Rianne Chavez

A client has frequent ear infections, including now while he’s awaiting a prescription of antibiotics. He wants massage for his neck and shoulders. He has a history of a ruptured eardrum and several surgeries. And by the way, he’s a surfer. 

Usually, we say that massage and acute infections don’t really go together. But this client seems fine—he gets these infections often and they don’t impact his daily living.

Is that a go-ahead for massage? Maybe, maybe not.

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-313-surfer-s-ear-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A client’s knee surgery seemed to go OK, but now he has a problem: his knee is stuck in 60 degrees of flexion. His doctors don’t seem interested in his diagnosis, leading him to wonder if anything will ever change.

What’s going on? Is this unusual? Turns out, it might happen a lot. But massage therapy might be helpful, according to one of the world’s leading experts on the subject. Join us as we explore arthrofibrosis in this edition of “I Have a Client Who . . . ”

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-311-arthrofibrosis-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A client is a former NFL linebacker with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). What is going on inside his head? And is it safe for the massage therapist to work with him?

CTE is part of a range of head injuries that includes traumatic brain injury, concussion, and post-concussion syndrome. We don’t have a lot of information about massage therapy in this context, but we can get enough information to look for good ways to help.

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-308-cte-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A client’s parent is a veteran of the Vietnam War, and the client has been left with the aftermath of the genetic damage caused by one of the deadliest toxins known: TCDD dioxin. She has spina bifida, a well-recognized consequence of parental Agent Orange (AO) exposure, and a slew of other physical and emotional challenges.

What is Agent Orange, and how did this happen?

And is there any way our work can help?

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-306-agent-orange-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner

A massage therapist has some clients who have battled breast cancer and who have had lymph nodes removed. They are active, and healthy, and report no signs of lymphedema . . . and they want “massage as usual” on their affected arms.

Is that possible? Is it advisable? What could go wrong?

In this short, pithy discussion, Rebecca Sturgeon, co-author of Oncology Massage: An Integrative Approach to Cancer Care and educational director at Healwell, and Ruth Werner discuss the options that this practitioner might consider to keep those clients safe while offering satisfying bodywork.

Full show notes and resources available at https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-304-lymph-nodes-removed-rebecca-sturgeon-i-have-client-who-pathology-conversations-ruth-werner