Saturday, May 4, 2013

Looking For a Tantric Massage


Many people looking for a tantric massage find that it is confusing to see so many websites appearing when they Google for the term 'Tantric Massage' - and that many of these sites are not that different from escort sites... with photos of naked or topless beauties who should probably be in Playboy Magazine.

It seems that many of these pretty young girls and agencies who have decided to advertise themselves as tantric masseuses are taking advantage of the fact that there is no real qualification for tantric massage - since in truth, tantric massage is itself a misnomer, and tantra has nothing to do with massage anyway. But they may think that using the term 'tantric' will somehow make them sound more 'legitimate.' They throw around terms like 'chakras', 'kundalini' etc. with an obvious lack of understanding of what they are talking about. One of the latest fads I have seen is 'tantric bondage' - the mind truly boggles. I have nothing against anyone doing whatever turns them on, but to label these activities as 'tantric' is truly a joke.

I have never been a great fan of Osho, but he did write well and here is a quote from one of his articles, which is quite appropriate: There is a basic fallacy that human beings fall into: they find a small truth and rather than discover the whole, the remaining part, they imagine to fill up the gap... they can manage to make a system, but the remaining part is simply their invention... sexual energy... should be transformed into higher forms. It is a truth. But what happened is that they never went very deep into meditation; meditation remained just secondary. And man's sexuality shows itself so powerfully that in the name of tantra it became simply sexual orgy.

Without meditation that was going to happen. Meditation should have been the most primary thing because that is going to transform the energy, but that became secondary. And many people who were sexually... repressed, joined the tantra school. These were the people who brought all their perversions and all their repressions.

They were not interested in any transformation, they were interested only in getting rid of their repressions; their interest was basically sexual... unless meditation moves into first place, it will always happen that in tantra people will be doing all kinds of perversions... and with a great name, they will not feel that they are doing anything wrong; they will feel they are doing something religious, something spiritual... that's what many of the therapists are doing... And the so-called therapists enjoy the money that they bring. They have nothing to lose, they simply allow freedom... First people should be introduced to meditation and then they should be introduced to tantra methods. This is not tantra. Tantra methods are totally different. These people who are doing tantra, they don't know anything about tantra.'

One important facet of Tantra is respect for the Goddess. And by Goddess, I do not mean a masseuse dressed up in a sexy dress,or posing topless and calling herself a Goddess. Interestingly, I have been reading about the various theories on the 'lost years' in the life of Jesus - and one theory is that he spent time travelling in India, and stayed in the region of what is now the Hemis monastery, which is a Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. It is said that a scroll of his teachings was kept hidden in that area and then found and translated... this may or may not be true, but I found the words on respect for women in that text, very similar to the fundamental understanding of the respect for the Goddess in tantric teachings in India:

'Respect woman, for she is the mother of the universe and all the truth of divine creation lies in her... She is the basis of all that is good and beautiful, as she is also the germ of life and death. On her depends the whole existence of man, for she is his natural and moral support... bless her and worship her, for she is your one friend, your one support on earth... respect her, uphold her. In acting thus, you will win her love and her heart... be lenient towards woman. Her love ennobles man, softens his hardened heart, tames the brute in him, and makes of him a lamb...'

How Does Massage Therapy Help Eliminate Muscle Knots?


Massaging muscle knots is instinctive. When we feel a knot in the muscles of our back, most of us reach back to massage it, without even knowing just why massage helps eliminate them knots.

To explore how knots benefit from massage, let's look at how a massage therapist, who specializes in muscle tension, injury, and knots would approach the problem.

The first duty of a massage therapist is to palpate the muscles of their clients in order to identify and assess areas of tightness, such as is the case with a knot. Sometimes this part is easy - you don't have to be a therapist to find a knot as large as a grape under the skin's surface.

A massage therapist will then warm the area of the muscle knot up with smooth strokes increasing in pressure. These initial massage strokes are designed to bring circulation to the area, and warm up the muscle before more specifically addressing the knot, which would be more painful without a proper warm-up.

The massage therapist will then apply direct, targeted pressure to the muscle knot within the muscle. This pressure should fall at about a therapeutic "7" on a 1-10 pain scale, and the massage therapist should be very communicative with the client to be sure the appropriate pressure is applied to the muscle knot.

Muscle knots are bands of muscle in spasm. The chronic, active contraction of these fibers is painful, and causes a pain-spasm-pain cycle.

When the massage therapist applies pressure directly to the knot and holds this pressure steadily, energy, in the form of oxygen in blood, can no longer feed this contraction, and the muscle knot, starved, must let go.

