Massage Therapy Intake Forms: What Should You Ask New Clients?
Massage Therapy Intake Forms: What Should You Ask New Clients?
A thorough massage therapy intake form is an important part of providing safe, professional, and client-centered care. Before a first massage session, therapists need enough information about a client's health history, current concerns, medications, injuries, allergies, and treatment goals to determine whether massage is appropriate and whether the session should be modified.
A good massage therapy intake form should do more than collect a client's name and contact information. It should help the massage therapist identify potential contraindications, understand the reason for the client's visit, establish informed consent, and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
What Is a Massage Therapy Intake Form?
A massage therapy intake form is a document completed by a new client before receiving massage therapy. It typically collects personal information, health history, current medications, injuries or surgeries, allergies, areas of concern, massage goals, and other information that may affect the safety or effectiveness of the session.
The intake form is only one part of the intake process. A therapist should review the information with the client and ask follow-up questions when something requires clarification.
Professional massage therapy organizations, including the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP), provide intake and documentation resources that emphasize the importance of obtaining relevant health information before beginning treatment.
Why Is a Massage Therapy Intake Form Important?
A well-designed intake form can help a massage therapist:
- Identify health conditions that may affect massage therapy
- Recognize potential contraindications and precautions
- Identify recent injuries, surgeries, or illnesses
- Understand the client's primary reason for seeking massage
- Identify medications and supplements that may affect treatment
- Learn about allergies, skin sensitivities, or other concerns
- Determine areas that should be avoided or treated differently
- Establish the client's treatment goals and expectations
- Support informed consent and professional communication
- Provide information that can be incorporated into treatment documentation
A thorough health history can also help the therapist determine when a massage session should be modified, postponed, or referred to another healthcare professional. ABMP's professional ethics guidance specifically emphasizes reviewing health history to identify contraindications and determine appropriate session adaptations.
What Should Be Included on a Massage Therapy Intake Form?
There is no single intake form that is appropriate for every massage practice. Requirements can vary based on state law, scope of practice, practice setting, client population, and the type of massage therapy being provided.
However, most massage therapy intake forms should address several important categories.
1. Basic Client Information
Start with basic information needed to identify and communicate with the client. Consider asking for:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Emergency contact information
- Occupation
- Referral source, if applicable
Some practices may also collect information about the client's primary healthcare provider. Whether this information is necessary depends on the therapist's practice and applicable requirements.
2. Reason for Today's Visit
One of the most important questions is:
"What brings you in for massage therapy today?"
Follow-up questions can help make the answer more specific:
- What would you like to accomplish during today's session?
- Are you experiencing pain, tension, stiffness, or discomfort?
- Where are you experiencing the problem?
- When did it begin?
- What does it feel like?
- Does anything make it better or worse?
- Has this problem been evaluated by a healthcare professional?
- Have you received treatment for it before?
Asking focused follow-up questions can provide more useful information than simply asking a client how they feel. AMTA guidance recommends using the intake information to guide a more focused verbal conversation about the client's concerns and goals.
3. Current Health Conditions
A massage therapist should ask about current or recent health conditions that could affect the massage session. Depending on the practice, questions may include:
- Do you currently have any medical conditions?
- Are you currently under the care of a physician or other healthcare professional?
- Have you recently been sick?
- Have you recently been hospitalized?
- Have you had any recent injuries?
- Have you recently had surgery or another medical procedure?
- Are there any health concerns you think I should know about before today's session?
The goal is not for the massage therapist to diagnose a medical condition. Instead, the information helps the therapist determine whether massage is appropriate and whether the session needs to be adapted.
4. Medications and Supplements
A question about medications should be included on most comprehensive massage therapy intake forms.
Ask: "Are you currently taking any medications, vitamins, herbs, or supplements?"
If the answer is yes, consider asking:
- What are you taking?
- Why are you taking it?
- How often do you take it?
- Have you recently started or stopped any medications?
- Have you noticed any side effects?
