are you allowed to give someone a massage with your hands if its for refuah (eg. their back hurts) on shabbos?
malki rand, Toronto, Canada
Vigorous massage is prohibited. (Mishna Brura 328:130).
Gently moving over the area is permitted.
If one's entire body is weak from a back ache or one feels he should be in bed (even if he actually does not lie down) then even vigorous massage is permitted (like all medicine in this case).
All the best
Reuven Weiner