Commonly the client and therapist will notice that tension and discomfort increase a bit just the moment before the muscle knot does surrender and release.

A client who reported to their massage therapist that the pressure delivered was registering as a "7" on the pain scale, will commonly report that this number has dropped to a 2 or 3, with no change in the pressure applied, once the knot has subsided.

The relief to the massage client, once a muscle knot has been treated, is immense, and spreads much further than the local area of the knot itself. This is because knots bind up, and take up the space of other muscles, often causing discomfort in distant areas. This is called "referral."

Massage therapy is the remedy of choice for sufferers of muscle knots because massage therapy is muscle therapy. It is our instinct to massage muscle pain, and because of their experience and training in the muscles of the body, massage therapists are the natural choice for relief from knots.

Study Habits for Middle School Students


Ohhh I still remember when I was at Middle school, those beautiful days. At the beginning of each year, everything was very nice, new friends, new teachers some times, playing football and running from one side to the other all the time... Anyway it was beautiful "at the beginning of course" hahaha, because over time, the headaches started to appear.

You guys know what I'm talking about, when I say headaches right?

Yes that's right, tests, exams, many subjects, homework; ugh it was a big headache to put everything in my little head...

But well, we cannot do anything about it, we really have to study to acquire more knowledge... otherwise in the future we will be a Joe nobody (and nobody wants that);

Although the classes are boring, and we have so many pages to study, and many formulas to memorize, it is our duty, to know how to study, and have the best grades to step up to the next year and let our parents happy.

You should have good grades not only to glad your parents, but to glad yourself, because in the future, you will have a better profession, and you will be the person who will benefit most.

In middle school there are many more disciplines than in elementary school, and usually, the student may not be accustomed to so many disciplines, and may end up shuffling. It is very important to know how to organize your notes, because later you will need them when you're studying, and if they are organized, it will be easier to find each subject.

Summaries, summaries, summaries, much attention to it, always write the summary, always! As we all know the summary contains the topics that are spoken in the classroom. If you ever decide to study for a test, and you are not quite sure what you have to study, or where to start, you know where you have to search, right? Open your notebook, and check the summaries, you will find everything you need.

Another crucial tip is to study daily. I do not recommend creating the habit of studying only on the eve of exams or tests, because besides you stay too stressed, and do not manage to retain everything in the brain, you will accumulate a lot of subjects, and it will be hard to put everything in the head, in a short time.

Now imagine that you have 2 - 3 or 4 tests in a week? How are you going to study everything at once on the eve? It's impossible... you will get so stressed, and your head will "KABOOM"!

Maybe you can manage to pass on some tests, but most of the tests will go all wrong, trust me.

Well I gave you, some tips on how to get good study habits in middle school, read and follow what I said, and you will have good results, do not forget to pay close attention in class, write everything on paper and take notes of what the teacher say.

Good luck buddy!

Physical Therapy Jobs a Basic Entry Into Medical Line


This is basically a health care job. The age of a human being plays a very vital role in the physical fitness of an individual human being. Physical Therapy is a very vast field and is also known as PT's in the field of medicine. Their work is to handle any patients of all ages against their exiting ailments relating to limbs, muscular pains and aches and even ebbing of bones.

A physical therapy problem can occur from a new born to the most aged of human beings. Physical therapy is usually performed to a patient for a natural return of circulation and limb movement in the body system. All athletes have to have physical therapy to keep them selves fit for whatever sport they are in. To work as a physical therapist you need to keep a cool mind, supple, flexible hands to handle the patient, as the patient is already in pain. To be a physical therapist you need to keep yourself fit and fine and maintain your health in order to help another man/woman back on their feet again in a normal lifestyle. There are full time and part time physical therapist jobs,

There are medical schools, colleges and training institutes, specifically for the teachings of this particular topic, it's not a difficult process to get a job in a physically therapy department. You just have to be a good observer to do the same, just join in on a medical school or hospital, and you can self teach yourself the ways of handling this job. In the field of a medical profession, this is the easiest of jobs to find and do. There are a number of physical therapy jobs such as speech therapy, mental therapy, limb therapy, and the list can go on, if you are interested in medical care, especially a therapy department, you can apply online for a job, As years are passing on more and more people are becoming aware of the advantages to physical therapy, so this job is even more demanding, you can easily find this kind of job on the internet.

