Pain in legs after massage

[Saxton Hardcastle]

Hi All
Wonder if anyone can give me some advice.

I gave a client a full body massage on Saturday. I called her on Tuesday to see how she was and as usually she said everything was fine.
Today I received an email from her and she mentioned that she had some pain in her legs. The pain started on Sunday and they still ached a bit.

Would this have anything to do with her massage? She doesn't do any exercice and she's had some health problems over the past year. This was the first full body massage she's every had.
I've not come across this feedback before. Any ideas?

Thanks
Allie

 

[Blondie23]

Hi Allie

It maybe that the pain is coming from the lymphatics. They could be blocked especially as she takes no exercise. Its a possibility!! Evista.

 

[J man]

Hi Allie
What sort of massage did you give? If it was Swedish I would think it unlikely that you were the cause of the aches. Deep tissue stuff I don't know about but would think it would obviously give a more profound effect but feel the effects would be felt the next day rather than 3 days later.

If she doesnt take much excercise maybe it's just cramp (in which case she would benefit from regular massages from you to improve her circulation)

I am sure you did a wonderful massage and it's just a coincidence. We all get odd aches and pains from time to time.

Best wishes

 

[Luke S]

Hi Allie,

This may seem a bit flippant, and I am just a “client” here, not one of wonderful people that can make others feel so good, but I once had pain in my legs after a massage. When I thought about it afterwards though, I realised that I had been a little late for the treatment, and had walked very quickly and quite a long way from the car park to the premises (over half a mile each way) and attributed the pain (mainly in the muscles just outside my shins), to the walk! I have experienced a similar pain since, without the massage, but with a long and quick walk, so just a thought.
Even if you went to the client your wonders to perform, it may be that she had undertaken some unusual activities in recent days? I often find these types of pains can take a few days to develop.

OK. So maybe I am just waffling on, but there might be something in it, even from a mere “client” lolol, and sometimes, we do get carried away on technical stuff and overlook the simple things (and I am good at simple things ha ha )

Richard

 

[whzfzbzn]

Richard, nothing flippant about your feedback, only the clients know what it really feels like so they're the experts!

Allie, Richard's explanation is quite likely but just to re-iterate what you've been told a thousand times (no doubt), do be incredibly careful not to massage on, or even very near, a varicose vein. If there's one thing worse than provoking a DVT it's releasing it into the bloodstream!
I think the most likely thing is that the client was holding tension in shins (or just possibly calves or hamstrings) and that it was only after releasing the tension through the massage that she could feel the bruising effects of that tension. The same problem arises in Alexander Technique - you lie there for an hour effectively striving to do nothing at all, just to stop holding. And then you wonder why you feel like someone hit you in the back with a railway sleeper! It's just that you feel the effects of the tension only once you let it go.
The only part of the lymphatic system liable to ache would be the nodes themselves as the vessels have no nerves: but if the client does no exercise you could have bruised the nodes behind the knees or in the groin by draining the lower legs towards the heart without having cleared sufficient space 'upstream' first.
I'm sure you did give her a lovely massage, in the end her sedentary life has to take the blame for aches and stuff.
Love and light
BV
[sm=cat.gif]

 

[AznJay]

Hi All
Thanks for your replies.

jackiepeasnell - I completed a full body swedish massage, which includes front and back of legs.

I agree it was proberly because she does no exercise and I worked on her legs and their not used to being worked!

I was a bit worried at first in case I had caused her a problem., but now realise that couldn't have been the case.

Thanks again

Allie

 

[mjepiuaiivjibfewj]

When laying on the front it's not uncommon for the lumbar spine to fall into extention, which can cause the some of the lower lumbar facet joints at the back of the spine to 'lock' or become irritated. As extending tends to compress these joints.

When locked or irritated, they can cause reffered pain in the legs.

I would advise placing a pillow under the belly for many folks, when massaging them on their front.

Andrew

 

[fa fas]

Thanks Andrew, I will bear that in mind

Allie

 

[Riff Raff]

Yes, thanks Andrew - good advice

 

[Enma Ai]

I am a client and not a therapist who goes to an office with 4 different therapists. One therapist has twice caused my lower back to be worse than it was when I went in...but I knew it that night and the next day, not 3 days later.

 

[discord71]

Hi there,

I liked what everyone had to say and had an additional thought. Does this person drink enough water in a day and have enough potassium in their system. Sometimes I have found it is the dehydration of the muscle that is painful. Perhaps if that is not the case it is low potassium.