Massage is very safe, especially when performed by an experienced, licensed professional. It’s not entirely risk-free, however. A study published in the journal Rheumatology found 16 separate cases where massage caused serious injuries, including nerve damage and, in one instance, a bruised liver. The study concluded that such complications are “true rarities” that are most likely to occur at the hands of laypeople, or the use of more forceful techniques such as shiatsu.