Massage and infrared sauna in Calgary

At Renu you can pair any massage with a 20-minute session in the infrared cocoon pod. New clients get the pod free with the 60-minute new client massage special ($120 + GST), the Full BodyTox includes it, and otherwise it is a $25 add-on to any massage, facial or lymphatic treatment. Call ahead to reserve the pod, use it after your massage rather than before, and skip the heat if you are pregnant, have lymphedema or multiple sclerosis, or feel unwell.

You can have a massage and an infrared sauna session in one visit at Renu by adding 20 minutes in our cocoon pod. For new clients, the pod comes free with the 60-minute new client massage special. For everyone else it is a $25 add-on to any massage, and it is built into every Full BodyTox. The one thing to remember is to call ahead, because pod spots are limited and it needs to be reserved alongside your massage.

Three ways to pair them, and what each costs

The cost depends on whether you are new to Renu and which treatment you book.

Visit	What it includes	Price
New client massage special	60-minute massage (Swedish, deep tissue, relaxation or a combination) plus a 20-minute pod session	$120 + GST
Any massage plus the pod add-on	Your massage, then 20 minutes in the pod	Massage price + $25
Full BodyTox	90 minutes of Brazilian lymphatic drainage with a 20-minute pod session included	$315

For returning clients, a 60-minute massage at $120 plus the pod comes to $145, and a 90-minute massage at $157 plus the pod comes to $182. The pod can also be added to a massage and lymphatic combination, a facial or a lymphatic drainage session for the same $25.

If you find yourself pairing the two every week, our infrared pod membership may cost less over a month than paying $25 each time.

Choosing the massage to pair with it

Any massage style works with the pod; pick the massage for what your body needs and let the pod be the finish. A relaxation massage followed by heat makes for a slow, sleepy afternoon. A deep tissue massage followed by heat suits people working on tight, sore areas who want to rest afterwards rather than go straight back to their day. If you are unsure about length, our page on whether a 60 or 90-minute massage is better helps you decide; adding the pod adds 20 minutes either way.

Massage first, then the pod

For most people, the massage comes first and the pod second. Going into the heat first means lying down for your massage warm, sweaty and slightly short on fluid. The pod also suits the end of a visit: you can lie back and rest without needing to get up and undress for anything else. Our page on using the pod before or after a massage works through the exceptions.

A typical paired visit looks like this:

1. Arrive a few minutes early and drink some water.
2. Your massage, with the length and style you booked.
3. A short pause to dress or put on a robe, and more water.
4. Twenty minutes in the pod, with infrared heat, red light, vibration massage, aromatherapy and Himalayan salt air.
5. A few minutes to cool down and rinse off before you head out.

What the combination may do for recovery

Each half has some evidence, with massage on firmer ground than the sauna. A 2018 meta-analysis of 99 studies on post-exercise recovery found that massage was the most effective method studied for reducing delayed onset muscle soreness and perceived fatigue, and one of the most effective for lowering inflammatory markers. Our page on whether massage helps sore muscles after exercise explains those findings.

The sauna side is less certain. Cleveland Clinic says the improved circulation from an infrared sauna may help muscles recover after exercise. A 2018 systematic review of regular dry sauna bathing found mostly positive results across 40 studies, but only 13 were randomized trials and most were small. No study we know of has tested massage followed by an infrared pod as a package, so think of the pod as warmth and rest that rounds off the massage, not as a second treatment.

After a hard week of training, a day of skiing in the Rockies or a long run along the Bow River pathway, the massage does the work on sore muscles and the heat is simply a comfortable way to finish.

Who should have the massage but skip the heat

Some people can enjoy a massage but should leave out the pod. Cleveland Clinic advises avoiding infrared saunas if you:

• are pregnant or trying to conceive
• have multiple sclerosis, since heat intolerance is common with MS
• are unwell; reschedule the pod until you are better

It also advises checking with your healthcare provider first if you have a pre-existing condition. If you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, read our page on the pod with high blood pressure or a heart condition before adding it.

The National Lymphedema Network recommends that people with lymphedema, or at risk of it after lymph node removal, avoid saunas. Massage is a separate question in that case: tell us about your history when you book, and we will match you with a therapist and treatment that respect it, such as a session with Meeghan Mackenzie, our Certified Lymphedema Therapist.

In the pod, stop and get out if you feel dizzy or nauseated. Cleveland Clinic names dehydration as the main concern, so bring water and drink it.

Booking a massage with the pod at Renu

Book your massage online through Jane, then call 403-270-2111 to reserve the pod for straight after it, or call to book both at once. New clients should mention the new client special so the complimentary pod session is held for you. We are on 19 Street NW in West Hillhurst with free street parking, open seven days a week, with weekday hours until 8:30 pm.

Questions people ask

Is the infrared pod free with every massage at Renu?

No. It is complimentary with the 60-minute new client massage special and with every Full BodyTox. With any other massage, it is a $25 add-on for 20 minutes.

Which massage styles does the new client special include?

You choose Swedish, deep tissue, relaxation or a combination for the 60 minutes. The complimentary 20-minute pod session comes with whichever style you pick, as long as you call ahead to reserve the pod.

Can I use the pod and then go back to work?

You can, but plan a few minutes to cool down, drink water and rinse off. People often feel loose and sleepy after a massage followed by heat, so a quiet afternoon is a better fit than a hard workout.

Can I have a prenatal massage with the pod?

Prenatal massage, yes; the pod, no. Cleveland Clinic advises against infrared saunas during pregnancy, so book the prenatal massage on its own.

Sources

1. Cleveland Clinic: Infrared sauna benefits
2. National Lymphedema Network: Lymphedema risk reduction position paper (2026)
3. Hussain J, Cohen M, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2018): Clinical effects of regular dry sauna bathing, a systematic review
4. Dupuy O et al., Frontiers in Physiology (2018): Post-exercise recovery techniques, a systematic review with meta-analysis

Page reviewed October 5, 2026. This page is education, not a diagnosis. For your own situation, talk to your doctor, surgeon or care team, or ask us.