Why Do Clients Bruise?
Also known as ecchymosis, bruises are a discoloration and tenderness of the skin or mucous membranes due to the leakage of blood from an injured blood vessel. Although typically resulting from an injury, capillaries may break and cause an ecchymosis from any kind of tissue contact. In a healthy individual, there are several reasons why a person might bruise after massage therapy: · More common with deep tissue massage, great amounts of pressure can cause capillaries to break. · Hypertonic tissue is more prone to bruising from massage because more force may be used to release tight musculature. · Older people are more susceptible to bruising because of weakened capillary walls and thinner skin. · Medications increase susceptibility to bruising. Medications Increasing Bruise Risk There are many reasons a massage therapist needs to know what medications their clients are taking and how those drugs might impact massage. A perfect example of why bodyworkers must learn how pharmacology relat
