Why is a prescription necessary to perform Medical Massage?
In order for Massage Therapists to state that they are treating someone, they must first be able to legally determine what it is that they are actually treating. Since it is beyond Massage Therapists’ scope of practice to diagnose, they must work from a doctors prescription if they are claiming to treat a specific condition. Non-prescribed therapy may also be administered to address clients, where assessment shows soft-tissue imbalances. Many in the field may think this is giving away their power to the physician, but nothing could be further from the truth. A physician can become our most powerful ally when we learn to work in a cooperative manner. I have worked well with Neurologists, Orthopedists, General Practitioners, Psychiatrists, Podiatrists, Oral Surgeons, Osteopaths, and Chiropractors.
