulder, wrist, and hip mobility.
- Strength train regularly, especially glutes, hamstrings, and back to balance hours of leaning forward.
- Condition your hands and forearms with rice-bucket drills, stress balls, or grip trainers.
- Stretch for 2–3 minutes between clients.
- Schedule your own treatments such as massage, physio, or bodywork.
2. Prioritise Recovery (Beyond the Basics)
Caring for others all day drains more than just your muscles. Proper recovery stops you from running on empty and resenting your work.
Practical tips:
- Hydrotherapy such as ice baths, contrast showers, or even a quick ocean dip.
- Infrared sauna or steam for circulation and mental reset.
- Foam rolling, trigger balls, or mobility flows to release daily tension.
- Yoga, Pilates, or Tai Chi for combined movement and recovery.
- Outside-the-box options like float therapy, breathwork, or guided meditation for nervous system reset.
3. Fuel Your Body Well
Skipping meals or running on caffeine is a fast track to exhaustion and frustration with clients. Nourishing your body helps you stay patient, focused, and energised.
Practical tips:
- Prep snacks ahead such as boiled eggs, protein balls, or veggie sticks with hummus.
- Keep a large water bottle at work and add electrolytes on humid Gold Coast days.
- Choose balanced meals with protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
- Protect your sleep by avoiding caffeine later in the day.
- Keep smoothie freezer packs ready for quick, nutrient-dense meals between shifts.
4. Boundaries Matter (Work-Life Separation)
Without boundaries, the line between “helping people” and “helping yourself” disappears, and that’s when resentment towards work or clients can build.
Practical tips:
- Set and stick to your work hours, protecting downtime like you protect client appointments.
- Schedule regular days off instead of waiting until you “have time.”
- Create a post-work ritual such as a beach walk, journaling, or listening to a podcast.
- Separate spaces if you work from home by renting a room or using co-working facilities.
- Try a “digital sundown” by switching off work calls or socials after 7pm.
The Takeaway: Professional Maintenance is Non-Negotiable
The best therapists are the ones who put themselves first. When you look after your body, mind, and energy, you reduce the risk of burnout, resentment, and fatigue. You protect your career, stay passionate about your work, and bring your best self into every treatment.
On the Gold Coast, where the lifestyle is busy and active, self-care isn’t just a luxury. It’s part of your professional maintenance plan. By being consistent with strength, recovery, nutrition, and boundaries, you give yourself the same quality of care you offer your clients. And when you’re well taken care of, your clients will feel the difference.
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