30/01/2026
Hurts so Good?
When is pain too much pain?
A new client recently came to me seeking help for chronic hip pain. She sought help from her local remedial massage therapist three times for treatment, however she now felt worse than she did before the treatment. During the sessions she reported screaming in pain and was left with visible large black and blue bruising around her hips. When I questioned why she kept returning to this particular therapist, she explained that she thought she must have been in such a bad way it was meant to hurt that bad.
I was shocked that this older lady with osteoarthritis had been treated in this way with no regard to her level of pain. A therapist must work within the client’s own level of pain threshold. If the treatment is at or exceeds the client’s own pain level of 7 out of 10 then this is not acceptable and the style of treatment and amount of pressure needs to be adjusted accordingly.
I take a gentle yet effective approach to treatment using evidence-based techniques, always checking in with the client to check on their comfort, adjusting the pressure accordingly. I explain every step of the way the treatment process and, very importantly, the reasons why I am taking this approach and targeting those particular muscles. This is especially important if I am treating a new client. Every person is different and feels pain differently. There is no one size fits all. At M Studio Massage Therapy I take the time to listen, assess, treat and reassess.
