2 Your Health: Massage Therapy During a COVID Pandemic: Is it Safe?

Heidi Overman, LMT

There is a lot happening right now. We need to wear masks, we need to social distance, and we need to stay at home to stay safe. Anxiety is at a maximum and discerning what you should or should not do is exceedingly difficult. You need a massage; you want a massage; but is it safe to have a massage?

The answer to that is very individualized. What you can do is educate yourself on the place you are going to get a massage and see if they are following state and CDC guidelines. Are they doing everything they can to protect you and their staff?

Here are some measures they can take to make a safer environment for you:

Do they require you to wear a mask during service?

Do the practitioners and staff wear masks?

Are they allowing proper time between treatments to properly disinfect rooms and tools?

Are they temperature checking staff and clients?

Are they disinfecting the front desk area before and after each client?

Are they requiring hand washing protocols for clients and staff?

Are they social distancing clients in the waiting area?

Are they using touchless checkout?

Are they using UV lights or HEPA filters in rooms?

Do they have hand sanitizer throughout the rooms and building for easy access?

Also, ask yourself, are you in a high-risk category?

These are a few questions that an establishment should be able to answer for you.

It will never be 100% safe; however, a massage is a great way to reduce stress, anxiety, and work therapeutically with aches and pains.

This pandemic has affected your body more than you realize, and knowing that a spa is doing everything they can to keep you safe will help you relax and focus on your healing.