Massage Therapists

Maintain treatment records.

AI: Fully automatable - EHRs and AI documentation tools can fully create, maintain, and auto-populate treatment records with high accuracy and consistency under current technology and workflows.

Provide clients with guidance and information about techniques for postural improvement and stretching, strengthening, relaxation, and rehabilitative exercises.

AI: Fully automatable - AI systems and apps can already generate personalized guidance, exercise programs, and instructional materials for posture, stretching, strengthening, and relaxation and deliver them remotely with high fidelity.

Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.

AI: Partial - Automated massage chairs and robots can reproduce generalized kneading and pressure patterns, but delivering tailored therapeutic massage for diverse medical conditions with clinician-level nuance is not fully automated.

Confer with clients about their medical histories and problems with stress or pain to determine how massage will be most helpful.

AI: Partial - AI systems can take medical histories and screen for stress or pain patterns effectively, yet nuanced clinical interviewing, rapport-building, and integrating findings into a therapy plan remain partially dependent on human therapists.

Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.

AI: Partial - Robotic end-effectors can apply finger/hand-like pressure to specified points, but replicating the subtle, adaptive palpation and real-time judgment of a human practitioner's touch is only partially achievable.

Assess clients' soft tissue condition, joint quality and function, muscle strength, and range of motion.

AI: Partial - AI and sensors can quantify range of motion and some strength metrics, but comprehensive assessment of soft tissue quality, joint function, and nuanced manual testing still requires human clinical evaluation.

Develop and propose client treatment plans that specify which types of massage are to be used.

AI: Partial - AI can analyze client data and propose treatment plans and massage modalities, but final plans usually require hands‑on assessment and clinician judgment that limits full automation.

Refer clients to other types of therapists when necessary.

AI: Partial - AI can detect red flags and recommend referrals to other therapists, but making formal referrals and handling clinical responsibility typically requires a human practitioner.

Consult with other health care professionals, such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, physicians, and psychologists, to develop treatment plans for clients.

AI: Partial - AI can synthesize records and draft consults to support interdisciplinary planning, but it cannot fully replicate the professional collaboration and decision‑making of clinicians.

Perform other adjunctive therapies or treatment techniques in addition to massage.

AI: Partial - Some adjunctive therapies can be guided or controlled by AI‑driven devices, but many techniques remain hands‑on or require clinician oversight and cannot be fully automated.

Prepare and blend oils and apply the blends to clients' skin.

AI: Partial - AI can recommend formulations and control automated dispensers, but the physical preparation and safe, personalized application to a client's skin remain largely manual tasks.

Use complementary aids, such as infrared lamps, wet compresses, ice, and whirlpool baths to promote clients' recovery, relaxation, and well-being.

AI: Partial - AI can operate and schedule complementary devices (e.g., lamps, baths) and provide protocols, but setup, monitoring for safety, and patient positioning typically require human involvement.

Treat clients in professional settings or travel to clients' offices and homes.

AI: Not automatable - This requires hands‑on, real‑time physical manipulation, tactile sensitivity, and in-person trust that AI alone (without widespread advanced robotics) cannot provide as of 2025.