Contraindications of Sports Massage
Contraindications of sports massage are injuries and conditions that prevent a massage from being beneficial or could even be dangerous. Some of these contraindications are more severe than others, but all should be taken seriously by a massage therapist.

A client questionnaire should be used to determine if a person can safely receive sports massage. A doctor should also be consulted.

Infections
The most important sports massage contraindications for therapists to be aware of are infections. Because massage is hands-on, it's easy for viruses and bacterial infection to spread from one client to another. It's a good idea to refuse to carry out treatments for clients with infections until they are clear and their temperature has gone down, or until you get confirmation in writing that it's safe to proceed from a doctor.

Open wounds should also be avoided because they can easily be worsened by massaging over them or contaminated by bacteria, and infections like herpes or fungal skin diseases should not be treated until the outbreak has subsided. These are systematic contraindications for sports massage, but they may also apply locally to specific areas such as warts.

Fever
An absolute massage contraindication, such as a fever, means that the treatment should be refused, to protect your client and also to avoid any exacerbation of their condition. This can also be the case for systematic contraindications, such as having recently had a stroke or heart attack.

Relative local contraindications mean that treatment should not be carried out on a particular site, such as a wart on one finger. These can be either an absolute or relative contraindication, depending on how severe the area is affected and whether the wart is present on a very sensitive part of the body.

It is important to identify all potential contraindications for sports massage. This will help to protect your clients compare sports massage and physical therapy pricing and also to protect you as a massage therapist, should any damage or illness be caused by an undisclosed condition that was picked up during the consultation process.

Skin Conditions
Some skin conditions, such as insulin levels or unhealed ulcers and skin lesions, are contraindications of sports massage. This is because a massage can affect blood circulation and loosen any blood clots, which could cause them to travel from the source to the brain or lungs.

Other skin contraindications include fresh scarring (less than 6 months old) and bleeding disorders such as haemophilia. A massage can be detrimental to a client with these conditions by irritating the skin and increasing the risk of bruising or bleeding. These are local contraindications and a therapist should be able to spot them during the intake and assessment process. It’s also important to note that a client should never have any treatment over an open wound or infection.

Stroke or Heart Attack
A sports massage can increase flexibility in muscle tissues that may have become tight or knotted. It also can help in the recovery process after an injury, by breaking down scar tissue and increasing blood circulation to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the area so that tissues can repair themselves.

A common misunderstanding is that a sports massage should not be provided for a client who has had a stroke or heart attack. However, this is incorrect, as massage can be very beneficial in these situations by helping to break up clots that have formed, and by reducing the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles that occurs after an exercise.

You should always obtain a full medical history from your clients, and keep a record of it in your practice management system or app. This should include information on any conditions that could be contraindicated or could exacerbate a condition, such as diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Cancer
The risk of side effects from sports massage ranges from minor and acceptable such as bruising or sore muscles, to dangerous and potentially harmful including damage to soft tissues, dislodging a blood clot, or fracturing a bone. This is why it’s important to be aware of contraindications and take them into account when treating clients.

Cancer clients require particular caution as massage can stimulate tumor growth and interfere with cancer treatments. Also, manipulating the lymph nodes or bone marrow could cause discomfort and exacerbate symptoms.

Blood clots (often called deep vein thrombosis or DVT) are another absolute contraindication to massage. If a clot is dislodged it can travel to the heart, lungs or brain with devastating consequences. Massage can also make existing clots worse.