Medications can be relevant to massage because they may affect factors such as blood pressure, heart rate, alertness, balance, sensation, bleeding or bruising, blood glucose, skin integrity, and fatigue. AMTA specifically recommends asking about medications, why they are being taken, frequency, timing, and possible side effects when conducting a massage intake.
Massage therapists should stay within their professional scope and should not diagnose conditions or advise clients to start, stop, or change prescribed medications.
Related course: Pharmacology and Massage
5. Injuries, Surgeries, and Recent Procedures
Ask clients about recent or past injuries and surgeries. Useful questions include:
- Have you had any recent injuries?
- Have you had surgery recently?
- Are you recovering from an injury or procedure?
- Are you currently receiving treatment or rehabilitation?
- Are there areas that should not be massaged?
- Has a healthcare provider given you any restrictions?
Recent injuries and surgeries may require modifications to positioning, pressure, techniques, or areas treated.
6. Allergies and Sensitivities
Massage therapists may use oils, lotions, creams, aromatherapy products, cleaning products, or other substances that could cause a reaction in some clients.
Ask:
- Do you have any known allergies?
- Are you allergic or sensitive to any oils, lotions, creams, fragrances, or essential oils?
- Do you have sensitive skin?
- Have you ever had a reaction to a massage product?
It can also be helpful to ask whether the client has preferences regarding scents or products.
7. Skin Conditions and Other Areas of Concern
Ask whether the client currently has:
- Open wounds
- Rashes
- Skin infections
- Contagious conditions
- Unexplained swelling
- Bruising
- Areas of unusual sensitivity
- Areas of numbness or decreased sensation
A client should also have an opportunity to identify areas they do not want touched or treated.
8. Pregnancy and Other Relevant Information
When relevant to the client and the services being provided, the intake process may include questions about pregnancy or the possibility of pregnancy. The therapist should follow applicable laws, professional standards, training requirements, and practice policies when working with pregnant clients.
The purpose of the intake is not to make assumptions about a client's health or circumstances. Questions should be relevant to safe treatment and asked professionally and respectfully.
Related course: Pregnancy Massage
9. Previous Massage Experience
It can be useful to ask:
- Have you received massage therapy before?
- What type of massage have you received?
- How frequently do you receive massage?
- Was there anything you particularly liked or disliked?
- Have you ever had an uncomfortable reaction to massage?
This information can help establish expectations, especially when working with a first-time massage client.
10. Pressure, Comfort, and Treatment Preferences
Before beginning the massage, establish communication about pressure and comfort. Questions might include:
- What pressure do you prefer?
- Are there areas where you prefer lighter pressure?
- Are there areas you do not want treated?
- Is there anything that would make you more comfortable during today's session?
- How would you like me to check in with you about pressure?
The client should understand that they can communicate discomfort or request a change at any point during the session. AMTA emphasizes the importance of agreeing on appropriate pressure and checking in with clients during treatment.
What Questions Should a Massage Therapist Ask Before the First Massage?
For a quick reference, the following questions cover many of the most important areas of a new-client intake:
- What brings you in for massage therapy today?
- What are your goals for today's session?
- Are you experiencing any pain, discomfort, stiffness, or limited movement?
- Do you have any current or chronic health conditions?
- Have you recently had an injury, illness, surgery, or medical procedure?
- Are you currently under the care of a healthcare professional?
- Are you taking any prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, herbs, or supplements?
- Do you have any allergies or sensitivities, including to oils, lotions, or fragrances?
- Do you have any skin conditions, open wounds, infections, swelling, or unusual bruising?
- Are there any areas you do not want treated?
- Have you had massage therapy before?
- What pressure do you prefer?
- Is there anything else about your health or comfort that you would like me to know?
These questions should be adapted to the individual client rather than treated as a rigid script.
Don't Rely on the Form Alone
A completed intake form does not replace a conversation with the client. For example, a client might check "yes" next to a health condition without explaining whether it is current, resolved, or being treated. Another client may list a medication without mentioning a recent change in dosage or a side effect that could affect the session.
The therapist should review relevant responses and ask appropriate follow-up questions. A useful approach is:
Read → Clarify → Assess → Adapt → Document
Read
Review the client's completed intake form before beginning the massage.
