Staying Safe

2020 has certainly been the year of challenges.  First it was bushfires, then a global pandemic.  Many therapists are returning to practice after an extended hiatus, either through their personal decision to cease practice or because of Government directives.

As a result, it is important that all therapists feel confident going back to practice.  Many are implementing new clinic procedures to protect both themselves and their client from possible infection.  They are also conducting risk assessments for their own personal circumstances and reviewing their client base for vulnerable populations.

One of the key tools being used by all therapists is a COVID-19 specific resource that is used to guide the decision on whether it is safe to treat at this time.

Let’s look at some of the questions that have been recommended and why they should be asked at every single session for the foreseeable future.

1. Have you or any of your close contacts experienced any of the known symptoms in the last 14 days? These symptoms may include :

• fever
• dry cough
• sore through
• runny nose
• loss of smell/taste
• unexplained muscle or joint pain
• loss of appetite

It’s estimated that 70% of COIVD-19 transmission occurs within households so if a family member or close contact withing the home has had symptoms the risk is way higher that your client may have been exposed as well.  It is recommended that the treatment cannot continue until after 2 weeks of isolation with no symptoms in the household.

2. Have you or any of your close contacts travelled interstate, overseas or regionally to an identified COVID-19 “hotspot” in the last 14 days?

As borders in Australia slowly reopen, monitoring local transmission rates is not necessarily going to be a reliable measure.Again, it is worth considering a 2 week delay if your client has been in an area or in contact with a “cluster”.

3. Have you or a close contact been diagnosed with COVID-19?

It’s fairly obvious that you would not be treating a client until they have had confirmed negative test or been at least 14 days since last symptoms, but it is also important to know if they have ever tested positive. Emerging research of some of the long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection may mean that new contraindications to massage may exist.

4. Have you experienced any unexplained pain or cramping in your legs/calves or have you noticed any new rashes on your body or feet?

Blood clots in legs as well as rashes on the body and feet have been shown to be related to severe cases of covid-19.Although the research is not definitive, there have been links that if someone has these rashes and marks, they may also be susceptible to post-COVID blood clotting. Treatment is contraindicated for all therapies until the client has GP clearance.

As new research comes to light and we take tentative steps towards the new normal, keep an eye on the Firm-n-Fold Facebook page as we post relevant links and updated information.

Stay safe and stay informed.

Really Useful Resources links:

https://www.amt.org.au/downloads/COVID-19/AMT-return-to-practice-self-assessment-tool.pdf

https://www.amt.org.au/downloads/COVID-19/AMT-COVID-19-risk-assessment-examples.pdf

https://www.amt.org.au/downloads/COVID-19/AMT-COVID-19-treatment-setting-risk-snapshots.pdf

https://apnt.org/covid-19/?fbclid=IwAR1fUuQ1v-SMpBNQcBxJ-XFrkwB5DDtcxHHQb46J7L3hY_OiyvYwKJPnKA4