Media Release - Improved Health Outcomes for Women through Professional Massage Therapy
Women access the health services of professional remedial massage therapists and myotherapists at twice the rate of men1, either privately or as part of government subsidised multi-disciplinary care.
This reflects the fact that women experience a range of health conditions that can be treated or relieved by professional massage therapy2.
Women are disproportionately affected by chronic health conditions, including musculoskeletal disorders, mental health challenges, and pregnancy-related complications. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW, 20243), there are significant gender disparities in these conditions, as well as in others that are not unique to women. The AIHW reports that:
- Compared with men, women experience a greater proportion of their total disease burden from living with disease (non-fatal burden) rather than dying prematurely (fatal burden).
- Mental health conditions account for a larger proportion of the disease burden in younger women.
- Chronic conditions, such as musculoskeletal disorders and cancers, contribute more to the burden of disease in older women.
- In 2024, 60% of the disease burden in females was due to non-fatal conditions, while 40% was due to fatal conditions. In contrast, 52% of the total disease burden in males was due to fatal conditions (AIHW, 2024a).
The AIHW (2025) also highlights that nearly 300,000 women give birth in Australia each year, and that the health and wellbeing of women before and during pregnancy, as well as the support they receive, can significantly affect labour outcomes and the health of both mothers and babies. Additionally, there has been an increase in the age of mothers giving birth, more mothers are accessing antenatal care in the first trimester, and the rate of caesarean sections has risen (AIHW, 2025).
Given these health challenges, it is reasonable to propose new policies and funding frameworks that integrate professional remedial massage therapists and myotherapists who are current members of accredited associations into public health systems because it could significantly improve health outcomes for Australian women.
Massage & Myotherapy Australia 2026-27 Pre-Budget Submission to the Treasury, highlighted the economic and health benefits of integrating professional massage therapists into the healthcare system.
It highlighted that the efficacy of professional massage therapists is evident in numerous studies which illustrates that they can play a more important role in managing and preventing a variety of health conditions affecting women. These include musculoskeletal disorders, oncology and cancer treatment, pain management, anxiety, depression, pre- and post-partum care, and trauma experienced during childbirth.
Many qualified massage therapists work in integrated healthcare settings, such as hospitals, general practices, community health centres, private clinics, palliative care units, aged care facilities, and in patients' homes.
The Prebudget Submission put forward several policy and funding suggestions:
- Primary Care Integration: Establishing direct referral pathways from general practitioners and clinicians as part of multidisciplinary care plans.
- Further Integration: Recognising professional massage therapists and myotherapists as eligible providers under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) for evidence-based massage therapy sessions lasting 30–40 minutes.
- It also proposed funding and program expansion including:
Ongoing programs over the next five years could include:
- Training for GPs, massage therapists and administrative staff.
- Expanding oncology massage services in hospitals and cancer centres.
- Funding for massage therapists as part of multi-disciplinary pregnancy care teams.
- Inclusion of massage therapy in allied health services for chronic conditions.
- Public education programs for both the health sector and the general public.
- Medical research funds for ongoing studies into the benefits of massage for chronic pain and mental health.
The need for longer, evidence-based treatment was also presented. For example, there is very limited evidence supporting the efficacy of massage therapy sessions currently funded as minor adjunct therapies in combined 20-minute allied health treatments.
Short and ineffective treatments often result in repeated consultations and increasing overall healthcare costs. Additionally, many allied health professionals are not trained in massage therapy unless it is included as a minor unit in their studies, meaning that most have limited knowledge in this area.
As a result, women who rely on professional massage therapists often seek out and privately fund their care from professional massage therapists.
In many cases, women with lower incomes do not receive the services they need at all and are particularly disadvantaged by current funding and policies that restrict access to affordable professional massage therapists.
For those who do receive appropriate massage therapy, research shows that professional massage therapists provide the necessary treatment duration to achieve optimal health outcomes for their patients which is 40 to 60 minutes.
By making changes to funding policy, we can ensure that more women have access to the comprehensive care they need for better health outcomes, leading to a healthier future for Australian women.
Incorporating professional massage therapists and myotherapists into the Medicare system would not only improve health outcomes for women across Australia but also lead to long-term cost savings for the healthcare system.
1. Steel, A., McIntyre, E., Harnett, J. et al. Complementary medicine use in the Australian population: Results of a nationally-representative cross-sectional survey. Sci Rep 8, 17325 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35508-y
2. Massage & Myotherapy Australia 2023 Practitioners' Survey
3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, The health of women in Australia Web article Last updated: 02 Sep 2025