Massage Therapy for People with Cancer

Massage school education trains therapists to ask clients if the pressure they are using is comfortable. While this is a necessary question, it is not an adequate measurement for the therapist. The feedback that a cancer client gives in the moment is not always an indication of what is appropriate. Time and again clients have told stories of how wonderful a massage felt while they were receiving it, only to be in pain or feel flu-ish that evening or the next morning. The immediate feedback from a client is only one factor the therapist must consider when gauging the right pressure.

General pressure guidelines:

• Err on the side of caution. More pressure can always be added in future sessions.

• Do not use the client’s immediate feedback to gauge the pressure. Heavier pressures can feel OK in the moment but later on in the evening or the next day, the person in treatment can feel unwell.

• Use hand contact that fully and broadly embraces the body part rather than a pointed, probing contact. This gives the client a sense of deep contact, connection, and can be a substitute for heavier pressure.

Site Considerations

Another frequent category of adjustments when creating the massage plan is site considerations, perhaps due to an incision, central IV catheter, or skin condition. Some sites require the therapist to completely avoid touching the area, such as an area containing a drain, or skin that is not intact. Other areas, such as a surgical site that is newly healed, may be touched with mindfulness but require an adjustment to the level of pressure.