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• What is Massage Therapy
• Massage Therapy as a Career
• Working Conditions
• Education & Training
• Hiring Practices
• Jobs Outlook

So What is Massage Therapy?

Massage Therapy is one of the oldest, simplest forms of therapy, and involves a hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and joints. It is also an alternative health option to help alleviate the soft tissue discomfort associated with everyday and occupational stresses, muscular overuse and many chronic pain syndromes. It can also greatly reduce the development of painful muscular patterning, if employed early enough after accidents involving trauma and injury.

Massage therapy is often described as both a science and an art. You use knowledge about the body's anatomy to guide the use of different massage techniques. Massage therapists work to improve the circulation of blood through the body and to speed the removal of metabolic waste products from muscles. Their skilled kneading increases the flexibility of muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissues. Some people visit a massage therapist to relieve pain or to warm up before a sporting event. Some want to relax and reduce stress, while others want to speed up recovery from accidents, sports injuries or weight training.

Benefits of Massage

• Enhancing general relaxation
• Reducing muscular tension and associated discomfort
• Reducing anxiety
• Improving sleep
• Increasing feelings of well-being
• Enhancing tissue elasticity and flexibility
• Increasing range of motion in joints
• Relaxing tight muscles
• Relieving muscle aches and stiffness
• Speeding recovery from exercise
• Promoting well nourished - healthy skin
• Improving circulation of blood + lymph
• Improving immune system functioning
• Improving energy flow

The Effects of Massage

Although a single massage will be enjoyable, the effects of massage are cumulative and a course of massage treatments will bring the most benefits. Regular massage can have the effect of strengthening and toning the entire body mechanism, and so help to prevent unnecessary strains and injuries that might otherwise occur due to excess tension and any resulting structural weaknesses. Massage can stimulate or calm the nervous system-depending upon what is required by the individual-and thus help reduce fatigue, leaving the receiver with a feeling of replenished energy. At its best, massage has the potential to restore the individual physically, mentally and spiritually

Basic Types of Massage

Craniosacral Therapy - Via a gentle, noninvasive manipulative technique, this encourages your own natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of your brain and spinal cord to dissipate the negative effects of stress, promote good health, and enhance resistance to disease.

Deep Tissue Massage - is used to release chronic muscle tension through slower strokes and more direct pressure or friction applied across the grain of the muscles. This invigorating experience is a process of detection of stiff or painful areas by determining the quality and texture of the deeper layers of musculature, and slowly working into the deep layers of muscle tissue. Specific hand positions and strokes are then used to respond to various tissue qualities. Techniques employing breath and movement are also used for releasing muscular congestion.

Esalen Massage - is Swedish massage combined with the influence of early Esalen leaders, Charlotte Selver and Bernie Gunther who taught sensory reawakening. What sets Esalen Massage apart from other types of massage is the philosophical approach. For the massage therapist, the work is a meditation, a time to quiet the mind, and attend to his or her intuition, and to be fully present in the moment with the client.

Erotic massage - is really a sexual foreplay technique, rather than a form of massage. Massage focuses on muscles, whereas erotic massage focuses primarily on skin. It's been said that 95% of erotic (or sensual) massage is the same as other massage. This is not an accepted form of bodywork and therefore not something that you should expect from a Registered MT.

Shiatsu - Shiatsu is a traditional hands-on Japanese healing therapy. It can help in a wide range of conditions - from specific injuries to more general symptoms of poor health. Shiatsu is a deeply relaxing experience and regular Shiatsu sessions help to prevent the build up of stress in our daily lives.

Common conditions helped by Shiatsu include:

• back pain
• menstrual problems
• headaches, migraines
• digestive problems
• whiplash injuries
• asthmatic symptoms
• neck stiffness
• sports injuries
• joint pain and reduced mobility
• depression

Massage Therapy as a Career

Massage therapy as a career may be very rewarding. Therapists generally set their own hours, select their type of clients, and set their own rates based on experience and level of expertise.

Massage therapists may work with doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, or physical therapists to help people deal with injuries, stress, and chronic pain. Some massage therapists sell health and massage-related products.

Many massage therapists specialize by the type of client. For example, some massage therapists may work with infants and pregnant women. Others may work with athletes and dancers. A growing specialty field is massage of the elderly. Some even specialize in giving massage to horses or other animals as part of veterinary treatment, i.e. they may give sports massage to racehorses to help them relax and perform better.

Did you know…?

The National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) reports that more than 62% of people use alternative medicine to address their health and wellness concerns.

Working Conditions

Massage Therapists or RMTs (Registered Massage Therapists) share the same working conditions as most other healthcare workers, but usually in more relaxed environments. Massage therapists:

• Almost always work indoors.
• Often stand for long periods of time.
• Must be exact in their work. Errors could endanger patients' health.
• May have a flexible schedule.
• May travel to different locations for work.
• May work evenings and weekends.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Education & Training

RMT training has evolved into a respected, structured curriculum that is taken seriously by instructors and practitioners alike. West Coast College of Massage Therapy, for instance, has developed a 3,000 hour curriculum (highest standard of such training in North America) with demanding prerequisites, in its 35,000 square foot modern facility. Western College of Remedial Massage Therapies in Saskatchewan has been operating since 1978, and the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy featuring Canada’s first massage therapy program has 6 campuses across the country.

To be successful as a massage therapist, you must have at least a high school diploma, complete a massage therapy training program, be in good physical condition, have good interpersonal skills, and be self-motivated. Reputable massage therapy providers will also require you to be certified. Professional technical schools offer massage therapy programs. Massage programs take about three months to one year to complete and grant a certificate in massage therapy. In a massage program you learn anatomy and physiology, massage theory, and technique.

Did you know…?

According to CNN one-half of all medical schools now offer courses in alternative medicine.

Hiring Practices

Employers usually require massage therapists to be licensed. Some employers prefer to hire therapists who are knowledgeable about one or more specific massage techniques. Employers also look for therapists who get along well with people and communicate clearly. A caring, helpful attitude is also an advantage in this occupation.

Jobs Outlook

Massage therapy has exploded in popularity in recent years, along with an ageing population, a rise in health-conscious living and traditional medicine, and general acceptance of massage as an effective form of treatment. In fact, the Labor Department forecasts that the demand for massage therapists will increase 27% between 2002 and 2012. Health insurers and corporate organizations have also recognized the value in massage therapy for things such as chronic muscle pain, fatigue, and stress. More than 12 percent of Fortune 500 companies offer alternative medicine, including regular massage, as part of their health care compensation packages. Many even have massage therapists visit on-site regularly. All of this points to a growing demand for massage therapists, and alternative medicine practitioners in general, well into the future.

Massage Therapy Schools:

• CDI College
• PCU College of Holistic Medicine - Burnaby
• Vancouver Career College