Frequency of a massage can range from twice a year, quarterly, monthly, weekly, bi-weekly. It depends on what you are trying to accomplishment, history of injury, frequency of physical activity, chronic illness/conditions, and level of mental and emotional stress. I think most people can benefit from a massage once a month or every two months (60, preferably 90 minutes).
You also have to consider the quality of massage and how the massage therapist concentrates their work. One excellent massage can make a bigger impact on the body than 3 average sessions and it's worth it to pay a little extra money. I rarely have sufficient time to give a full body massage unless I have 2 hours. I concentrate on the areas which will have the greatest impact on your body. For example, a runner may need their hamstrings, IT bands, glutes/hips, calves and low back massaged longer. Someone who sits at a computer all day may need intensive myofascial and deep tissue on the back AND front of the neck, upper body and shoulders.
IF YOU ARE COMPETING LIKE AN ATHLETE, you need to receive regular bodywork like one! Some top athletes get as many as 200 massages a year. On a smaller more relatable scale such as that of a competitive/long distance runner, I suggest at least once a month . Athletics involve repetitive action of specific muscles and muscle groups. When the muscle is relaxed and at its normal length, it will perform better and be more energy efficient!
I see people who have been running, biking, competing physically for years and they've hardly ever stretched properly/consistently and never sought out bodywork. Their shortened, hardened muscles are pulling their skeleton out of integrity when they get into their 40s, 50s and 60s. They often need bodywork once a week to slowly get their muscles back to a state of relatively normal alignment. Connective tissue changes as we age--becoming less hydrated and flexible.
But on average for someone who has a healthy lifestyle, is hydrated, and experiences a moderate amount of stress, a massage once a month or once every two months is a good idea. I truly believe it reinforces the immune system, breaks up adhesions, keeps the skeleton in manageable alignment and allows for "stuck" energy to make it's way out of the tissues.
For someone who is an athlete, or has sustained an injury/trauma/illness, frequency should be determined individually.
Frequency fluctuates. I may want to see someone in rapid succession (once a week or two sessions within 5 days) to break up challenging areas (i.e. the hamstrings of a runner) and then eventually go into maintenance mode after the goal is accomplished.
