Top 6 Health and Safety Tips for Mobile Massage Therapists

An image of a massage therapy table is used to illustrate the concept of mobile massage therapy, where therapists travel to an on-site location to provide massage therapy to a client.

We spoke with four mobile-massage practitioners who shared their top tips for staying healthy and safe while traveling to massage therapy appointments.

1. Pack What You Don’t Know You’ll Need.

Keep food and non-food items with you at all times, says Barb McKenney. This includes a lunchbox with nonperishable food, gum and water, because you never know when you will need a snack. A personal-care bag can hold deodorant, a lint brush, hairbrush and extra uniform, McKenney adds.

Keep a pouch of petty cash with you as well, but for safety purposes don’t carry or show a large amount of money when you’re on the road, she says. Also carry a set of extra linens, in case you drop or otherwise soil your clean linens or receive a last-minute booking.

2. Pay Attention to Your Table.

Use a table that weighs under 30 pounds, says Art San, for ease of carrying and your body’s health. You can also encourage regular clients to purchase their own massage table linens so you don’t have to transport these to every appointment, he says.

Always carry your table with the strap across your body, says Michelle Roos, who also says using a trolley for long walks is extremely helpful.

Communicate with your client ahead of time about the location you will set up your table and let them know if you don’t travel upstairs, Roos says, adding, “Take more than one trip to and from the car instead of overloading yourself and carrying all your items at once.”

3 . Create a Buddy System.

For safety, set up a buddy system, says Kati Kolodziejczak Driban, especially for the first few times at a new location.

“First I confirm that I reached my destination safely,” she says. “Then my buddy expects a call or text from me within 30 minutes of the end of my session. If I do not reach out, they try to reach me. If I don’t answer immediately, they call the authorities and give them the address I went to. I have never needed a call to the authorities, thankfully, but was happy to have people in my life willing to do this for me.”

4. Manage Your Schedule.

Allocate enough time for each client and create a schedule that allows for breaks between sessions to avoid burnout. Also, says Roos, plan your appointments accordingly to avoid the stress of rush hour traffic.

If a client cancels, don’t spend time stewing about it or counting the minutes until your next session. Instead, says Roos: “Go enjoy the outdoors, take a walk or sit outside and stretch, go to a yoga class or take a nap and recharge.”

5. Maintain Personal Health.

Traveling to several appointments in one day means putting a focus on exemplary hygiene. Wash your hands frequently, and use hand sanitizer before and after each massage. Carry a portable air filter if you will be working in an enclosed area. Wear a clean uniform or clothing, pack backup clothing and avoid wearing jewelry or perfume.

6. Drive Safely.

It’s easy to take driving for granted when we do a lot of it, so keep these guidelines fresh in your mind while traveling between sessions:

• Always wear a seatbelt: This is the simplest and most effective way to protect yourself in case of an accident.

• Follow traffic rules: Always obey traffic signals, signs and speed limits. These rules are in place to keep you and other drivers safe.

• Keep your vehicle maintained: Ensure your vehicle is in good condition and all systems are working properly, including such smaller details as windshield wipers and tire pressure.

• Avoid distractions: Keep your focus on the road and avoid using your phone, eating, drinking or any other activities that could distract you while driving.

There are several ways you can get where you need to go without touching your phone: Use an application with a voice-activated GPS system; or, some smartwatches and other wearable devices can provide navigation directions without the need for a phone. These devices can connect to the car’s Bluetooth system and provide turn-by-turn directions through the watch If you need to make adjustments to your navigation system, pull over to a safe location before doing so.

• Maintain a safe distance: Keep a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you. This gives you enough time to react. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-end collisions constitute 29 percent of all car accidents nationwide, more than any other type of accident.