On a daily basis, there is a growing need of physical therapists, some of these professionals have a full time as well as a part time job, due to the increasingly demand of this therapy. This is a very growing occupation as well as a very paying job, if we have a look; there is no age limit for this therapy. This is one job that can last for centuries. There are very extensive study and hard work in the medical line to become a doctor, or to avail any specific degree in any special field of medicine this particularly is one of the easiest observant jobs. You may call this particular job an entry level one, as these are the basics, any doctors have to learn. If you have hands on physical therapy, you can apply and get a job in any big medical institution.

Pain Relief With Therapeutic Massage


Therapeutic massage does more than relax and eliminate stress from the body. It is another option to achieving relief from pain. Many people are surprised to learn the effectiveness of massage therapy when the right techniques have been used. People who never thought of massage as a healing therapy are now sold on the idea.

Chronic pain in the muscles usually indicates muscles tightness. Trauma, injury, repetitive use of the same muscles, or even stress can develop into a chronic condition if left untreated. When muscles tighten, the fibers within the muscle decrease in length, resulting in a shortened muscle. This shortened muscle, along with the connective tissue coverings called fascia, can begin to adhere to surrounding structures in the body, decreasing range of motion in the joints and placing pressure on nerves. Tight muscles also can lead to reduced circulation, allowing waste products to accumulate. These waste products can also irritate nerves causing pain to develop throughout the affected area. This pain cycle can be corrected by increasing circulation, softening and lengthening tight muscles and fascia, and breaking down any scar tissue or adhesions that have formed between tissue layers. All of the above can be remedied by therapeutic massage.

Massage therapy is more than a relaxation and stress relief tool. It is a natural, safe, and non-invasive therapy for the prevention and rehabilitative treatment for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, low back pain, sciatica, tendonitis, thoracic outlet syndrome, frozen shoulder, whiplash, sports injuries, shin splints, knee pain, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, and golfers elbow.

Therapeutic massage is not and should not be considered a magic cure-all. However, massage therapy should be considered a natural alternative to more invasive and conventional therapies. Any surgeries that are being considered should be a very last resort. There are no guarantees when it comes to surgery. Long recovery times and the real probability that surgery will not take care of the problem should be serious considerations before making such a decision.

Prevention is the key to keeping our bodies in peak condition before your body starts to send pain signals. Our bodies need regular tune-ups, just like our cars, to keep them performing efficiently and without problems. Receiving massage at least once a month enables the body to release unwanted stress from the muscles and helps prevent muscle aches and pains from becoming a chronic condition. It also helps you to feel your best, both mentally and physically.

Traveling Physical Therapy Companies


Traveling nurses and doctors have been practicing for hundreds of years. Traditionally, in more rural districts, there were few medical practitioners and often a single doctor or nurse would provide for an entire region. They may have traveled to the farms or different villages on a regular basis to make sure that the people are well cared for. Today, there are a number of opportunities available for all types of traveling businesses including traveling physical therapy companies. Below is all the information you'll need to start your traveling physical therapy career:

繚 Applying for a Job with Traveling Physical Therapy Companies

The first thing that you need to do is apply. Filling out your application on-line is the quickest way to submit your qualifications to traveling physical therapy companies. Some companies even have a skills checklist which is excellent because it allows you to highlight your specific areas of skill and experience, making it easy for a traveling therapist company to match your qualifications with the assignments that they receive.

繚 Requirements for American Traveling Physical Therapy Companies

There are few differences in the requirements for applying at traveling physical therapy companies even between states. For a physical therapist, a physical therapist assistant, an occupational therapist, a certified occupational therapy assistant, and a speech language pathologist, you must have graduated from an accredited professional healthcare program in either the United States or Canada, have a valid license or certification, and paperwork that shows that you have the appropriate permission to work in America.

繚 Length of Time to Get an Assignment

Once travel therapy companies have reviewed your application and you are approved to work for them, you could receive an assignment even within a week. Much of this depends on your level of skill and experience. Those with more background and greater experience will of course be able to fulfill more jobs. You can also choose when to start with traveling physical therapy companies and schedule yourself out from four to six weeks.

If this is a seasonal occupation for you, you have the option to schedule yourself even 3 to five months in advance or, if you know that you are going to be complete with an assignment and want to move directly into the next, filling your calendar in advance is a great benefit. Working in the northern states can be a welcome relief in summer, but once the snows start, Hawaii might look very attractive. Certainly do not delay submitting your application just because you are not ready. You may be able to choose a dream job.

