13 Plus Myths of Massage by Lee Kalpin RMT
What is a myth? The dictionary defines the word Myth as “any invented story, idea, or concept”, or
“An unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution.”
There are numerous myths which have become part of the belief system of massage therapy.
Some of these myths are very common and I have heard about them from massage therapists from many countries. Others are local and seem to be limited to graduates of a particular school. Here are some of the most common myths
Massage Myth 1:
Lactic acid is responsible for DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and massage can remove lactic acid from the muscles.
It used to be thought that lactic acid was responsible for DOMS. We now know that blood circulation removes lactic acid from muscles within a few seconds, and it is not responsible for DOMS.
Massage Myth 2:
Massage removes toxins from the muscles
The topic of “toxins” has, in the past few years, become a big one in natural healthcare. The word “toxins” is rarely used properly or defined in any way and has come to be used as a catch-all word for anything bad or unhealthy that may be in the body.
No matter what may be meant by the word “toxins”, there is no way that massage can pump or push the “bad stuff” out of muscles.
Massage Myth - Drinking Lots of Water Flushes Out Toxins...
Massage Myth 3: Drinking lots of water flushes toxins out of the system
– encourage the client to drink water after a massage
Along with the “toxin myths”, there is often the belief that massage releases toxins into the system and they must be flushed out with water.
If, in fact, the client had toxins in their system this would be a serious health crisis and the client would have to go to the Emergency Department immediately.
If toxins were in the blood stream, drinking water would not remove them: – it’s not as if the body is a pipe clogged with sludge that has to be flushed through!
It’s fine to offer your client a drink of water: just don’t encourage false beliefs about toxins.
Massage Myth 4: Massage Causes Dehydration.
Some therapists insist that their clients drink water because they believe that people become dehydrated during massage . This is very unlikely, unless the massage is done in an extremely hot room!
There are several ways in which the body can lose water: by sweating, or through excess urination or diarrhea. None of these things are likely to have happened in the massage room. A small amount of moisture is lost through evaporation when breathing.
Massage Myth 5: Massage can get rid of cellulite
This is a favorite treatment in some spas and salons. Cellulite is FAT and it would be very nice to think that we could get rid of our fat by having a massage! However, there are only two ways to get rid of fat: by exercising and by eating less
Massage Myth 6: It is contraindicated to massage a person who has cancer (or had cancer)
This myth originated in the days before it was known how cancer spread from one part of the body to another. It was thought that the cancer cells could be spread through the circulation or lymphatic system.
We now know that cancer is a malfunction of the immune system, and cells metastasize to various organs that have affinity for that particular type of cancer. Massage will not move the cells, any more than regular exercise would spread the cells through the body.
Massage Myth 7: If you massage a person who has consumed alcohol, it will increase the effects and make them more intoxicated
It is contraindicated to massage a person who is intoxicated, for various reasons.
Clients may be less aware of sensation and may tolerate a much deeper massage than they should. He or she may fall asleep and be unaware of the depth of massage. Or the person may become aggressive or unpleasant!
But a person who has consumed a small amount of alcohol (like a glass of wine) will not become more intoxicated than they were prior to the massage.
Massage Myth 8: Ischemic compression for trigger point release should be done as deep as possible:
Many people believe that trigger point compression has to be painful to be effective. The pressure needs to be deep enough to cause “ischemia” – in other words, to temporarily cut off blood supply to that area of the muscle. Once ischemia has been created, there is no point to applying more pressure.
Massage Myth 9: No more Than Three Trigger Points
Another trigger point myth I have heard is that you should never do more than 3 trigger point releases in a treatment (no reason stated for this one – it was just stated as a fact) and there is no rationale for it.
Massage myth 10: Deep treatments – It must be Deep to be a Massage:
Only deep massage is therapeutically effective – as deep as possible.
Lighter massage is just for relaxation…
In fact, depth of treatment is totally subjective. What one client perceives as deep massage seems light to another person. Basically, most people think that if they feel pain, they are receiving deep massage.
Going to deep may cause micro-tearing of the soft tissue. Sharpness is a sign of tissue damage.
Massage Myth 11: High Blood Pressure – It will Cause a Heart Attack:
You cannot massage a person who has “high blood pressure” . This myth does not define how high the blood pressure reading is. What must be considered are the causes of hypertension and the general health of the client?
If a client’s hypertension is well controlled with medication, then they can receive the same massage as anyone else.
Is the person on blood pressure medication, how long have they been on the medication?
In general a blood pressure greater than 159/99 is a contra- indication to treatment.
Myth 12: Pregnancy – You should not massage pregnant women during the first trimester
This idea is impossible to enforce!
Many women do not know they are pregnant until the second or third month, by which time they may have already had several massages. Massage therapy is no harder on the body than regular exercise and activities.
Massage Myth - Build Muscle with Tapotement
Massage Myth 13: You can strengthen muscles by performing tapotement
You can straighten a scoliosis by doing tapotement on the weak side and stretching on the tight side.
