Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/259468
I t p a y s t o b e A B M P C e r t i f i e d : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 11 READER FORUM WHEN BODYWORK HAS ADVERSE EFFECTS Thank you to Massage & Bodywork and Ruth Werner for the article "When Massage Therapy Creates an Adverse Effect" [ January/February 2014, page 44]. At the same time that I read this article, I received two emails relevant to Werner's topic. One was from someone visiting from out of state. She was hoping for a referral to a therapist who would "understand about fragile ribs secondary to radiation for breast cancer." The reason she was so specifi c is because a few months previously, she had had a massage, which she felt was given carefully; however, even with the milder pressure on her back, it caused microfractures along the left side of her ribs and clavicle. Another story landed in my inbox around the same time, about a woman in her 80s who was having low-back and pelvic pain. Because she was a truly obstinate person, the woman wouldn't tell her daughter or physician. She went to a massage therapist for deep-tissue massage, which resulted in the fracturing of part of a vertebra. This led to more pain. The client didn't place blame, other than to wish the therapist had been more cautious with her as an older person. Too often, when I am out teaching on the road, I hear stories from massage students who were unintentionally injured by classmates during practice sessions, or by instructors during demonstrations. Many years ago, I myself had three incidents in clinics where clients with cancer had lymphedema triggered or exacerbated. I was horrifi ed and was only able to come to grips with it because I learned from those occurrences, and was able to pass those lessons onto thousands of others. Werner points out that it takes courage to share your mistakes. Boy, does it! But our mistakes make us better therapists, hopefully. Many of the mistakes I hear about occur with medically complex clients. Students are not educated deeply enough about working with these clients. Because everyone now sees people who are elderly, or have a cancer history, or have had hip replacements, or have a titanium rod supporting their cervical spine, or have lupus, or 50 other conditions, no one should leave massage school without knowledge and supervised experience in working with people who have medical complexities. Therapists must also let go of the idea that it is their job to give clients whatever massage treatment the client wants, even if it's unsafe. A doctor would not allow a patient to come in and tell them they want drug X, Y, and Z. It is the responsibility of the therapist to use their clinical thinking skills in creating an appropriate and safe massage session. Client input is one of many infl uences on the plan, but not the only one. Thanks to Ruth Werner for having the courage to initiate this discussion, and to Massage & Bodywork for printing the article. GAYLE MACDONALD PORTLAND, OREGON CHIROPRACTIC COMEBACK Dr. Bond wrote a great introduction to teaming with chiropractors ["Creating a Win-Win," by W. David Bond, January/February 2014, page 68]. Perhaps it would never cross his mind, because he's a serious healer, but there's one unmentioned but important risk. Early in my practice, I was working with two DCs in one offi ce when one client said he told Dr. X that he obtained better results from me. Upon hearing this news, the DC stopped referring me clients, and I never saw this client again, either. Not everybody's goal is, as Dr. Bond said, "alleviating pain from someone else's life." I've worked with healers whose attitudes mirrored Dr. Bond's, but in this case, I'd become a threat. It takes courage to share your mistakes. Access the digital edition archives at www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com on your computer, smartphone, or tablet.