Posted Yesterday 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi again TN, I'm going to haunt your threads while I'm on! Just kidding, but I think I might be able to contribute here, since I am convalescing from a 3 level as well (C3-6) and have had both lying and chair massages. In my experience, either is just fine as long as the headrest is set properly. If your neck feels like a bridge from your body to your head, that is the wrong position. If it feels like your head and neck are floating in water, that is the correct position or at least closer to the latter than the former.
That said, I think a chair is a little harder to get right. That may be because in my case, my chair massages were always a timed situation and time for fiddling with the headrest was nil. In any event, I can say from experience that I knew exactly whether my head and neck were supported correctly and when they were not.
One thing to consider is that some of the muscles that attach to the very vertebrae that you had fused are the ones you will probably want massaged or attach via a wicked spasm to structures (such as the scapula) that attach to the muscles you are looking to have massaged. I would image this is what causes the surgeon concern. My drivers-side scalenes are un-stretchable because any attempt to stretch them will pull my whole neck into a bad mess. My neck pops when people lay their hand on my shoulder to say hello (or whatever). Its true, happens all the time. As long as you are mindful I think your body is going to tell you what is right and wrong. My $0.02 & YMMV, but I hope it helps.