Working closely with clients means we’re exposed to everything — their stress, their pain… and sometimes, their germs. Knowing when it’s safe to work on someone who’s been sick (or taking antibiotics) is essential for protecting yourself, your clients, and your practice. The basics: Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not viruses (like colds or flu). Massage is contraindicated during active infection…
I have raved about Ashiatsu for 15 years. “Save your hands!” I’d cry. “Take a class and learn barefoot massage! Extend your career! Give your clients the deep tissue massage they crave without hurting yourself,” I’d urge.
I don’t do hands-on massage. Ashiatsu barefoot massage is the name of the game.
Last week, a client whom I haven’t seen in years called me to ask about massage. “I see on your website you don’t do house calls or hands-on massage anymore,” she started with. Correct. I don’t do hands-on massage, with the exception of the occasional pregnancy massage.
So she scheduled a one-hour barefoot massage at my office for her and one for her husband the following day.
A few days later, she called me back to tell me that she had misplanned, and was there any way I could go to her house downtown (a 25-minute drive) and give her husband a hands-on massage for his birthday?
I don’t do hands-on massage, I protested internally.