Archive for February, 2007

Massage with hot stones can cause burn injuries if the therapist has not received the proper training.

The stones are heated in hot water and can retain their temperature for some time. If the stones are moved over the body then there is less chance of the clients skin being burnt, however if the client is made to lie unprotected over these hot stones then skin damage can occur. This is very much like ironing clothes, you can run a hot iron over your clothes as long as you keep it moving but if you keep it still, it will burn.

An example of such a burn is highlighted in the photograph. You may consider this injury was inflicted by someone who had received no training but in fact this injury was received by a client visiting a luxury spa at a good quality hotel. This highlights the importance of proper training for therapists who are offering this type of treatment.

Hot stone massage is perfectly safe if the correct protocol is adhered to and the therapist is aware of the dangers when using the stones at hot temperatures.