Richmond Sports Massage FAQs

Yes. All of our therapeutic massage sessions take place in private, quiet rooms to ensure your comfort and privacy.

We offer sessions in 45‑, 60‑, 90-or 120-, minute session formats. Your therapist can recommend the best duration based on your goals and schedule.

Your therapist will begin with a pre-consultation to discuss your health history, goals, and any areas of concern. The session will be customized specifically for you. Your therapist will walk you through what to expect during the session and explain their approach, so you will know exactly what to expect during your appointment.

No referral is required. You can book directly with us. If we believe you would benefit from additional care, like physical therapy, we’ll recommend it and can connect you with trusted providers. If you are acutely injured, please see your doctor first before seeing us.

• Regular massage: You may undress to your comfort level. You will be fully draped with linens and a blanket throughout the session.
• Thai massage: Please wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows for movement—no undressing is necessary.

Results vary per individual. Some clients feel immediate relief or notice benefits after one session.Others benefit most from a short series, typically 3–5 sessions, or may need Physical Therapy as well to achieve long-lasting results. We are actively working to help every client reach a point where only maintenance sessions are needed.

Your therapist will check in about pressure and adjust to your comfort level. Whether you prefer gentle or deep pressure, we will tailor the session to match your pain tolerance and goals.

Soreness is possible, especially after deeper work or if you’re new to massage. Your therapist will explain what to expect and provide guidance on how to optimize your recovery over the next few days.

Cupping can be integrated into your massage if your therapist believes it will be beneficial. If you’d like a full cupping routine, we can provide that as well.

Absolutely – we see clients as soon as they’re cleared by their doctor. We utilize techniques such as manual lymphatic drainage to support healing, reduce swelling, and facilitate a smoother post-surgical recovery.

It’s typically better to exercise before your massage. If you do work out after, pay attention to your body. Intense exercise the next day may not be ideal, depending on what the objectives for your massage were. In general low low-impact activity is encouraged either day of or the day after your massage.

We are located at 2226 West Main Street, Richmond VA 23220 right in the heart of the Fan. Our building is a 200-year-old farmhouse and is the big white building set back off the road with a white picket fence, we’re hard to miss. We are right next to Sticky Rice, which is on the corner of Main and Strawberry. There is generally street parking and we have five spots behind the building that you can access through the alley. Please ring the doorbell when you arrive as we keep the building locked at all times.

We do accept HSA/FSA cards. Unfortunately, we do not accept insurance at this time, but we can provide a super bill that you can use to see if your insurance company will cover some of the cost. We have several clients who have had success with this method, but we can’t guarantee it will work with your insurance company. We also take detailed notes that are available to you or your doctor, or PT upon request

We integrate the following modalities into all of our sessions when appropriate:

• Sports massage
• Deep tissue
• Myofascial release
• Trigger point therapy
• Neuromuscular Massage
• Prioceptor Neuromuscular Facilitation
• Pre‑event warm-up and post‑event recovery sessions
• Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization

It depends on your goals:

• During intense training, once per week can help with recovery and performance.
• For maintenance or taper weeks, every 2–4 weeks may suffice. Our runners often see benefits in recovering faster from long runs.

Not always. We will let you know if we think physical therapy would complement your care. We’re transparent about what massage can achieve and will refer you to physical therapists or other clinicians when appropriate. We prioritize your health and have the expertise to recognize when your pain management plan requires more than just symptom control to be effective.

• Massage therapy addresses soft tissue tension, circulation, and symptom relief.
• Physical therapy focuses on movement mechanics, strength, joint function, neural training, balance and rehabilitation protocols. Both can complement each other when combined.

• We use clinical techniques. Here are a few modalities that we often use:
• Neuromuscular massage therapy for ultra-specific and precision work.
• Trigger point therapy for localized knots by using ischemic compression
• Myofascial release to ease fascia restrictions
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization

Our approach assists in calming symptoms but will not fix your underlying issue, especially if it’s a chronic  orthopaedic condition. Massage is most effective as part of a broader pain-management or maintenance plan.

No. You can schedule a massage directly. If your therapist believes you’d benefit from a medical evaluation, we will let you know and provide recommendations for follow-up.

We do not bill insurance directly. However, we provide itemized receipts so you can submit expenses to your provider or employer. We also accept HSA and FSA cards.