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Tufts warns students to avoid Somerville massage therapist
The university issued a no-trespass order on Friday, barring the therapist from campus.
Tufts University issued an advisory Friday warning students and staff to avoid Sam Peck, a massage therapist at Soarbody Therapeutics in Somerville, a practitioner many in the Tufts community have visited for years.
“While many individuals describe the practice positively, some have raised concerns about their experiences with Soarbody, including reports of inappropriate comments, conduct, and practices,” the advisory said.
Tufts University says it has engaged the law firm Cozen O’Connor, which is partnering with the school’s Office of Equal Opportunity to conduct a review of Soarbody’s interactions with Tufts community members.
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The advisory was sent “out of an abundance of caution” and in the interest of the “safety and welfare of the Tufts community.” The school “strongly” advises students to consider an alternative provider “based on the evidence gathered so far.”
The school issued a no-trespass order barring Peck from campus, along with a cease-and-desist order prohibiting Soarbody from soliciting the Tufts community. The university also referred information to local law enforcement for further investigation. Once the review is complete, the university said it will share relevant information with the state massage therapy licensing board.
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Tufts University says Peck was never employed by the school and is not an alum. He has no formal affiliation with the university, according to a Tufts spokesperson.
Boston.com could not immediately reach Peck for comment.
However, Peck told NBC10 that he doesn’t know where these allegations are coming from.
“I’m not sure what Tufts is getting at. I can’t imagine that I’ve ever hurt anybody,” Peck told NBC10. “This is my heart and soul. I’ve been doing this since 2007.”
“I’ve always treated my athletes with respect with my scope of practice and with the way things are done in sports massage,” Peck added. “All my athletes that I know of, if you’re online, look at all the reviews, they’re very happy, so I’m not sure what Tufts University wants.”
According to the Soarbody website, Peck specializes in performance and maintenance treatments for athletes in training, treating and preventing chronic athletic injuries, and addressing chronic soft-tissue pain and tension.
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