Massage and Diabetes

by Rob Kelly

Can people with diabetes benefit from therapeutic massage?  The answer is yes.  The National Institutes of Health statistics state that 20.8 million or 7% of the United States population have diabetes.  1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in 2005.  People with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes can benefit from massage, but the massage may need to be altered to suit a person with diabetes.   

One of the greatest benefits massage can provide is the relaxation response.  Living with diabetes can be stressful in and of itself, not to mention all of the other stresses people deal with in their daily lives.  Relaxation massage can decrease some of the stress hormones, such as cortisol, that may increase the blood sugar levels while increasing natural painkillers such as endorphins.  Receiving massage can reduce a person’s stress level and bring balance both mentally and physically. 

Massage has been shown to increase the local circulation of blood and lymph.  Increased circulation can aid in the transport of nutrients and oxygen while also decreasing healing time.  Elevated blood sugar levels can increase the thickness of the connective tissues limiting how easily the body moves.  Massage can help decrease the stiffness of the connective tissue in the body allowing for greater range of motion throughout the body.

To ensure safe and effective massage the client and massage therapist need to have open lines of communication.  The massage therapist needs to be aware of the type and frequency of the client’s medication.   If insulin is used, the massage therapist needs to know where the last injection site was to avoid that area.  There may be additional complications due to diabetes where the skin can be very sensitive and the client may have problems distinguishing levels of pressure.  People who have diabetes can use massage to aid in relaxation, increase blood flow, have greater mobility and generally feel better when massage is applied with mindfulness of diabetes and its possible complications.

Rob Kelly currently teaches Pathology at Irene's Myomassology Institute in Southfield, Michigan.  Rob has been a massage therapist and educator for over 10 years.  He has a private practice in Ann Arbor, MI.