Harm in Massage?

See also: Extremely low likelihood of harm from massage

Injury caused by massage is remarkably not present. This is a major reason that our liability insurance rates are ridiculously low compared to other heath professions ($65 versus $21,000 MT/Pediatrician). It is difficult to cause an injury before a response when applying pressure smoothly and slowly. It is as if injury requires, in most cases, a certain blatant disregard for the client -- more a matter of attitude than of training and, I believe, more likely to be found in those who are academic (and somewhat dissociated from empathetic response) than interpersonal.

Insurance claims rates from Wohlers for massage therapist from 1993-1996 average about 1.8 per 1000 insured per year. Of these 0.79 claims/1000/year were paid. The percentage of claims for physical injury beyond minor was 6% or roughly 0.05 per 1000 per year. Average claim payments are on the order of $4000. See Studdert DM, Eisenberg DM, Miller F, Curto DA, Kaptchuk TJ, Brennan TA 1998 Medical malpractice implications of alternative medicine. JAMA 280: 1610-1615. (Data obtained from Albert H. Wohlers and Co, Park Ridge, IL)

All in all, I believe it is a much greater likelihood to encounter problems from not being prepared to encounter the response of an unexpected abuse survivor than it is to cause a physical injury. Unfortunately, in a seeming drive to impress the medical profession, the massage profession has over-concentrated on anatomy and physiology and little considered the need for even rudimentary awareness on issues of trauma and abuse. [via Keith Eric Grant, http://www.ramblemuse.com/blogger/ ]