What I cannot do is to change the arthritic joint, especially when it is affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis can sometimes be helped by massage: the increased circulation to the joint helps it to heal itself a little and to make the arthritis itself back down somewhat. I use it on my own finger joints when they start to act up and get stiff. I perform some frictions and other firm techniques along the joint line and so far, it has worked remarkably well to keep my hands mobile and functioning. When you consider the attrition rate for massage therapists at the ten year mark is somewhere around 70% and I have been doing this for 10 and a half years, then you can see how effective massage can be for maintaining joint function.
Osteoarthritis is caused by general wear and tear on the joints, especially on the hyaline cartilage which coats the end of each bone and prevents bone to bone contact (if I remember my schooling correctly). When the cartilage wears down, the bones lose their buffer and begin to rub together, causing pain and inflammation as the body reacts to the new stresses. The surrounding muscles may become tight and tense to act as a splint, helping the joint to function. Splinting can be a helpful thing, but there are times when muscles become too enthusiastic and the tightness becomes stiffness and an inability to move easily. This is where massage therapy can help.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects the joint lining and can lead to destruction of the bone and joint capsule. I remember vividly examining the x-rays a client brought in of her elbow. The top part of one of the bones of her forearm had been completely eaten away by arthritis and the bone came to a jagged end about 3" (three inches or 7.5 cm) below the elbow. She came to me mostly for relaxation massage to help her body release the tension caused by this severe case of RA. RA is the worse version of arthritis, in my opinion. This is the one that can cause deformity of the joints, deviation of the fingers and toes, and severe loss of function. All a massage therapist can do for someone with RA is to provide relief for some of the pain of the surrounding area, at best. We can't undo the damage done to the joints and bones.
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