Every Massage Therapist Should Know this List!
The Importance of Understanding Massage Contraindications
Massage therapy can offer significant benefits for various conditions, including fibromyalgia, back pain and arthritis. However, it is crucial for Massage Therapists to understand how different techniques can impact individuals with specific conditions.
Today I’m going to share a list of the more common health conditions to look out for and a handful of less common ones. A professional therapist should have a basic understanding of these as well as access to knowledge that informs them of how to modify massage treatments for each condition.
While massage can provide relaxation and muscle tension relief, it should not be viewed as a sole treatment for medical conditions.
Contraindications
When receiving a massage for specific conditions, such as Inflammatory Arthritis, it is important to be aware of certain contraindications. A trained and experienced therapist should be able to provide modifications to ensure safe and effective treatment.
Understanding these contraindications can help optimize the massage experience and positive outcomes for individuals with such conditions.
Good Massage Therapists Have an Intake and Consultation System
This helps the massage therapist to understand the whole person as the therapist needs to carefully take into consideration a clients emotions and their current condition as well as their health history to prevent adverse effects.
Modifications to the massage treatment may include a change in pressure or direction of certain massage techniques.
Further, avoiding the use of certain massage techniques, shortening the massage duration and staying away from an injured area may be needed and is simple to do.
By the same token modifying the position of the client on the massage table and using pillows or towels may be required for their comfort or safety.
Huge Benefits for Clients
The benefits of massage can be great for most people with the conditions on the list below, but the therapist needs to know about the condition. So if your client looking for relief through massage tell me or the therapist about your health.
We are bound by law to keep your information confidential.
Importantly though, you need to make sure the therapist also knows how to modify the treatment for you correctly. So ask them about that too.
The Modification List:
- Aneurysm (may be absolute contraindication – it is recommended to get patient’s physician’s permission)
- Bell’s Palsy
- Cancer
- Chronic Arthritic Conditions
- Chronic or Long Standing Thrombosis
- Conditions of Spasticity (Cerebral palsy, Hemiplegia, MS, spinal cord injury)
- Conditions of Rigidity such as Parkinson’s disease
- Contusion
- Chronic Congestive Heart Failure
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Debilitation
- Diabetes
- Drug Withdrawal
- Epilepsy
- Fibromyalgia
- Flaccid Paralysis
- Fracture
- Frozen Shoulder
- Hypertension and Hypotension
- Inflammatory Arthritides (Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus, gout, pseudogout, ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), gonorrhea, tuberculosis, and osteomyelitis)
- Joint Dislocation
- Joint Hypermobility / Joint Instability
- Kidney Infection / Kidney Stones
- Lymphedema
- Osteoporosis / Osteomalacia
- Patients with Compromised Immune System
- Pregnancy
- Raynaud’s Disease
- Recent Head injury
- Severe Asthma
- Severe Emphysema
- Seizure Disorders
- Spasmodic Torticollis
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disfunction )
- Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure
Don’t Avoid the Clients That Need You the Most.
If you’re a Therapist just starting out, learn a little about the conditions in the above list. Most modifications are common sense once you understand the basics of each condition. Many people want our services and even more need our services.
Because sometimes massage is the one and only thing that helps them. So don’t avoid the people who need us the most, learn how to serve everyone.
It’s my intention with blog posts like this to help first time clients as well as students of massage therapy, or even practicing therapists. To help better understand some important aspects of massage therapy that are seldom explained outside of textbooks.
Thank you for reading this post and please do share it and the other posts in the Essential Reading for Clients series.
Uncertain if your condition is contraindicated? Always speak with your doctor before seeking alternative treatments.
Also, see my post on When you should avoid massage! Top 26 Reasons to see my list of conditions where massage is better avoided altogether.
Thanks again for reading and be sure to like, share and comment if you found it valuable.