That is the same as saying that doing tapotement on a stomach will create six pack abs.
The truth is that only resistance type exercises will help to maintain or improve strength.
Massage Myth 13 Manual Lymph Drainage Causes Channels To Collapse
Manual Lymph Drainage causes the lymphatic channels to collapse for 20 minutes so you cannot do any other manipulations after MLD. If that were true clients would be wasting their time and money for manual lymph drainage.
more myths of massage therapy…
You should not massage the feet and ankles of a pregnant woman as it may cause her to miscarry.
You must massage toward the heart or you could damage the heart valves.
It is contraindicated to massage pitted edema
You can only do ischemic compression for one minute – after that the muscle will die, or something.
Lee Kalpin, RMT
has been in practice since 1984, practicing at her home-based clinic in Holland Landing, Ontario.
She has also been involved in the academic side of the profession for many years.
Lee taught and developed curriculum for three different massage therapy schools over the years, and served in administrative positions as Dean and Academic Coordinator.
Lee presently adds variety to her clinical work by serving as a Peer Assessor and by teaching Continuing Education courses in Body Mechanics.
Muscle physiology produces metabolites, the by-products of chemical work. The metabolites are toxic if not promptly removed by the intra-lymphatic structures within the muscle body. Whenever muscles have been chronically hypertonic, or when muscle fibers are compressed, the lymphatic action will be diminished. This allows metabolites to build-up and does create toxicity. Approximately 50% of all the toxins in the body originate from the body’s own metabolic activities. It is true, not false, that massage helps the lymphatic system to remove toxins, both intra and extra muscle tissue.
Dr.Sloss,
How much more effective is massage than going for walk to remove these “toxins”. What specific metabolites are you referring to?
Are these toxins site specific or are they systemic?
In general, I agree with most of your points. There have been some lively discussions on a Linkedin group I belong to about several of them, including citing of research studies regarding water intakes, toxins, etc.
On #12 ( first trimester massage) this advice was to protect the MT from lawsuits rather than because it was medically contraindicated. When I took my prenatal massage course we were taught that because insurance companies had blamed miscarriages on 1st trimester massage as a way of weaseling out of covering treatment, it was ill advised, even though there was no evidence what so ever on the subject. I have had regular twice-monthly clients tell me half way through a session, “Oh did I tell you . . . ”! Not much you can do about it.
While I don’t believe the myths outlined above, it would be nice to see some studies and scientific evidence backing up Mz. Kaplan’s conclusions.
Bethany,
You may want to look at saveyourself.ca
Warmest Regards
Mike
I wanna see some sources for this information. I have seen all of these so called “myths” in my present textbooks, and this is the first time I have came across anything stating otherwise. I would like to know more about these.
Kaylee,
Which specific myth would you be referring to?
While I agree with most of what is said here, and have spent a lot of time explaining away the mis-conceptions myself, I wish the statement about alcohol had been more clearly explained. Granted, just one glass of wine will more than likely not be a problem; however, a lot of alcohol can be. As a Spa Director I have practical evidence of what problems can be caused by receiving a massage when intoxicted. That is the operative word to use: intoxicated.
It is a contraindication to treat people who have consumed a lot of alcohol – and it’s up to the individual therapist to determine how much is TOO much. Perhaps that’s why some therapists prefer not to treat anyone who has had any alcohol at all
you are quite right – it isn’t wise or safe to massage anyone who is intoxicated. For one thing – they might become abusive!
They might fall asleep and not give feedback to the therapist about pressure. There are many good reasons why we should not treat a person who is intoxicated
I want sources and citations, not just her pedigree. I love the dispelling myths and all that, but where are your sources? Help your flabbergasted audience understand your bold statements.
Mackenzi,Please explain yourself about the “flabbergasted audience”. Sometimes with thought provoking articles like this you need to do your own due dilligence.
Warmest regards
Mike
Thank you for dispelling these myths. I knew about some of theses false assumptions, but there were a few there that were new to me.
Keep up the great work!
Good article. It’s a great idea to confront all those myths. Regarding myth number 10 – no pain no gain – this is very pervasive here in Thailand where I live and practice. I know quite a few people, including myself, who have been injured because of this erroneous idea that therapeutic massage consists of just pressing harder and stretching more. I had a rib broken by a therapist who subscribed to the no pain no gain method.
Shama,
I agree with you. Unfortunately there is old school thinking that is out there.
Each situation is different and I beleive that we forget what is happening at the cellular level.
My ITB’s are incredibly sensitive due to a”rolfing” course when my partner ignored my requests to back off on pressure.
Great comment thanks!
I appreciate the attempt to educate about massage however no more solid proof has been presented to debunk these myths as was used to set them up in the first place . . . I hope you are not suggesting that our critical reasoning for massage facts be suspended because someone with very impressive creditials said they should be? With no supporting science or objective data I am merely swapping one myth for another.
Amanda, I am confused. Are you saying that you beleive these myths?
“I am merely swapping one myth for another”
Do you have evidence to support these myths?
Warmest Regards Mike