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A free SOAP note template.

A clear, repeatable way to record every treatment — what the client told you, what you found, what you concluded, and what you did. Print it as a blank form, or use it as the shape for your own clinical notes.

Massage therapy treatment record (SOAP)

One sheet per session — date and sign every note.

Session details

Client name
Date of birth
Date of session
Treatment / service
Practitioner name

S — Subjective (what the client reports)

Presenting issue, symptoms, pain level (0–10), changes since last visit, relevant lifestyle

O — Objective (what you observe and find)

Posture, range of motion, palpation findings, areas of restriction or tension, tests

A — Assessment (your interpretation)

Your professional assessment of the findings and the client’s response to treatment

P — Plan (what you did and what’s next)

Techniques used, areas treated, home care / aftercare advice, recommended next steps
Next appointment / review
Practitioner signature

A worked example

An illustration with made-up details, to show the level of detail a good note holds. (This example is on screen only — printing gives you the clean blank form above.)

Client: Jordan Avery  ·  DOB: 14/03/1985  ·  Date: 12/06/2026

Treatment: 60-min deep tissue  ·  Practitioner: Sam Rivers

S — Subjective
Reports tightness across upper back and right shoulder, worse after long days at a desk. Pain 4/10 at rest, 6/10 on movement. Sleeping better since last session two weeks ago.
O — Objective
Elevated right shoulder, reduced cervical rotation to the left. Palpable tension in upper trapezius and rhomboids, tender trigger point mid-trapezius.
A — Assessment
Postural tension consistent with prolonged desk work; responding well to regular treatment, with improving sleep and reduced resting pain.
P — Plan
Deep tissue to upper back and shoulders, trigger-point release mid-trapezius. Advised gentle neck stretches twice daily and a screen-height check. Review in two weeks.

Keep these records without the paperwork

Writing this out each time adds up. On MassageHub, a SOAP note sits against each client automatically, encrypted at rest, with their full history one tap away — and you can export everything whenever you like. Same structure as the template above, none of the filing.

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Common questions

What should a SOAP note include?

SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan. Subjective is what the client tells you — their symptoms, pain levels, how they felt since last time. Objective is what you observe and find through assessment and palpation. Assessment is your professional interpretation of those findings. Plan is what you did this session and what comes next, including any home care. Date every note, sign it, and keep it factual.

How long do I need to keep massage client records?

There is no single number that applies to everyone — it is set by your insurer and professional body, not by software. Many UK soft-tissue insurers expect clinical records to be kept for several years after the final treatment, and longer for anyone treated as a child (often until some years after they turn 18). Always check the exact retention period in your own policy and association guidance.

Does using this template make me GDPR-compliant?

No — a template on its own cannot make you compliant. GDPR is about how you handle the data: keeping it accurate, storing it securely, limiting who can see it, and not holding it longer than you need to. A clear template helps you record consistently, but you still need a safe place to store the notes. MassageHub does this part for you — it keeps each client’s notes encrypted at rest and lets you export them at any time.

See also: client intake form template · keeping GDPR-compliant records