Contra indications of Massage
(Absolute contraindications) : are conditions
that make a particular form of treatment
improper or undesirable.
(Relative contraindications): are conditions
under which a particular form of treatment
should be applied with special care or
limitations.
Contra Indication
1.General contraindication
Those condition in which massage cannot
be delivered to any part of the body.
2.Local contra indication
Those condition in which massage cannot
be delivered to a specific part of the body.
General contraindication
1. Hyperpyrexia (fever ): it is one of sign of inflammation, all
body tissue will be tender.
2.
Renal failure/Renal Diseases: due the generalized edema
in which massage therapy can not achieves the goal of
treatment.
3. Cardiac failure/Cardiac diseases (cardiac arrhythmias): we
can not apply percussion technique with them which may
increase arrhythmais and it will reduce cardiac out put then
pressure of oxygen will be reduced also which fatal to this
patient.
4. Deep x – ray therapy : after exposure to radiotherapy
•
blood vessels become vasodilated.
•
Endothelial swelling.
If massage is delivered at this stage, it may result in
hemorrhage inside the tissues.
5. Osteoporosis: bone disease characterized by the decrease in
total body mass. The skeleton becomes fragile and may not
tolerate to any kind of external force.
6. Elderly people, post menopause women, patient under steroid
therapy.
5.
Severe spasticity or Upper motor neuron (UMN)lesion: Certain muscles
(spastic group of muscles) of those patient have relatively high, so with
minimal amount of stretching during massage on these muscles will result in
stimulation of muscle spindle that will lead to increase tone which may cause
pain to the patient.
6.
Hairy skin: Rubbing the hairy skin is extremely painful so it is considered as
relative contraindication. Shaving of excess hair, or using large amount of
conducting medium will help in solving the problem.
7.
Patient preference: the social customs in most of countries does not allow
the patient to take is cloth off especially when the therapist is from opposite
gender. The patient fell embarrassed to expose his / her body to someone
else.
Local contraindication
1. Acute inflammation: it is one of absolute contraindication.
Massage in this stage will increase pain and swelling to injured
part.
2. Skin infection(for both patient and therapist): with massage
infection can be spread from one part to another, through
therapist it might be transferred to another patients. Massage
for infected skin is very painful to the patient.
3. Fracture: movement which done during application of massage
may disturb the healing process. It delay hematoma formation
and callus formation which may lead to mal-union or nonunion.
4. Varicose vein ( The veins get dilated due to incompetency of the
valve): lead to venous congestion and the vein become non
elastic. Apply massage on those patient may lead to hemorrhage
and phlebitis. Also this vein become tender to pressure.
5. Thrombosis(DVT): condition that characterized by formation of
fatty plaques inside the arterial lumen. Massage will lead to
movement plaque to any where that may lead obstruction of
this vessel completely. If this plaque reach to the brain, heart,
or lung it may cause further complication as ischemia.
6. Myositis ossificans ( Callus formation in soft tissues)
7. Malignancy: massage lead to increase in lymphatic flow, so
there is chance for tumor spreading.
8. Open wounds: massage is very painful over open wound and
may cause damage for healed tissue thus delaying healing
process.
9. Poisonous foci (snake bites): massage of this case will release
the poison to the circulation leading to serious systemic effect
Assignment 1
Enumerate the local and general contraindications for medical massage.
General contraindication
Local contraindication