Body Balance Massage Therapy

What. The. Hell!!!?!?

I have been suffering from a hideous shoulder impingement / rotator cuff injury that has effected my shoulder for nine months. My mobility was nonexistent. I'd been seeing various PT people and a somewhat (I thought) effective sports massage guy in Los Angeles but after one session with Dan I felt an immediate and radical difference. I can move my arm again!!! I feel so hopeful again! Maybe I can actually have a shoulder again!! Dan, thank you so much!!! I'll be back.

NO, no, no. One look at my photo from an hourlong massage from Dan should say it all!
I warned him I was sore and that bruising would happen...he said he never gave anyone bruises before and proceeded to tell me my next massage would cost me $120. Full disclosure: I used a Groupon and I wouldn't call myself an "expert," but I get massages done regularly, at least once a month, from high-end therapeutic centers to no-frills Asian parlors. And I don't have a blood condition, in case something is making a poor excuse for this establishment. I've NEVER gotten bruises!!
The owner did a poor job of casually reaching out, and in that only voicemail that she left me there was NO indication of compensation or an apology. I'm sure after this review, she will try to reach out, but I've waited for two weeks, what kind of professionalism is that?
Go at your own risk, my family and co-workers were furious. Some thought I was in a car accident, others thought I was abused- and this photo shows just one side of my back. I had bruises on the other side and on the front of my shoulders, too. This was NOT a medical massage by any means. This was pure damage to the already sensitive tissue.
To cover up in this 100-degree weather in NYC for fear of criticism was pure hell. An LMT massage therapist caught a glimpse and stopped to offer me Rocktape, something these people at Body Balance whom I paid did NOT even do.
So for the first time, I got fooled by the few, but "rave" reviews. Please don't hurt your wallet or your body, and go to the many other places NYC has to offer. And Yelp should really offer the option of NO stars. Thank you.

p.s. The owner and therapist reached out and apologized. No ill will, just writing my honest experience.

After experiencing knee pain onset while running I decided I needed to get a proper massage. I'm a competitive runner and have been building mileage looking ahead to Boston next year. I ran a marathon 6 weeks prior and a half marathon 2 weeks prior and never got worked out afterwards like I should have. My next race is in a month and I wanted to try and alleviate the knee pain before anything gets worse.

I was here 7 weeks ago and was in pain for 2 days after the massage but it was worth it to get a lot of junk out for my marathon 6 days later. Generally I have a lot of tightness.

This time it was different.

Pseudoscience at best, An SNL skit at worst.

I wasn't opposed to mapping the pain and getting a diagnosis as a set up to the massage. From my own diagnosis I've had really tight hamstrings and calves that needed to be worked which, from my reading is a common cause of this type of pain in runners. But I was open to being wrong since the therapist probably sees this often. I booked 60 minutes. And he really wanted to focus on a particular area other than hamstrings and calves.

For probably 45-50 minutes the following happened. I was asked to hold up a clip board and stare at two lines. Recall a specific memory and to rotate my knee out against pressure. Next it was my arm overhead against pressure. Think happy thoughts about someone I was dating at 25 while doing it. I couldn't answer, partially because I couldn't remember who I was dating, partially because I thought I was being punk'd. Then repeat knee and arm but this time with negative thoughts. We did this, working through my father, brother, wife, who I was dating at 24, who I was dating at 25... There was great pondering and studying between trying to map my leg. I was asked not to think any thoughts and do it. Flip the board over and stare at an X. Do it again. My chin was tapped to relax me - I was told. Multiple times.

After this lengthy endeavor a stick was used vigorously to rub out my quad in a specific, targeted area. I was tender and it was undoubtedly the best $140 massage I've ever had for 10 minutes that was limited to a 10 inch stretch of my body.

For the first time in 7 months I took 3 days off from running in a row. I've stretched, rolled, iced, wore supportive shoes and avoided stairs as much as possible.

I withheld judgment until I ran again. For 1 mile at incredibly slow pace I was good. Could have been the massage, the rest, ice, combo - who knows. But my tight muscles were felt even after stretching and between 1-3 miles pain grew increasingly. I stopped and bought a knee band to help support. But by the end of 6 miles it was decidedly still burning. I didn't expect to be healed by the one massage but I honest to God have no idea what I paid for. I should have worked out the rest of my body - like I thought I was paying for.

Needless to see I'm never going back here. It may not have been an intended scam but I can't help but feel scammed by a quack business.

