Massage therapy is often seen as a supportive and restorative part of wellbeing, and many people with MS find it helpful for managing symptoms such as muscle tightness, pain, and stress. To help our community better understand how massage therapy fits within a holistic approach to MS care, we spoke with Sophie Wilson, a massage therapist, to understand what massage therapy is, how it can help, and what to expect.
Sophie, what drew you to massage therapy, and what do you enjoy most about your work?
I think because I am quite a practical kinesthetic person I like to work on something and really be able to see/feel/hear the difference that massage can make.
I also liked that when I was learning and doing my degree in neuromuscular massage therapy I could do it in “chunks” and keep building on existing knowledge.
Hmm, what I enjoy most… I would probably say all the different kinds of people I get to meet and being able to help my clients and educate them on their bodies and helping them either be out of pain, improve their movement or other wellbeing goals we work on together.
How would you describe massage therapy and its main goals in supporting people’s health and wellbeing?
I think massage is becoming more “mainstream” and less of a luxury and more as a complementary tool which is awesome!
It sounds really simple but I think massage really helps people understand and feel what’s going on in their bodies.
Massage therapy is a manual therapy that mainly targets muscle tissue, fascia, tendons/ligaments but also improves circulation, lymphatic flow, parasympathetic nervous system regulation.
What types of therapeutic massage techniques are commonly used, and what are they generally helpful for?
There are so many types of therapeutic techniques oh my gosh!
The most common, or the first thing people probably think of is the kind of standard “Swedish” style which uses an oil/wax/cream and moves the bodies tissue.
Some other techniques would be things like, nesting, pnf stretching, muscle energy techniques, muscle specific neuromuscular “frictioning” …. just to name a few!
These techniques are often used on very specific muscle groups to recreate a change within the muscle spindles. Whilst of course bringing fresh oxygenated blood to an area to promote healing.
How can massage therapy support people living with chronic or neurological conditions such as MS?
I think first and foremost (from someone who is a massage therapist while also having MS). So many of my personal MS appointments are active, meaning I’m sitting there talking about what’s going on, getting an mri, receiving treatment (Ocrevus), all of these require energy FROM me.
Receiving a massage can be a completely passive experience. Your massage therapist can work on your body while you are getting valuable time on the table.
(I do really believe that massage is one of the few very modalities where you are lying on the table for a minimum of 50 minutes)
This is so important for those living with conditions that affect them every day.
From helping with fatigue by balancing someone’s nervous system to improving the movement of a hip or shoulder there won’t be too much of the session where we are asking a lot from you. Yes there may be a few times where we ask you to activate/resist a movement but that’s all to expand on the work we have done!
What MS related symptoms or challenges can massage be particularly helpful for?
FATGUE! I think that’s a biiiig one as it’s so individual to each person. As well as spasticity and alllll that comes with it, that feeling of stiffness or tightness of muscles where things won’t move freely or comfortably.
I also think for person with MS (as I’ve also mentioned earlier) if you’re going to physio and doing all the things to help with gait/your walking style, or going to a talk therapy, massage is such a holistic approach and I think you get out of it more than “just a rub”, it brings you back into your body (as we all live such busy go-go-go lives) so I do really think that quality hands on therapeutic touch is soooo underrated for people with MS.
How can massage therapists adapt their approach for people with varying mobility, sensitivity, fatigue, or heat intolerance?
A lot of massage therapist have hydraulic tables in which have different parts of the table that can be adjusted to help clients transfer to the table be as seamless as possible. Qualified massage therapists treat each person differently so a detailed client health history will be discussed as well as getting informed consent before any massage starts. This helps both client and therapist understand client complaints, boundaries and goals.
Individual pressure is always maintained during a session to ensure the client feels safe and comfortable.
In terms of heat intolerance, things like NO electric blankets on the table, a well air conditioned space and a cold compress after the massage can make all the difference for someone with MS.
Are there any health situations or symptoms where massage may need to be modified or avoided?
I think definitely if you are in a “flare” certain massage would be contra indicated as the body is under a lot of stress so your therapist needs to be well educated on what is/isn’t a good approach during a session. For example if there is numbness/lowered sensation in a part of the body your therapist needs to communicate and understand what precautions need to be taken.
If a person is using a wheelchair/or aid for mobility reasons the therapist needs to make sure that their set up is free from any hazards so the transfer to and from the table is also comfortable and safe for the client.
What can someone expect during a typical therapeutic massage session?
During a massage session there is also a Client health information form to fill out (just on that very first session) so the therapist is aware of a persons general health history and what medications someone might be taking. things like steroids/blood thinners/pain meds etc are very important for a therapist to be aware of as this can affect a persons pressure scale and overall experience of a massage.
Then there is a short interview where goals are discussed. This is where the therapist will explain what they think they needs to be work on as well as the overall plan for the session.
“we are going to start you face up do a, b, c, d then we will turn you onto you tummy and finish with e, f, g, h” – for example.
How can massage therapy fit into a wider MS wellbeing or self management plan?
Massage can be a wonderful addition to someone’s wellbeing plan. Depending on what is going on for someone whether they are more active, working, their MS is controlled with medication I do believe that regular/routine sessions can help ease pain, discomfort, improve tissue health, provide support and add another person to talk to and discuss mental and emotional challenges that might be coming up for someone with MS.
For me as a massage therapist I know too well that emotion can sit in the body and its not until tension/pain is decrease that a person can feel that relief and ease in their bodies.
And finally, what do you do for your own relaxation or self‑care
I must say I am still learning what sort of self care stuff works for me, but I do try have a massage once a month. If I could do fortnightly I would but some weeks I am extremely time poor.
I have a little mini schnauzer Maisie and she has added so much to my life and I get out and go for a coastal/bush walk once a week with her and that’s really great for my physical and mental health. I try to be really kind to myself when I’m having those really hard days where my mental and physical fatigue is just off the charts. A lot of really nice self talk and a bit of a mantra of mine is “this too shall pass” really helps me accept and reassure what MY MS is all about.
We thank Sophie for taking the time to share her expertise knowledge with us, and encourage anyone wishing to give massage a try to reach out to a local licensed therapist.
Last Updated June 24, 2026