Massage Basics Category

It is often difficult to understand the extent of a client injuries.  They have to tell what they are feeling and describe the injury as they understand it. They may have heard from a doctor what is wrong, but were stressed at the time and not fully comprehending what they were told. If what they are saying is confusing and not altogether clear, it can be helpful for the therapist to carefully ask questions to get understanding and clarification. The information the client provides then can be helpful in determining how work with the injury and choose the right massage techniques and therapies.Developing ...

Work and the actual physical working conditions can cause a lot of stress and physical conditions for employees that can be relieved by massage therapies. Increasingly companies, golf clubs, and law firms are hosting massage therapy onsite or at employee's homes. What is surprising is that companies are adding onsite massage therapy sessions for their employees. In an increasing number of wellness offerings to employees, massage therapy is being added to onsite exercise classes, nutrition classes, and other wellness activities.Companies are adding another planned meeting to their conference rooms' schedules by allowing employees to sign up for chair massage sessions ...

Recommendations are being made to add yearly massages to annual preventative health plans that now include physicals, flu shots, eye exams, breast exams for women, etc.There are recurring results from studies that show that getting a message provides wellness benefits. It can also help with managing illness and injuries. Changing the way people view massages from a luxury gift to a routine wellness activity is what it might take for people to allow themselves to regularly schedule a massage yearly. A recent American Massage Therapy Association survey showed that 31% of people in the United States get a massage once ...

Massage therapists on average provide massages to 20 to 30 people in a week. That’s less than a 40-hour work week which in many occupations is considered a full-time job and the maximum that people in physical jobs should work to be safe from physical injuries. But for massage therapists, that type of schedule is one where they are at risk. It’s a very physical job, and emotionally demanding. A massage therapist has to work hard to protect themselves from injuries.Garnering energy and working efficiently and smarter will assist you in continuing to practice and being safe. Think about leaning rather than ...

A new opportunity for chair massage therapists is to be part of an employee wellness program and to work at corporate meetings, including sales meetings. Employee wellness programs are scheduled to increase 23% in the year 2013. Companies that are medium and large companies have wellness programs for employees. They often have employee wellness programs that are geared to help employee’s improve their health and overall wellness.Employee activity programs are often held on site for employees. An opportunity exists in these programs for therapists to do chair massages at health fairs, lunch times, break times. Arrange meetings with companies' Wellness Program ...

Do you know someone who is looking for a special holiday gift?  Increasingly, massage memberships and massage gift certificates are being given as gifts for birthdays, holidays, etc. Research shows that these are gifts with a great payback and benefits as results show that massages can boost wellness and immunity systems. In addition, they help people recover from injuries and illnesses. The number of people receiving massages is on the rise.The massage industry is growing and quickly becoming a billion-dollar industry. The opportunity to find massages is increasing also as massages are available at airports, shopping malls, spas, hospitals, hospices, ...

There are several common questions that should be asked when a person makes an appointment for a massage:When were you thinking of coming in?What type of massage are you interested in?How long would you like your massage to be?Is there someone you typically see?When the answer to the last question is "No," the next questions asked are often from the client, and the topics vary widely.  Remember that a prospective client is entrusting his or her body to a stranger, and each individual has different criteria to consider.  Some might ask such things as who is available the day, who has ...

A fast-growing field for massage therapists is in working with hospice care patients. Hospice is palliative care that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients provided in the last stage of life.  While hospice started out for cancer patients, it has expanded and includes a wide group of people struggling through the pain and symptoms of a variety of illnesses. There has been an increase in massage therapy as one of the means of care for patients receiving end-of-life care.In private homes, nursing homes, assisted living quarters, hospitals, and hospice are some of the places therapists can practice hospice care. More than ...

Decreased levels of depression, anxiety, and cortisol were the benefits that 112 pregnant women who had been diagnosed with depression received from combining massage therapy and group psychotherapy in a recent study.  Pregnant women previously diagnosed with depression were divided into two groups - one receiving psychotherapy, and one receiving massage in addition to the psychotherapy.All the women in the group that got massage therapy had weekly sessions for 6 weeks.   The bodywork professional placed them on their side, supported by pillows and applied moderate pressure to each participant's head and neck, followed by her back, arms, hands and feet for ...

Swedish massage is just one of the many types available in the repertoire of bodywork professionals.  Many people have heard the term but might not know what is involved with Swedish massage.What is it, and what does it involve?  According to Kurre W. Ostrom in Massage and the Original Swedish Movement,  “The aim of the Swedish treatment is, by a careful manipulation of muscles and joints, to restore to good health such as are in any way diseased.”Swedish massage came to the West through a Swede named Pir Henrik Ling (1776-1839). Ling developed a combined system of massage and exercise ...