Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Career Paths for a Qualified Massage Therapist


Completing your training in massage therapy can open quite a few doors. In fact, there are plenty of different career opportunities for people who attend and graduate from accredited physical therapy schools. Those opportunities range from setting up your own private practice to working for a big league sports team.

Work for Yourself

One option is to set up your own practice. Start by promoting yourself as a traveling masseuse. Provide your own table and supplies and set up appointments to provide massages in the homes of your clients. This type of arrangement allows you to build a steady clientele and create a revenue stream that is quite impressive.

Health Spa Opportunities

You can also become an employee at a local health spa. Assuming the spa has a steady flow of clients who like to work out and take classes at the facility, there's a good chance you will be in demand. One of the benefits of this arrangement is that you get to work at the same facility every day and have the chance to meet a lot of people. Assuming you do great work, word of mouth will help you build a loyal group of clients in very little time.

Sports Therapy

Working for a sports club is also a great career option. In this setting, you would provide therapeutic massage to team players as part of their ongoing training. You would also work with the medical team to provide various types of physical therapy for injuries sustained on the job. Keep in mind that sports clubs will want therapists who completed coursework at accredited physical schools and are well versed in many different massage techniques.

Pregnancy Massage

Another way to specialize your services is to offer pregnancy massage. This particular type of massage therapy focuses on reducing the severity of the aches and pains that women experience while carrying a child to term. You will utilize different techniques to help minimize muscle pain and promote blood circulation to the extremities. Depending on the techniques used, you can also help women achieve a more balanced mood as the body continues to undergo more changes during the progression of the pregnancy.

Rehabilitation Work

Your talents can also be of use in rehabilitation centers. Massage can help to stimulate muscles and promote blood flow, two important elements in recovering the ability to walk and move after a traumatic accident, stroke or other debilitating issue. The therapy can also help to soothe tired muscles after long periods of therapy. In addition, the relaxing effect of massage on the nervous system can come in very handy when the patient is feeling discouraged with the progress of the rehabilitation effort.

Certification in massage therapy does not mean you will work in a massage parlor the rest of your life. The skills you've developed can be utilized in a number of settings. Explore all your options and find the career that will provide the right type of financial and personal satisfaction.

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