Side-Lying Massage Therapy in San Francisco, CA
Side lying massage in San Francisco lets you receive full bodywork on your side, supported by bolsters and cushions, when lying face down is uncomfortable or not possible. Miss Still Massages offers it from a studio on 24th Street in the Mission District. Sessions run 30 to 120 minutes. Call or text 415 684 5881 or book a session.
Who Books Side Lying Work
Pregnancy is the reason most people have heard of this position, and it is covered on the prenatal massage page. It is not the only reason to ask for it. Side lying also suits you when:
A shoulder, rib or chest injury makes face down painful
A hip or knee replacement changes how you can be positioned
Reflux or sinus congestion makes a face cradle unpleasant
A larger chest or body makes lying flat uncomfortable rather than restful
Turning over on a table is difficult or slow
Back pain that is worse when you arch, which lying face down puts you into
If any of those describe you, say so when you book and the table is set up for side lying before you arrive.
Before You Book, If You Have Had Surgery or an Injury
Positioning is not the only thing that matters, and massage is not always the right next step.
If you have had surgery recently, have a joint replacement, have an injury that has not been assessed, or have swelling, redness, heat or pain in a leg, check with your surgeon or doctor first. A hip replacement in particular carries positional precautions, and those are set by your surgeon rather than by a massage therapist. Bring what you have been told.
If you are pregnant, say which trimester when you book.
How You Are Positioned, and What It Reaches
You lie on one side with a pillow under your head, a bolster between the knees, and support under the top arm so the shoulder is not hanging forward. Draping stays in place throughout. Most sessions use both sides with one turn in the middle, and if turning is difficult the whole session can be worked from one position.
Once the hip, shoulder and head are supported, the body stops holding itself up, and that is half the work done before anything is touched.
This is not a compromise either. For some tissue it is better access. The gluteals, the lateral hip and the band down the outside of the thigh are all easier to reach with the hip bent. The arm is free to move, so the shoulder can be taken through its range while the tissue around the blade is worked, and the neck can be worked without the head turned or wedged into a cradle.
What a Session Involves, and How to Book
The session opens with a conversation about what is going on and which positions are comfortable. Pressure is yours to adjust at any point. Side lying combines well with myofascial release for restriction that keeps returning, and with Ortho Bionomy where an area is too tender for direct pressure. If lying down at all is the difficulty, a seated chair massage reaches the neck, shoulders and upper back with no table involved.
The studio is at 2869 24th Street in the Mission District and home visits cover San Francisco and Daly City. Studio sessions run from 60 dollars for 30 minutes to 170 for two hours, with current rates and any first visit offer on the services page.
Call or text 415 684 5881, email missstillmassages@gmail.com or get in touch. Say that you need side lying when you book, so the table is set up before you arrive.