Contraindications | Croydon Sports Therapy

ABSOLUTE CONTRAINDICATIONS

Please do not book if you have any of the following:

A fever, acute illness, or infection
An acute injury sustained within the last 72 hours
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a known blood clot
A contagious skin condition
Open wounds, sores, or broken skin in the area to be treated
Uncontrolled high blood pressure
A blood clotting disorder, or if you are taking blood-thinning medication
Active cancer (without written clearance from your oncologist)
Recent surgery (within 6 weeks, or without GP clearance)

If any of these apply, please consult your GP before booking. I am not able to treat you until you have been cleared to receive massage therapy.

RELATIVE CONTRAINDICATIONS — CHECK WITH YOUR GP FIRST

The following conditions don't automatically prevent treatment, but I'll need to know about them in advance and may need written GP clearance:

Controlled diabetes
Cardiovascular conditions
Osteoporosis
Varicose veins
Recent fractures (once healed but within 3 months)
Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis

PREGNANCY AND AFTER BIRTH

Pregnancy is not a reason not to be treated — I offer pregnancy and postnatal massage specifically. But it has its own rules, and they matter more than most.

In the first 13 weeks I need approval from your GP or midwife before treating you. Because of the rapid changes in the body and the increased risk of miscarriage, massage generally isn't recommended in the first 13 weeks; if your GP or midwife recommends one during this time, please speak to me first. The same applies if your pregnancy has been classified as high risk — you will know if it has, because it is a term your midwife or consultant will have used with you.

Please do not book, and speak to your midwife the same day, if you have any of the following:

Unusual bleeding or discharge
Severe headaches, visual disturbances, or sudden swelling of the hands and face
Reduced or absent movement from your baby
Abdominal pain or cramping you cannot explain
Raised or unstable blood pressure
Persistent vomiting, or a fever

I also cannot treat you within seven days of an amniocentesis, a CVS (chorionic villus sampling) or similar procedure.

After a straightforward birth, please wait until after your six-week check and until your midwife or GP has given you the all-clear. Relaxin can remain in your body for many months after birth and the abdominal muscles are still healing, so deep tissue work is still avoided in certain areas in the early postpartum months. After a caesarean, please allow three to six months, and I will need approval from your GP or midwife — a caesarean, whilst viewed as routine, is major abdominal surgery, and the layers underneath heal more slowly than the scar on the surface suggests.

LOCAL CONTRAINDICATIONS

Some conditions mean I can treat you, but need to avoid a specific area:

Bruising or haematomas
Recent injections or vaccinations in the area
Skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis in the treatment area
Recent scar tissue (less than 3 months old)

Not sure?

If you're unsure whether any of the above applies to you, please get in touch before booking — I'm happy to advise. It's always better to check.

📞 07962 261282
✉️ [email protected]

A note on scope of practice