Massage during this Covid-19 Pandemic: Benefit or Risk?

The massage industry is another business that has been deeply impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.  We sit back and wait with the rest of small business America to find out when we can start practicing.  Clients call us in pain wanting to know when they can resume their treatments and we have to tell them we don't know. 

I have been following the Presidential and Governor briefings, waiting for any pertinent information to pass on to the clients who prefer not to watch the news.  I can respect that decision because listening to the bickering of the media is quite stressful.  As new information on a possible opening date trickles through the mass of information I do my best to pass it along to my colleagues and clients. 

After finding out the massage industry is not part of the phase one or two opening, I decided to change directions a bit and start communicating with our licensing board and malpractice insurance providers to learn what new protocols will be implemented for our profession.  The numerous protocols that we are to follow upon reopening are a collaborative effort of the state health director, medical board and insurance board.

The protocols we are to follow when we reopen are meant to keep the client and the therapist safe and slow the spread of any virus.  I say slow the spread because stopping the spread in close quarters of a massage session is impossible! This brings up the question of whether or not massage is of benefit to a client or a risk, during this pandemic. After diligently searching through the many articles that have been written over the past few months by the respected members of the massage community it is my personal opinion that massage is more of a risk rather than a benefit. 

In an article written by Ruth Werner, an instructor and author of numerous pathology text books, she writes that no massage is medically necessary, not even medical massage.  I agree to this statement.  Due to the close proximity of the client and therapist, they are both at risk.  I understand that someone with pain due to an issue such as frozen shoulder can benefit from manual adhesion release, but at what cost?  There are other ways to relieve the pain until safety protocols can be put in place to ensure the safety of both individuals.

As a medical massage therapist, I am putting myself at risk by performing my duties.  Those of us that work in hospitals and doctor's offices are now returning to work as those offices reopen ahead of the rest of the massage industry.  It is expected that some offices may not open in light of a shortage of PPE.  Our office has the needed PPE and sanitizers and reopened on April 24th.  Manual therapy in our office will resume on May 18th.  This date puts us in the middle of phase 2 and very close to phase 3, at which time the Governor will decide whether phase 3 will begin or if pandemic numbers rise to high then will not move to the next phase, in which case we all will need to figure out what comes next.

I wish to convey my thanks to all the essential workers across America.  These people put their life and the lives of their families at risk just by performing their jobs.  They need to be recognized, thanked and rewarded.  I hope when this is over they are given lengthy paid vacations to unwind and destress.


#StaySafeOhio