Do buddha bellies require pregnancy massage tables?

June 24, 2009 10:08 AM

Asking for a friend: How does massage work for people with big bellies?

A friend wants to get her father a gift certificate for a massage, but is concerned because he's got something of a buddha belly (i.e. he's not big all over, just in front). We guessed that this shouldn't be a hindrance, because of things like pregnancy massage, but wondered a bit about how exactly it works. Could he get a back massage if he had trouble laying on his stomach? Would she need to check with the establishment beforehand to see if this is something they can do? Is there special equipment to accommodate this sort of thing, and would the masseuse need to be notified in advance?

posted by the luke parker fiasco to health & fitness (8 comments total)

Works great. It's worth doing a little research to find someone who is fat positive - preferably a fat massage therapist - not because massage might not "work" but because its important to be massaged by someone who holds you and your body in positive regard.
posted by serazin at 10:19 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]

I've unfortunately got a good-sized stomach and was massaged with little difficulty. Just make sure that he gets up slowly from the table; prolonged lying face-down when you've got the stomach pushing against the spine can cause a little pain. I'd also respectfully disagree with Serazin that a fat massage therapist would be preferential in this case; the chiropractor who handled the massage therapy I had was thin as a rail and did an excellent job with great understanding and professional aplomb. To me, the issue of what the weight of the person massaging you is an irrelevant one.
posted by WCityMike at 10:37 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]

Fair enough WCityMike. Being fat is certainly no guarentee that the massage therapist will be "positive" about this person's body either. However, when I get massaged, it is important to me to know the person massaging me will respect my way of being in my body. In my case, it helps me to know that they'll be queer/female masculinity positive, plus fine with my fat (fatish? whatever.) body. And if I had a fat, butch massage therapist, I would feel really relaxed going into it, feeling confident that she might have some insight into what kinds of tensions I had, and also feel comfortable with a body like mine.
posted by serazin at 11:17 AM on June 24

What if your friend looks specifically for a chair massage? I don't think that body type is an issue with chair massages, but being able to get into the odd chair might be, so it may not be the best if he has any serious mobility difficulties.
posted by so_gracefully at 11:22 AM on June 24

I know several guys with big guts who get massages all the time. Standard, lay on your stomach with a sheet on you, massages. It should not be an issue.
posted by cabingirl at 12:02 PM on June 24

getting a massage while being fat is everything as good as getting a massage while being thin - says the dude who's been both. just get someone who is good and knows what they're doing. everyone likes a back rub.
posted by krautland at 12:10 PM on June 24

I never had any trouble giving table massages to fat people, or getting them. (My table is languishing in the basement; I haven't worked in massage for a while. I doubt all that much has changed, though.)

Your friend's dad shouldn't even need the extra bolstering that pregnant women need. If he really has trouble lying on his stomach, he can just put a pillow under his chest for the prone position, the same way you often put a bolster under the knees in supine position. The only trouble with doing massage on someone with a belly is that it can be a little harder to get at the abs, similar to the problems getting to the pectoral muscles on women.

It can be worth talking to the therapist ahead of time about any issues you might have, just to establish trust and make sure everyone's on the same page. Personally, I'd consider treating a fat customer differently to be incredibly unprofessional, and I should hope any properly trained massage therapist would know better.
posted by Karmakaze at 12:55 PM on June 24

I am very fat and very large-breasted. I've also been pregnant. I've had massages while in all of these conditions, and the massage therapists have always been very matter-of-fact and effective at helping me figure out what arrangement of pillows and bolsters would make it comfortable for me to be massaged. Late in my pregnancy, I didn't lie on my back or stomach during massages; the therapist was able to work on my lying on my side.
posted by not that girl at 3:15 PM on June 24