15/10/2025
Firm N Fold/Newsletter Articles/Articles
6 Massage Myths Debunked
1. Massage isn’t good unless it’s deep
Many clients think that massage has to be deep to be effective—but deep pressure is subjective.
Proper communication is necessary to ensure safe application of deeper pressure. It’s important to express that hurting a client to the point their body elicits a sympathetic response is counterproductive. Healing cannot occur during a fight, flight or freeze response. Also discuss how the client interprets the concept of ‘deep tissue’. Does it mean more pressure or precise pressure? Does it refer to specific pain regions within the body? What are the expectations of the client? Ensure both the therapist and client are on the same page interpreting ‘deep tissue’ to avoid confusion and unrealistic expectations.
2. No massage during the first trimester of pregnancy
A pregnant person with no high-risk factors, experiencing a healthy pregnancy, can receive a massage in any trimester. However, if there are any high-risk factors, then caution does need to be applied in any trimester.
A professional massage therapist will ask about high-risk factors during the intake process to determine if the client falls into the high-risk category. These factors can include: autoimmune disease; diabetes; disease of the heart, kidneys, thyroid or reproductive organs; obesity; blood clotting disorders; low body weight; pregnancy-related health conditions, birth defects or foetal genetic abnormalities; poor growth of foetus; gestational diabetes; preeclampsia or eclampsia; lifestyle factors that worsen health in general, such as smoking, drug addiction or alcohol abuse; age.
3. A relaxation massage is not therapeutic
People often describe massage as either ‘relaxation’ or ‘remedial’. Relaxation is assumed to be lighter in pressure and performed without any specific treatment outcome. Whereas remedial is thought to be getting in there deep with more pressure, targeting specific parts of the body.
That’s not necessarily true. Relaxation massage also has therapeutic benefits. When the nervous system calms via a lighter touch, the body enters a parasympathetic state and returns to homeostasis where healing can occur.
4. Children and teenagers do not need massage
It’s a common misconception that children and teens do not need massage, or that their bodies can’t tolerate massage.
The right type of massage can help anyone at any age. It can be particularly effective for children with special needs, providing significant physical, emotional, and sensory benefits as well as improved muscle flexibility, motor function and pain reduction.
5. Massage therapy is not as effective as physiotherapy
There are some misguided souls who think massage is only for relaxation and if they need something actually fixed, they need a physio.
Educate clients as to how massage can directly address their physical needs. Take the time to discuss the different modalities and how massage works as a standalone treatment or as a complementary treatment to other approaches to achieve the best outcome for them.
6. It hurts here, so the problem must be here
It’s an understandable mistake. If someone has suffered an injury there will be associated pain, inflammation and loss of function in the injured area; however, after the acute and subacute phases, the body will adapt to compensate for dysfunction or acquired weakness of the affected region.
These compensation patterns will manifest challenges elsewhere in the body over time if a client does not engage in regular corrective massage or exercises.
