Scheduled maintenance on AMTA's website will take place Tuesday, December 17th between 11 PM thru Wednesday, December 18th 6 AM CT. Some services will be temporarily unavailable. These include logging in/account and course access, membership/course purchases, and Find a Massage Therapist searches. Information and resources remain available. Thank you for your patience while we improve our site to serve you better.

Pathology and Massage Therapy
Massage General Courses

Pathology and Massage Therapy

Author(s): Susan Salvo

2CE credits 12 Lessons Text

This course gives massage therapists a comprehensive review of pathology, infection control measures and common chronic conditions including diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Also included are massage modifications for clients with these conditions and relevant research findings to support massage efficacy and evidence-informed treatment plans. Dialysis and colostomy procedures, used to treat complications of disease, are also discussed. 

When you finish this course, you will be able to:

  • Identify concepts of health, disease and infection control. 
  • Discuss the causes, treatments, massage modifications and research studies for common chronic conditions.
  • State the symptoms, clinical stages and treatment for common chronic conditions.
  • Select and practice massage techniques that are best for each chronic condition.

  1. The Effects of Massage on Health and Disease
  2. Understanding Concepts of Health and Disease
  3. The Pathology and Complications of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
  4. The Pathology of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Understanding the Disease Process
  5. Kidney Failure: Treatment and the Impact on Your Clients
  6. Alzheimer Disease: Understanding the Disease Process
  7. Parkinson Disease: Understanding the Disease Process
  8. Respiratory Diseases: Understanding the Disease Process
  9. Rheumatoid Arthritis: Understanding the Disease Process
  10. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Understanding the Disease Process
  11. Infection Control: Concepts and Procedure Review
  12. Conclusion and References

Susan Salvo, EdD, BCTMB, LMT has over 30 years of experience. She is a co-director of the LA Institute of Massage Therapy, and is a nationally known author and speaker who has written several massage textbooks and online courses.