Clarify
Ask follow-up questions about anything that is unclear or potentially relevant.
Assess
Consider whether the information presents a contraindication, precaution, or reason to modify the session.
Adapt
Modify the positioning, pressure, techniques, duration, or areas treated when appropriate.
Document
Record relevant information about the client's condition and the treatment provided according to your practice requirements.
Intake Forms and Contraindications
One of the primary purposes of a massage therapy intake is to identify conditions that may require caution, modification, referral, or postponement of massage.
Examples of information that may require additional consideration include:
- Recent surgery
- Acute injury
- Fever or active illness
- Contagious conditions
- Blood clots or suspected thrombosis
- Certain cardiovascular conditions
- Unexplained swelling
- Open wounds
- Certain skin infections
- Significant changes in sensation
- Conditions requiring medical supervision
Not every condition automatically means massage is prohibited. The appropriate response depends on the condition, its severity, the client's current status, the area being treated, the massage techniques being considered, and the therapist's scope of practice.
For this reason, massage therapists should avoid treating an intake form as a simple checklist of "yes" or "no" conditions. The information should be evaluated in context.
Related article: Massage Therapy Contraindications: When Should Massage Be Avoided?
Informed Consent Is Part of the Intake Process
Health history and informed consent are related but are not the same thing. The health history helps the therapist understand the client's health and identify factors that may affect treatment. Informed consent involves making sure the client understands the nature of the proposed massage and has an opportunity to agree to the treatment. Consent should be an ongoing process rather than something that happens only when a client signs a form.
For example, if a therapist plans to use a technique, modality, product, or level of pressure that was not previously discussed, the client should have an opportunity to understand what will be done and agree to it.
ABMP guidance emphasizes that informed consent involves more than simply signing a general consent statement and that therapists should honor the client's requests regarding treatment.
What About Privacy and Client Information?
Massage therapists collect personal and health-related information during the intake process. This information should be handled professionally and according to applicable privacy, recordkeeping, and legal requirements.
Avoid collecting information that is unrelated to the client's care simply because it is convenient to have it. A good rule is:
Collect information you need, protect the information you collect, and use it appropriately.
Digital intake forms can be convenient, but therapists should also consider how client information is stored, accessed, transmitted, and protected.
How Often Should a Massage Intake Form Be Updated?
A new client should generally complete an initial intake, but the therapist should not assume that the information remains accurate forever.
Health status can change. A client may:
- Develop a new medical condition
- Start taking a new medication
- Have surgery
- Experience a new injury
- Become pregnant
- Develop an allergy or skin condition
- Begin treatment with another healthcare provider
- Develop a new area of pain or concern
Practices may therefore use periodic health-history updates or ask clients to confirm that their information is still current.
The exact frequency and recordkeeping requirements may depend on state law, professional regulations, practice policies, and the type of practice.
Intake Forms and SOAP Notes
The information gathered during the intake process can also provide the foundation for ongoing treatment documentation.
SOAP notes—Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan—are commonly used to document a client's condition and progress over multiple sessions. AMTA provides SOAP note resources specifically for tracking client conditions and progress.
The initial intake and subsequent treatment notes serve different purposes:
Intake form: Provides a broad picture of the client's health history, current concerns, and treatment goals.
SOAP note: Documents relevant information about a particular treatment session and the client's progress over time.
Keeping the two functions separate can make documentation clearer and more useful.
Related article: SOAP Notes for Massage Therapists: A Complete Guide to Massage Therapy Documentation
Common Mistakes to Avoid With Massage Intake Forms
Even a detailed intake form can be ineffective if it is not used properly.
Mistake #1: Asking Too Many Questions
An intake form does not need to contain every health condition imaginable. Too many questions can overwhelm clients and make important information harder to identify. Focus on information that is relevant to safe and appropriate massage therapy.
Mistake #2: Never Reviewing the Form
Having a client complete a form and immediately placing it in a file defeats much of its purpose. Review the form before treatment and discuss anything that requires clarification.