Update - the owner reached out via email to offer a free massage or to make it up in some way, which was nice but I declined. However she did also leave a pretty clueless response to this post about how I should have reached out and not "lashed out online." Which basically means she is utterly clueless about Yelp and what its sole intent is. Yelp is useless if everyone gets 5 stars and problems are swept under the rug. Not everyone deserves second chances and if you don't get what Yelp is then you get 1 star in life for stupidity.

First time here.. greeted by the most courteous Anthony and massage by Mike. This guy was the bomb!! He was attentive, identified my issues and worked right into my problem areas. Place was super quaint and clean! Highly recommend this place if you want to beat sports/therapeutic massage!!

So this place just opened up, I first saw a therapist named Jeff at the their office on 7th Ave, his treatment was awesoem and he really helped me so much with my neck issues. I am super happy that they have a east side location now as it is closer to my job, over here i saw Michael which was awesome aswell! I have been getting massages for along time but couldnt find any place that is as great as this, the staff is so friendly and accomodationg. After both appointments the therapists also gave me tips on how to stretch and stuff to help with my pain which i think is great. Definately would recommend this place and Im coming back!

I've been to Body Balance for massages with Dan three times now and it has been more effective than any other massage I've tried for releasing muscle tension and chronic pain.

Dan is gifted with an amazing combination of intuitive awareness of each body's energy and holding patterns along with extensive professional training and knowledge.

He is extremely kind and I feel more comfortable with him than other massage therapists I have been to to communicate during the treatment to ensure that I'm comfortable and the massage is targeted to my needs. Dan asks to make sure that the pressure is okay, explains exactly why he is working specific muscles and points, and the session always begins with a thorough check-in about how I'm doing and what areas need the most focus for the massage.

The massage is incredibly relaxing and I always feel fantastic afterward, but since the type of massage he practices is based in medical massage and trigger point releases, it's different from the type of massage you might get at a spa. There are moments when the pressure on areas of tension can feel uncomfortable in the moment, but the release that this gives the muscles makes it such that the effects of the massage last well beyond the week after (whereas spa massages tend to feel great for a day or two but don't really get deep enough into the muscles to have lasting healing effects).

Because of the intensity of this style of massage, I am especially grateful that it is so easy to communicate with Dan so that if anything feels like it's starting to be more pressure than is working for me I can tell him and he adjusts. The massage also includes moments of more gentle relaxation in between deep tissue work, and the face and scalp and face-up upper back massage at the end is so blissful!

If you have deeply ingrained muscle tension, injuries, chronic pain, or tightness from exercise, this style of massage makes all the difference for unlocking muscle tension in a real effective way. I always leave feeling deeply relaxed and I am much more physically at ease for the weeks after.

I wouldn't have made it to the start of this years NYC marathon without the help of Nicole. She kept my muscles feeling loose throughout the the entirety training period and helped get me back on the road after those long training runs. Loved that she had early appointment times for the busy schedule. I'll be back again once I figure out my next running goal. THANK YOU!!

My initial visit to body balance was purchased through a Groupon. Not knowing any of the therapists I paired up with Dan. That visit was such a success that I decided to make Body Balance my go to massage place.

Before I met Dan, I sustained numerous injuries from running related to muscle imbalances. In preparation for my first marathon, I purchased weekly 30 minute sessions (occasionally upping to 60-75 minutes) with Dan about a month and a half out from the marathon. I am now 11 days away from my first marathon and largely credit Dan for an injury free training.

Dan is incredibly knowledgeable, caring and super accommodating. He knows exactly which muscles to target and how much pressure to apply. After every appointment I notice a huge difference in my performance, posture and overall comfort.

Dan is a literal godsend. I was beyond nervous to come in so close to a race (half marathon in just 5 days) and have also been in bi-weekly chiropractic appointments for the last month, so am especially sensitive to messing too much with my body right now.

I expressed all of these concerns to Dan and he immediately put me at ease. He made it clear that this sports-focused massage wouldn't result in too much soreness so close to race day, and also was already familiar with the race I am running this weekend, proving his experience and expertise with runners. His attention to running injuries, specifically, assured me I was in good hands.

I've already recommended Dan to coworkers and 100% plan on returning. Added bonus: his music is awesome.

My experience at Body Balance was incredible. Mike was an awesome therapist who listened to me and improved my back pain from half marathon training immensely. I walked away with newfound posture and freedom of movement in my back and neck I did not know was possible! Mike was very honest and open with me (e.g. there would be periods where the massage was intense/painful) but it was completely worth it and I could not be happier! I will definitely return.