It's All In The Hands

Massage Therapist uses the practice of touch to manipulate the soft tissue muscles of the body. Massage therapists use the art of pressure to relieve stress and promote health. There are 80 different types of massages. Massages can be as long as 2 hours or as short as 20 minutes. Different techniques are used on elderly clients then would be used on athletics.

Massage therapists typically work on an appointment basis. They interview the client to learn about the person’s medical history and what they hope to achieve from the massage. A client with injuries would be massaged differently than one who just wanted to relax. Massage therapist use massage oil, cream or lotions to rub into the client’s muscles. Some offer candles, relaxing music and incense to help put the client at ease.

If proper techniques aren’t used, massage therapists can injure themselves. Repetitive motion problems and fatigue from standing are the most common complaints. They are taught to use body weight, to apply pressure instead of muscular strength. They learn the proper way to stand, lean, and use their hands when working. Other qualifications a therapist should have include strong communications skills and a friendly personality. Massage is a personal issue with a lot of people and making them comfortable is an important skill. It’s common for massage therapist to divide their time among different settings, depending on clients and locations. Massage therapist typically work less than 40 hours per week actually massaging. However, when taking into consideration travel, setting up equipment, billing and the massage therapy itself, it’s actually over 40 hours.

So who gets massages and why? Massages help relieve muscle tension and pain. It increases flexibility, mobility and helps clear lactic acid waste which can help reduce pain and stiffness. People with back pain, arthritis, tendentious, and muscle related condition would benefit from a massage. Also people who need stress relief benefit from massages. It will help with headaches, migraines, circulatory problems, and respiratory problems. Massage helps the body’s stress response by lowering the levels of cortisol in the system.

There is schooling to learn how to be a massage therapist. It can take anywhere from a few months to a few years depending on the level you want to reach. The average is about two years. Look for a program that leads to certification and satisfies your jurisdiction’s licensing requirements. Many states require 500 to 600 hours of training. Depending on the program that you choose, you will graduate either with certification in a certain specialty or with a degree. No matter what your schedule or where you are, you can find a massage school to fit your needs, even online.

So if you like to help people feel good about themselves and help relieve pain, this may be the career for you.

By Linda Lee Ruzicka

Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She also does freelances work for Beyond andHealthcarejobsite. You can read more of her blogs on Healthcarejobsite blog.