Mistake #3: Treating Every "Yes" as an Automatic Contraindication
A "yes" answer should prompt further consideration rather than an automatic conclusion. Determine what the condition is, whether it is current, how it affects the client, and whether the massage session can be safely adapted.
Mistake #4: Forgetting About Medications
Medication information can provide important clues about factors such as bleeding, blood pressure, alertness, balance, sensation, and fatigue.
Mistake #5: Ignoring Client Preferences
A massage can be technically appropriate while still being a poor experience if the therapist ignores the client's preferences regarding pressure, positioning, communication, areas to avoid, scents, or other comfort concerns.
Mistake #6: Assuming Nothing Has Changed
A returning client may have new health information that affects the next session. Ask clients to report meaningful changes rather than relying exclusively on an old intake form.
A Simple Massage Therapy Intake Checklist
Before beginning a first massage session, consider whether you have addressed the following:
☐ Client identification and contact information
☐ Emergency contact, when appropriate
☐ Reason for today's visit
☐ Treatment goals
☐ Current health conditions
☐ Recent illness or injury
☐ Recent surgery or medical procedures
☐ Medications and supplements
☐ Allergies and sensitivities
☐ Skin conditions or open wounds
☐ Areas of pain, numbness, or altered sensation
☐ Areas the client wants to avoid
☐ Relevant pregnancy information
☐ Previous massage experience
☐ Pressure and comfort preferences
☐ Informed consent
☐ Follow-up questions about concerning responses
☐ Appropriate treatment modifications
☐ Relevant treatment documentation
Final Thoughts
A massage therapy intake form is more than paperwork. It is an important communication and safety tool that helps the therapist understand the client, identify potential concerns, establish treatment goals, and make appropriate decisions before beginning the session.
The best intake forms are thorough without being unnecessarily complicated. They collect relevant information, encourage a conversation between the therapist and client, and provide a starting point for individualized treatment and ongoing documentation.
Most importantly, remember that the intake form is only the beginning. Read the client's responses, ask follow-up questions, evaluate the information, obtain appropriate consent, adapt the session when necessary, and document relevant findings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Massage Therapy Intake Forms
What should a massage therapist ask a new client?
A massage therapist should ask about the client's reason for seeking massage, treatment goals, current health conditions, recent injuries or surgeries, medications and supplements, allergies and sensitivities, areas of pain or concern, relevant pregnancy information, previous massage experience, and areas the client does not want treated.
Why is a massage therapy intake form important?
A massage therapy intake form helps the therapist gather health and treatment information needed to identify potential contraindications, determine appropriate modifications, establish treatment goals, and provide safe, client-centered care.
Should massage therapists ask about medications?
Yes. Medications, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbs, and supplements may be relevant to massage therapy because they can affect factors such as blood pressure, alertness, sensation, bleeding and bruising, blood glucose, skin integrity, and fatigue.
Does every medical condition mean a client cannot receive massage?
No. A medical condition does not automatically mean massage therapy is prohibited. The therapist should consider the client's current condition, the area being treated, the techniques being considered, and whether modifications or referral are appropriate.
Should a massage therapist update a client's intake form?
Yes. Client health information can change over time. Practices should have a process for identifying meaningful changes in health status, medications, injuries, surgeries, allergies, or other factors that could affect massage therapy.
Is a massage intake form the same as a SOAP note?
No. An intake form generally provides a broad health history and establishes the client's goals and relevant background. SOAP notes are used to document information about individual treatment sessions and client progress over time.
Can a massage therapist diagnose a condition based on an intake form?
No. A massage therapist should remain within their professional scope of practice. An intake form is used to gather information relevant to massage therapy, not to diagnose medical conditions.
Related Massage Therapy Resources
- Massage Therapy Contraindications: When Should Massage Be Avoided?
- SOAP Notes for Massage Therapists: A Complete Guide to Massage Therapy Documentation
- Massage Therapy Scope of Practice: What Massage Therapists Can and Cannot Do
- Massage Therapist's Complete Guide to Massage CEUs
- Massage Therapy Continuing Education Courses