A Course for Spas, Clinics and Conferences
Cancer and Massage: Safe Practice
Steps for Massage Therapists
8.0 CE hours
This course has been warmly received
in spa settings where it is offered as an in-service
for massage therapists and estheticians needing to
adapt massage and spa treatments to people with cancer
and cancer histories. As a "primer" or "safety essentials" course,
it is easily adapted to other learning settings, including
clinics and hospitals. It has received wonderful reviews
at the AMTA national level, and has been part of many
state chapter offerings since 2001.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Massage therapy is a growing part
of cancer care, practiced at hospitals, retreat centers
and in treatment settings around the world. People
with cancer and cancer histories seek massage therapy
from spas, hospitals, resorts, clinics-anywhere
massage is offered.
In this training, we outline the
steps for working safely and skillfully with people
in cancer treatment, at end of life, in survivorship,
and during diagnosis. Along the way, we note the questions
to use in a brief verbal client intake, and we address
how to use basic health information to design a safe,
effective session. Easy-to-use tools are presented
for navigating complex medical information, and we
simplify the massage therapy issues presented by common
cancer treatments, diagnostics, and bone involvement.
A training and resource manual is
provided along with an extensive bibliography. Massage
therapists leave with an understanding of the steps
needed to work safely with this population, and how
to apply those steps in any setting.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course the participant
will be able to:
- Educate massage therapy consumers
about the safety of massage therapy for cancer
and dispel the mistaken massage contraindication
- Outline steps needed to make safe practice
decisions for people with cancer or cancer histories
- Identify massage adjustments for immediate and
long-term issues following cancer surgery including
lymphedema risk, lymphedema history and deep
vein thrombosis
- Locate massage cautions for
chemotherapy in the appropriate literature.
Course Approvals:
Tracy Walton is approved by the National Certification
Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB)
as an approved provider, #283404-00.
Tracy Walton
is approved by the Florida Board of Massage
Therapy, provider # 50-13512
