Can you get a massage after a cortisone injection?

Yes, on the rest of your body, usually within a day or two. The injected joint or tendon is best left alone at first: a pain flare in the first 24 hours is common, and Arthritis UK advises not overdoing it for two weeks to protect the tendons. After that, gentle work near the area can come back gradually, ideally once the doctor who gave the shot agrees.

Yes, on the rest of your body, usually within a day or two of the shot. The injected joint or tendon is a different matter. It may flare and ache for the first day, Arthritis UK advises not overdoing it for the first two weeks to avoid tendon damage, and the skin over the site can be bruised or temporarily sore. So for the first couple of weeks, the injected area is left alone, and work near it comes back gently after that, ideally with the injecting doctor’s okay.

Why the injected area is left alone at first

Three things are happening at the injection site in the early days, and each is a reason for hands to stay off it.

A short-lived flare. Arthritis UK notes that some people find the joint more painful within 24 hours of the injection, settling within a couple of days with ordinary painkillers. Cleveland Clinic lists injection-site pain, bruising and a temporary increase in swelling among the common side effects.

Tendons need protecting. Arthritis UK is direct about this: don’t overdo it for the first two weeks after a steroid injection, to avoid potential tendon damage. Firm massage around a shoulder, elbow or hip tendon is load on that tissue.

The skin may change. Cleveland Clinic and Arthritis UK both mention skin discolouration or lightening at the site, and Arthritis UK notes the skin can thin. Thinner skin is more fragile under friction and pressure.

There is also the time it takes to work. Cleveland Clinic says a cortisone shot can take up to a week to take effect, with relief lasting a few weeks to a few months. Pressing on the area in that first week to “see if it worked” tells you little and may simply irritate it.

What massage can look like, week by week

There is no published massage protocol after cortisone injections, so this is a cautious framework built on the injection guidance, not a rule. The doctor who injected you knows what was injected, where, and why, and their advice comes first.

Time since the injection	What is usually reasonable
First 24 to 48 hours	Massage of areas well away from the injection, if you feel well; nothing on or around the site
Days 3 to 14	Massage elsewhere as normal; around the injected joint, only very light, comfortable work, or none
After two weeks	Gentle work near the area can return gradually, building pressure over several visits if it stays comfortable
Any time	Nothing directly over a site that is hot, more swollen or increasingly painful

Positioning matters too. After a shoulder injection, lying on that side may be sore; after a hip injection, side-lying on that hip may be too. Your therapist can use pillows and different positions to keep weight off it.

Shoulders, hips and knees: common injection sites

Cortisone is injected for many problems; these are a few where massage questions often follow.

• Frozen shoulder. Massage of the neck, upper back and shoulder blade muscles can usually continue; work into the shoulder itself waits. Our frozen shoulder page explains the stages, and whether RAPID can help a frozen shoulder covers one hands-on option.
• Hip bursitis. After an injection over the outer hip, lying on that side and firm work over the bony point are best avoided for a while. See hip bursitis.
• Rotator cuff tendinopathy. This is where the two-week tendon caution matters most. Read rotator cuff tendinopathy and tears for what else helps.
• Knees. Massage of the thigh, calf and hip muscles can usually carry on, with the knee joint itself left alone at first.

Arthritis UK also stresses that, once the first two weeks have passed, continuing your prescribed exercises matters, starting gently and building up. Massage is a reasonable companion to that rehab, not a replacement for it.

What to tell your therapist

Mention the injection at the start of your session. NCCIH advises telling your massage therapist about recent medical treatments and sensitive areas, and this is both. Useful details:

• which joint or tendon was injected, and on what date;
• whether it flared and whether it is still sore, hot or swollen;
• any instructions from the doctor who injected it;
• whether you have had other injections in the same spot this year;
• if you have diabetes, that your blood sugar may run higher for a few days (Cleveland Clinic and Arthritis UK both mention this), in case you feel unwell on the table.

Cleveland Clinic notes most people wait at least three months between shots and have no more than three a year, so it is also helpful for your therapist to know if this is a repeat.

Signs that need a doctor, not a massage

Infection after a joint injection is rare but serious. Arthritis UK says to get medical attention immediately if the injected joint becomes more painful and hot, especially if you feel unwell. Cleveland Clinic advises contacting your provider for:

• intense pain after the injection;
• a fever;
• swelling that keeps getting worse;
• symptoms that last beyond 10 days, or come back within a few months.

If any of these happen, cancel the massage and see your doctor the same day.

Booking at Renu after a cortisone shot

If you have a massage booked in the days after an injection, you do not need to cancel it. Tell your therapist about the shot when you arrive, and the session can focus on the areas that are comfortable to treat, with the injected joint left for later visits. Book or move appointments through Jane, or call our West Hillhurst clinic and we can help you choose a length that fits what can be worked on.

Questions people ask

Can I get a massage the same day as a cortisone shot?

A massage that keeps well away from the injected area is unlikely to be a problem if you feel fine. Many people prefer to wait a day, because the first 24 hours is when a pain flare at the injection site tends to happen and you may not want to lie on that side.

Will massage spread the cortisone or stop it working?

We did not find research showing that massage near an injection changes how the steroid works. The reason to leave the area alone is the joint and tendon themselves: the first two weeks are a protection period, and pressing on a sore, freshly injected spot is not kind to it.

Can I use heat or the infrared pod after a cortisone injection?

There is no specific rule in the sources we read. Because a temporary increase in swelling is a known side effect and infection is the main thing to watch for, we would hold off on heat over the injected area until it feels normal, and ask the doctor who injected it.

My shoulder still hurts a week after the shot. Can massage help?

Cleveland Clinic says a cortisone shot can take up to a week to work, and to contact your provider if symptoms last beyond 10 days. Massage of the surrounding neck, upper back and arm muscles may feel good meanwhile, but persistent pain is a question for the doctor first.

Sources

1. Cleveland Clinic: Cortisone shots (steroid injections)
2. Arthritis UK: Steroid injections
3. NCCIH: Massage therapy, what you need to know

Page reviewed October 5, 2026. This page is education, not a diagnosis. For your own situation, talk to your doctor, surgeon or care team, or ask us.