Malpractice in Massage Therapy

Let’s talk about malpractice. We often think of malpractice in terms of medicine, but malpractice is any improper, unethical, illegal, or negligent professional activity, so it applies to massage therapy as well.

In most states, including Wisconsin where I reside, massage therapists are required to take ethics courses to renew our professional license, yet unethical behavior happens all too often without clients being aware of what is improper and where to lodge a complaint.

For one thing, massages should not leave bruises. Some massage therapists try to outdo each other in how deep they can go, and some clients love the feeling of deep pressure, but if the massage results in bruising, the massage therapist is out of line. Skilled massage therapists know how to go deep by relaxing the fascia and coaxing muscles to release tension. There may be slight pain as muscles relax, but if it leaves a bruise, that is malpractice.

As a client, you have the right to stop the massage at any time or to ask the massage therapist to stop what they are doing and the therapist must comply. After a coworker of mine was fired for unrelated reasons, many complaints came forward that he had left bruises and did not stop the deep pressure when asked. The clients had not come forward because they were intimidated by him or did not realize that his actions were improper.

Massage therapists in the United States are forbidden to diagnose medical conditions. It is tempting, especially when we have been seeing a client for many years and have the knowledge, but making a diagnosis is out of our scope of practice. Although many clients see massage therapists as medical professionals, we are not. Some clients may push a massage therapist for a diagnosis, but the most ethical response to a suspected condition is to strongly urge the client to seek medical treatment.

Some massage therapists are also licensed medical professionals, such as nurses or physical therapists, and can speak from their expertise. Just know the credentials of your therapist before you accept medical advice from them.

A medical professional may advise massage therapy to treat your medical condition. In this case, the massage therapist is working as part of your medical team involved in your treatment and may share information about your progress with your primary care provider.

Finally, if a massage therapist refers you to another professional or facility as an extension of your treatment, they should not be receiving money as a result of that referral. That is a kickback, and in Wisconsin, a violation of our license. I once belonged to a float therapy facility that offered discounts based on referrals. I was very careful when suggesting float therapy to my clients. They could mention my name if they liked, but I was not allowed to take the discount. The facility, however, could offer the discount directly to the client without any impropriety.

To file a complaint against a massage therapist in your state, see https://www.fsmtb.org/consumer-information/consumer-complaints/