Massage Therapy for People with Cancer
Positioning Adjustments
Adjustments are often needed in positioning. For example, a person with lung cancer may be unable to lie face down on the massage table, or may need the head elevated because of breathing difficulties. Breast cancer patients invariably must lie on their sides for months after surgery.
A brain cancer patient who is dizzy may need extra assistance getting off and on the table and in dressing and undressing. A person who is weak may not be able to get onto a massage table but be more comfortable seated in a chair at the side of a table supported by pillows under the chest and head.
Extra time and effort is needed from therapists to ensure clients are comfortable. Many more people have positioning needs than is commonly recognized. For example, Theresa had been in the hospital ten years earlier at age 16 with a life-threatening condition. She had spent prolonged periods in the hospital with two IV catheters placed on either side of her chest; this meant long amounts of time on her back. Supine positioning on a massage table brought back that traumatic hospital experience. To look at her, however, no one would ever guess that Theresa needed extra attention paid to the positioning aspect of the massage.
People often need permission or encouragement to try positions other than the typical prone and supine options. Laura wanted to be face down to receive massage to her back but the metastases in her lungs caused her to cough continually. She would have stayed in prone position and continued coughing if the massage therapist hadn’t encouraged her to turn over onto her side. Carol, a breast cancer survivor, and her massage therapist spent time at the beginning of the session getting Carol comfortable lying prone on the table. Sidelying was suggested but Carol firmly rejected it saying that she was “OK” on her belly. At the end of the session, the therapist said; “Let’s experiment and see what side-lying feels like.” Carol was agreeable at that point to trying it. Just a few minutes in that position and she admitted that it was more comfortable. Many people will say they are ‘fine,’ even when they would be more comfortable in another position.
