KEEP CALM & CRANBERRY ON
Thanksgiving: a magical time of year when we gather with loved ones, give thanks, and stress out over dry turkey, weird relatives, and attempting to cook 7 side dishes in a single oven.
Let’s face it, between travel delays, grocery store madness, and pretending you like Aunt Judy’s "casserole," this holiday can turn even the calmest pilgrim into a full-blown Butterball of tension.
But fear not, weary holiday warrior, massage therapy is here to gravy your nerves and carve away your stress.
HYDRATION & MASSAGE
You’ve probably heard it a thousand times: “Make sure you hydrate!” But did you know water actually helps your muscles move better? Fascia, the web of tissue that holds everything together, needs hydration to stay smooth and flexible. When it’s dry or tight, you might feel stiff, sore, or less mobile.
Let’s break down why hydration matters so much for your recovery and how massage therapy can help keep your body feeling balanced and free.
GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR MASSAGE: TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST TIME
Getting a massage for the first time can be both exciting and a little nerve-racking. Not knowing what to expect for your first time is a totally normal experience; even your therapist was in your shoes once! We’ll go over a few simple tips to get the most out of your massage experience so you can come in with excitement and leave feeling rejuvenated.
RELAX, REJUVENATE, REPEAT
Big news, relaxation lovers! PFP is now offering CBD massage oil as an add-on to your favorite massages—and trust us, your muscles (and your mind) are going to thank you.
Whether you’re melting into a Swedish massage or targeting tension with deep tissue work, our CBD-infused oil takes your session to the next level. Think: the same amazing massage you love, now with plant-powered support for sore muscles, stiff joints, and overall zen.
MEET OUR NEWEST MASSAGE THERAPISTS!
We're thrilled to welcome two new massage therapists to our team, each bringing unique skills, experience, and passion to help you reach your fitness goals. Meet Sasha and Raphael, here to support, motivate, and guide you on your journey to a healthier and stronger you. No matter the restoration you’re looking for, our new massage therapists have got you covered!
CREEPIN’ IT REAL: HOW MASSAGE CAN IMPROVE YOUR MOBILITY
How massage can improve your mobility, even if you walk like a zombie!
Are your joints cracking like an old haunted house? Do you shuffle into the office every Monday morning like a creature from the crypt? Well, don’t scream just yet—massage therapy might be the spooky secret to bringing your body back from the dead.
Let’s get into the ghoul stuff.
SUMMERTIME ACTIVITIES & RECOVERY
We are officially well into summer, and Jason has been seeing more people out on the trails and in the parks. He wants to remind you that there are things we should do before and after an outside activity!
HOW MASSAGE THERAPY HELPS ATHLETES MAINTAIN PEAK PERFORMANCE
Athletes are constantly pushing their bodies to the limit—training harder, running faster, and lifting heavier, all in the pursuit of peak performance. But to perform at their best, recovery is just as important as training. That’s where I step in, your friendly massage therapist—not as a luxury, but as a crucial part of an athlete’s routine.
KNOTS OR ADHESIONS?
What are knots and adhesions? These are questions that I have been asked several times during my tenure as a massage therapist. My usual response is that they are the same thing. Through my education, I’ve learned that one is a more common understanding, and the other is a medical term. But pondering that question at home made me look into it more, and here is what I found.
FEELING TRIGGERED? TRIGGER POINTS & MASSAGE
Have you ever heard of trigger points? PFP massage therapist Jason Bye will explain trigger point therapy to help you understand a little of what it is and why it might be good for you.
MASSAGE FOR RUNNING RECOVERY
It’s training season for the Pittsburgh Marathon. While most runners will have a plan for their running workouts, most don’t incorporate plans for their recovery. Rest, regular sleep, and proper nutrition all work to improve training and performance. But what about massage? In this blog, let’s look at how massage may help sports performance and running recovery.
SELF-CARE BETWEEN MASSAGES
Self-care is as important as getting a massage or having an exercise/movement routine. Massage Therapist Jason Bye has a recommendation that he offers to a lot of his clients for self-care that you can do at home in between massages. He also uses this for his own self-care.
MASSAGE THERAPY FOR STRESS RELIEF
Recharging Your Body and Mind
We all need down time. We have been told that taking time for ourselves can be a great benefit to ourselves, but we do not always follow that advice. Massage can help with stress by allowing you the time you need to disconnect from everything else going on in the world or just allowing you some down time. Your massage therapist can be quiet or you can feel free to talk with your massage therapist, please just speak up for what you need or want because this is your time. There some physiological effects that also will benefit you.
WHY MASSAGE THERAPY IS YOUR BFF IN RECOVERY
Imagine this: you're lying on a comfy table, relaxing while a skilled therapist works their magic on your tired muscles. Sounds like heaven, right? But here's the thing— massage therapy isn’t just about relaxation (though that's a nice perk). It actually plays a key role in how quickly you bounce back from physical exertion.
SELF-CARE IN FITNESS
We all know the drill: you hit the gym, get super motivated, and then—bam—soreness. After all that squatting, lunging, and running, your body’s like, “What did we do to deserve this?” That’s where massage therapy comes in, the unsung hero of recovery.
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOVERY
Whether you’re a die-hard athlete or just someone who occasionally jogs to catch the ice cream truck, recovery is key. After all, your body isn’t a machine—it needs time to heal after a workout (or, let's face it, after life). And that’s where massage therapy comes in, a game-changing tool to help your muscles bounce back. Let’s break it down.
JASON’S KEY TO NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
Now that the celebration is over and we most likely put on a couple more pounds from a loved one's pies and/or cookies. It might be time to start doing the New Year’s resolution. For Jason, the key to this has been doing something he already loves or figuring out how to love something new.
UPDATES AT PFP
Hey everyone – happy 2025! Here are all of our gym updates condensed into one place for the new year.
NEW YEAR, NEW YOU…
It’s that time of the year again when we all collectively agree to pretend that we’re suddenly going to transform into perfect, glowing versions of ourselves in 24 hours. Resolutions are set, gym memberships are activated, and Pinterest boards are filled with dreamy salads and motivational quotes. But by February, it’s usually just us, a bag of cheesy Doritos, and a firm belief that we were "probably too ambitious" in our goals.
Well, this year, let’s ditch the "I’m going to work out every day and eat only kale" approach. Instead, let’s go for bite-sized resolutions—tiny, achievable, totally doable goals that don’t make you want to cry by the end of January. Let’s talk fitness, nutrition, and self-care in ways that won’t make you feel like a failure before the first snow melts.
GIVING A GIFT
It is that time of the year again, where we to buy our love ones a gift for the holidays. Sometimes it can be a struggle to find that perfect gift or we have that one person who seems to have everything. So what do we do for them?