Pathology Encyclopedia

Painful progressive restriction of glenohumeral motion (“frozen shoulder”). Work within tolerance; do not force restricted ROM.

Inflammation/irritation of a bursa. Avoid aggressive direct pressure over an acutely inflamed bursa.

Ligament injury. Acute severity determines protection/referral; do not aggressively massage a newly injured unstable joint.

Muscle or tendon injury. Acute tissue irritability guides local avoidance/modification; later rehabilitation differs from acute care.

Tendon pain/disorder. “Tendinitis” implies inflammation but chronic tendon disorders are not always primarily inflammatory. Avoid provoking highly irritable tissue.

Degenerative whole-joint disease involving cartilage, bone and other joint tissues. Comfortable movement/massage may be useful; acute pain and tolerance guide intensity.

Systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease. Avoid aggressive work over acutely inflamed joints; consider fatigue, medications and systemic status.

Reduced bone strength and increased fracture risk. Modify force, leverage and positioning.

Inflammatory arthritis caused by monosodium urate crystal deposition. An acutely hot, exquisitely painful joint should not receive direct massage.

Fluid-filled cyst often near wrist/hand joints or tendon sheaths. Do not attempt to crush or “break” it.

Popliteal synovial-fluid cyst often related to knee pathology. Avoid aggressive posterior-knee pressure; new calf swelling needs differential medical evaluation.

Heel/plantar pain commonly involving plantar fascia enthesis and load sensitivity. Avoid assuming all heel pain is the same condition.

Pain around/behind patella associated with loading tasks. Do not force painful knee mechanics.

Traction apophysitis at tibial tuberosity in growing adolescents. Avoid aggressive pressure over the painful prominence.

Intervertebral disc degeneration, protrusion or herniation may or may not correlate with symptoms. Progressive weakness, bowel/bladder changes or saddle sensory loss are urgent red flags.

Degenerative changes of the spine. Symptoms and neurological status matter more than the imaging word alone.

Group of jaw-joint/masticatory disorders involving pain, movement or related structures. Stay within scope and avoid forceful joint manipulation.

Chronic widespread pain condition with altered pain processing, fatigue and other symptoms. Pressure tolerance varies greatly; “deep is better” is inappropriate.

Regional pain syndrome often discussed with trigger points. Use symptom-guided, evidence-aware treatment rather than claiming a palpable knot is objectively proven pathology.

Abnormal neck posture/rotation with multiple possible causes. Sudden or unexplained cases require appropriate evaluation.

Symptoms after acceleration-deceleration injury can include neck pain, headache and neurological symptoms. Acute trauma/red flags require medical assessment; later massage must be symptom guided.

Median nerve compression at carpal tunnel. Avoid irritating symptomatic nerve tissue; assess symptoms and refer when progressive.

Peripheral nerve dysfunction causing sensory/motor/autonomic changes. Reduced sensation changes pressure and heat safety.

Immune-mediated CNS demyelinating disease. Adapt to fatigue, heat sensitivity, mobility and current neurological symptoms.

Common term for radiating symptoms involving lumbosacral nerve roots/sciatic distribution. It is a symptom pattern, not a muscle diagnosis. Progressive neurological deficits are referral concerns.

Persistently elevated arterial blood pressure. Stability, symptoms, medication and medical management determine planning; avoid outdated universal massage cutoffs.

Dilated superficial veins related to venous valve dysfunction. Avoid aggressive direct pressure over affected vessels.

Deep vein thrombosis can embolize and become life threatening. Suspected DVT is a do-not-massage-and-refer situation.

Episodic vasospasm, often fingers/toes, causing color and sensation changes. Avoid extreme thermal stress and adapt to current symptoms.

Chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease; not contagious. Avoid cracked/open/very irritated plaques as needed.

Fungal infection (“athlete's foot”). Avoid affected contagious tissue and prevent cross-contamination.

Bacterial infection of deeper skin/subcutaneous tissue, commonly red, warm, swollen and painful. Requires medical treatment, not massage over the area.

Active viral lesions are locally contagious. Avoid direct contact and follow hygiene precautions.

Chronic glucose-regulation disorder. Massage considerations can include neuropathy, wounds, vascular disease, glucose timing and medication/insulin effects.

Hyper- and hypothyroid states can affect energy, temperature tolerance, cardiovascular function and other systems. Do not manipulate the thyroid gland to change hormone output.

Chronic inflammatory airway disease with episodic bronchoconstriction. Position for breathing comfort; acute severe attack is an emergency issue.

Reflux of gastric contents into esophagus. Position and meal timing may affect comfort.

Protrusion of tissue through a weakened opening. Do not use forceful pressure intended to “push it back in.”