BCTMB case studies
BCTMB · Put your knowledge to work in context.
Board Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (BCTMB®) is described by NCBTMB, the independent nonprofit founded in 1992, as "the highest credential within the massage and bodywork profession." It is aimed at practicing massage therapists who want to demonstrate advanced assessment and critical thinking abilities and add credibility with clients, employers, and medical and healthcare communities. NCBTMB states the credential is accredited by the National Commission on Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and reports more than 10,000 Board Certificants. The BCTMB case studies are 5 cases and about 2,243 words.
1Deep Tissue Request on a Direct Oral Anticoagulant
A 58-year-old client books a 60-minute deep-tissue session for chronic low back pain. During intake she mentions she started apixaban 5 mg twice daily three weeks ago after a pulmonary embolism, and she shows you two new bruises on her forearms from minor bumps.
483 words, about 2 min2Unilateral Calf Swelling After a Long Flight
A 42-year-old recreational runner books a 75-minute deep-tissue session for right calf tightness that began two days after a 9-hour flight. On intake he reports the calf is 'tight and a bit swollen,' and he points to the mid-calf.
463 words, about 2 min3Pregnancy at 28 Weeks With No Massage Clearance
A 30-year-old client at 28 weeks' gestation books a 60-minute massage for low back and hip pain. She has had an uncomplicated pregnancy so far, but mentions that her obstetrician scheduled an extra growth scan next week because the fundal height is measuring small.
456 words, about 2 min4Deep Tissue Request After Mastectomy and Axillary Node Dissection
A 55-year-old client requests a 90-minute deep-tissue massage for left shoulder and chest-wall tightness. Six months ago she had a left modified radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection (14 nodes removed), followed by radiation that ended eight weeks ago.
436 words, about 2 min5Night Pain and Weight Loss in a Client With Prior Prostate Cancer
A 62-year-old client with a 10-year history of chronic neck pain books a 60-minute deep-tissue session. During intake he mentions that over the past three months he has lost 8 kg without trying, has started waking at night with a deep ache in his mid-back that does not ease with position change, and feels 'generally run down.' He attributes it to stress from a recent divorce.
405 words, about 2 min