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[O219]Online Massage Therapy Courses

by Jeff P. Anliker, Lmt, Jef

There are many types of conservative treatments that provide a variety of positive benefits to the user. Massage Therapy is a terrific conservative treatment that provides good results by itself, and even greater results when combined with a stretch and exercise routine.

Massage is used to help relax and lengthen tight, restrictive muscles, break down scar tissue in injured muscles, reduce adhesions on affected tendons at their point of attachment to the muscle or to the bone, remove toxins from muscles and increase overall circulation and nutrient delivery to the associated tissues. All of these wonderful benefits help overworked muscles to relax and injured muscles to recover. The problem is this. Massage Therapy does not correct the muscle imbalances causing the Repetitive Strain Injury. Massage Therapy can greatly assist the rehabilitation / treatment process, but once a muscle has been injured and has atrophied to any significant degree, or a muscle has gone into a state of chronic hypertonicity, other therapeutic elements must be added to the treatment regimen in order to completely eliminate the Repetitive Strain Injury.

An integral part of treating Repetitive Strain Injuries is the implementation of a stretch and exercise routine specifically designed to create structural integrity and muscle balance where the injury exists. If the injury is Tennis Elbow, there must be an equality of strength between the wrist and elbow flexors, wrist and elbow extensors, and wrist and forearm pronators and supinators. By creating strong flexible muscles surrounding the specific joint, that joint will no longer be highly susceptible to Repetitive Strain Injuries.

The integration of Massage Therapy, stretches, exercises and hydrotherapy is a highly effective treatment protocol for many types of injuries. An example of a treatment sequence for a ‘chronic injury', no matter the affected area, should follow along these lines:

Hydrotherapy Heat - Heat to increase circulation to the area, making the soft tissues relaxed and pliable.

Massage Phase-I – Specific massage treatment utilizing Trigger Point Release techniques to release muscle spasm and Transverse Friction Massage to break down adhesions.

Stretch – Stretch overly restrictive tissues to increase their length and reduce their compression of underlying tissues.

Exercise – Perform strengthening exercises for the affected tissues in order to reduce tensile strain on the injured area, heal micro-tears and increase healing nutrients to the injured area. Strong muscles create stability and prevent future reoccurrence of micro-tears to a previously affected area.

Massage Phase-II – Perform light Petrissage and Effleurage towards the heart to remove the toxins created from undergoing Trigger Point Release, Transverse Friction Massage, stretches and exercises.

Hydrotherapy Cold – Cool the injured tissues in an elongated position as to not lose range-of-motion (ROM) of the affected tissues and to further remove toxins from the area.

Massage Therapy and the involvement of the techniques listed above are very effective in eliminating chronic Repetitive Strain Injuries. Any one element by itself is OK, but by implementing several sound conservative techniques, the success rate of the treatment increases dramatically. Remember, when injuries are present, choose the “Conservative Alternative”.

1. Keep in touch with your clients.
There is a simple yet important method to keep in touch with your clients and keep them coming back for more and it's called "Birthday Cards". Sending your clients a nice card at the day of their birthday really counts. It's a gesture that they will definitely remember. What? You don't have enough time to keep track of all the addresses? You don't have enough money to spend on cards and stamps? Then send an electronic card (e-card). It's much easier to collect email addresses and send messages through your email client. If you still feel this is difficult for you then go to a search engine and search for "free e-cards". There are companies that will send your e-cards for free. Consider offering a discount to your client as a birthday gift.

2. Create a massage website.
This might sound too complicated for you but building a website about massage can pull more clients into your practice than you've ever imagined. If you can't build a website ask for help from someone who knows. You don't have to hire a professional. Just make sure you add lot of massage related content to your website. There's plenty on the web. Again, go to a search engine and search for "Massage Newsletters" or "Massage Tips" or "Massage Articles" or "Massage Techniques" anything that includes the word massage and its synonyms. Start gathering your content, take some pictures of your workshop or have someone take a picture of while working. After gathering enough material for the website, build it or ask for help. You can create your own massage newsletter or add a contact form to reach even more potential customers.

3. Go out and meet people.
If you are not a very social person you can skip this tip but you'll be missing a great opportunity to build your reputation. A lot of well known massage therapists followed a simple formula to strengthen their name and their business. They made speeches about massage in private massage groups or in the public for free. Then they volunteered to offer their services to a few lucky individuals. This is a great way to promote yourself and your business and show people that you actually know what you are doing! Go to a search engine and search for "Massage Groups". There are plenty of meet-up groups you can join and start networking.

4. Feel your clients.
Fortunately or not there are numerous types of clients for you as a massage therapist. Some of them are easy going, others are difficult to handle. You must develop a method to handle every possible type of client. This will be your protocol. For example you should inform your clients about your tipping policy. Do you accept tips? Don't expect them to know if they should tip you or not. Inform them the first time they visit you. Is the customer allowed to talk to you during the massage? Is your client allowed to keep their underwear on during the massage? Let them know about your massage protocol. Also ask your clients if they feel comfortable or relaxed, if the workshop is too hot or too cold, if they like some music playing on the background etc. Before you start working on your clients or after you're done, take some time to talk to them see if they have any questions related to massage or your services.

5. Take care of yourself
Your outer appearance plays a significant part in the success of your massage business. For example, your breath. Make sure your breath is fresh before talking or working on a client. Bad breath can make your clients feel very uncomfortable. You can brush your teeth often or use a mint. Works wonders! Also, keep your toes manicured. Remember, your clients look down when you massage them. Don't wear open-toed shoes or take very good care of your toes otherwise you'll turn your clients off. Same rules apply for your fingers. Last but not least, wear proper clothes according to your style whether you want to look serious or sexy or whatever. But be consistent.

Article Source : Massage Techniques

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Both Jeff P. Anliker, Lmt & M.Markell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Jeff P. Anliker, Lmt has sinced written about articles on various topics from Medicine, Other Conditions and Disease & illness. Jeff P. Anliker, LMT, is a Therapist and Inventor of Therapeutic Exercise Products that are utilized by Corporations, Consumers and Medical Facilities around the world.