Busting Prenatal Massage Myths #11: High Risk Condition = Relax = Massage

Myth: If a high-risk condition develops during a

pregnancy, doctors may recommend “relax”. Usually this also comes with an order to "get off your feet" "Decrease your stress or workload" or "get more rest". So it makes sense to get a massage. Right?

Where it comes from: We are constantly saying that massage is perfect for people who need to relax, however massage does have a strong affect on many different systems of the body so if a dangerous condition is present, massage may not be a good idea. Massage can absolutely help someone to relax, but a pregnant woman is not just anyone. There is a lot going on with her body and sometimes something may not go right. Occasionally a condition could arise that endangers the health or life of either mom or the baby, so extra precautions must be taken to keep both of them healthy.

Fact: Some high-risk pregnancy conditions are contraindications for massage and could make the condition worse. Massage is good and has a LOT of benefits during pregnancy, but it is not always the best answer if something else is going on. Conditions such as high blood pressure, pre-ecclampsia, pitting edema, uncontrolled gestational diabetes, bleeding disorders, or placental issues are all conditions that mean there is a strain on something in the body and the body isn't handling it well, While massage can usually help with a lot of system abnormalities, the goal is not to over-stress the body more and overwork certain organs or systems. Always check with your massage therapist about your high-risk condition to see if it is safe to get a massage. And be honest! I personally have had people purposely neglect to tell me about a high-risk condition because they just really wanted a massage and was afraid I would turn them away. A massage therapist's main goal is to keep their client safe and healthy and if massage will cause harm, they won't do it - and it is for the client's own good. If doctor says "relax" and massage is contraindicated, there are other forms of bodywork which may be usable such as energy work or other modalities, or a massage therapist may be able to recommend or even facilitate some other methods of relaxation that are safer to practice while resting such as guided meditation, therapeutic breathing, or more.