繚 Choosing Assignments with Traveling Physical Therapy Companies

You are under no obligation to choose an assignment once you have applied and are accepted. A recruiter will contact you and show you a portfolio of clients for whom your specific skills and ability are a perfect match. Then, you have the opportunity to interview with the clients; review the facilities, the salary, and all the details of the position.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Top 10 Massage Therapy Scholarships


If you are planning on pursuing a degree in massage therapy, there are many different scholarships and grants available to help you pay for your schooling. Some of these awards are available from the school itself, and some are national awards for future massage therapists. The following are thought to be the top 10 scholarships and grants for this:



  • American Specialty Health (ASH): ASH provides scholarships usually valued at around $500 for alternative therapy students, including those at therapy schools.



  • Austin Schools of Massage: This school offers $1,000 scholarships for students in the Clark Foundations Program and the Clark Advanced Clinical Program class, as well as the Dottie Scholarship Fund to help with tuition for students who qualify.



  • The Costa Rica School of Massage Scholarship Program: There are four $1,000 scholarships and grants for therapy students at this school each year.



  • Great Lakes Institute of Technology Medical Careers Scholarship: This school in Erie, Pennsylvania offers scholarships to qualifying students that equal 25 percent of their tuition cost.



  • MASSAGE Magazine: Five $1000 scholarships are given each year to students pursuing a degree in massage or touch therapy at a school participating in the Massage Magazine Schools Program.



  • Massage Therapy Foundation: This foundation awards several research grants ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 each year to students and professionals pursuing this therapy research.



  • Massage Therapy Training Institute Scholarship: This institution offers scholarships and grants three times each year to full-time therapy students who meet GPA requirements at its Missouri and Kansas campuses.



  • The Regents Professional Opportunity Scholarship: There are more than 200 scholarships that range all the way up to $5,000 for minority and disadvantaged students studying for licensed professions such as massage therapy in the state of New York.



  • The Spa Foundation: Students pursuing a degree in therapy self-help and financial management resources may qualify for awards from this foundation.



  • Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences Massage Therapy Program: This New York City school offers three different scholarships in honor of alumni who have contributed to the field of therapy.

Physical Therapy Colleges - Programs of Study


Find Physical Therapy Colleges in the United States and Canada. Depending on the course of study in which you choose to enroll, the majority of physical therapy colleges offer a variety of certificate, diploma and/or degree programs.

For starters, many physical therapy colleges offer Doctoral and Master's programs to students who have met certain prerequisites, including a Bachelor's degree in related sciences. These comprehensive programs include coursework in human anatomy, kinesiology, functional training, exercise, growth and development, prevention and intervention, psychosocial studies, orthotics and prosthetics, pharmacology, clinical orthopedics, electrotherapeutic modalities, rehabilitation, joint examination, and of course, physical therapies; among other associated subject matter.

More advance training in physical therapy colleges may entail over four years of training; however, simpler diploma and/or certificate programs at physical therapy colleges may be completed in under two years' time.

Bachelor degree programs in physical therapy colleges involve in-depth studies as well. In this typical course of study, students will learn about biomechanics, massage, anatomy, pharmacology, and other clinical sciences like orthopedics, clinical medicine and neurology, and other relative training. Once again, bachelor degree programs in physical therapy will take about four years for completion.

Associate degree programs at physical therapy colleges are excellent for candidates wishing to become a physical therapy assistant. While curriculums vary from school to school, general curricula include studies in anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, as well as psychology. In most instances, these and other physical therapist educational programs at physical therapy colleges provide training and certification in basic first aid and CPR. Furthermore, while training and education are essential to both physical therapists and physical therapist aides, the most important skills are often learned through internships and through additional on-the-job training.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding physical therapy colleges, let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.

Exercise The Negative Can't Into The Positive Must


You've no doubt heard of the expression, "Turning muscle into fat."

In this article, I'd like to explore the idea of exercising the negative can't into the positive must.

Just how easy is it to make excuses for why we can't exercise? Of course, it's too easy.

Falling back on excuses -- the "I can't because" meme is as easy as flopping on the sofa, remote in one hand, with the other hand free to dig into the bag of junk food of the day, or text our friends, tweet or whatever else people do with their phones these days.

Being a couch potato (or sofa yam as I like to say), takes little to no effort. Coming up with excuses for not physically moving your body are almost as easy as being a lazy boy.

Of this topic, making the "I can't" excuses, I am an expert. With the snap of my fingers, I can come up with myriad reasons why I can't do something I should do -- that I must do -- especially when it comes to exercise.

The thing is, I really enjoy exercising. I do. Once I get going, I totally love it. But before that happens, I have to overcome so many "can't" and "because" hurdles, I'm almost exhausted by the time I give in to my fat muscle "can't."

"I'm too tired" wins out every time, even though I know full well that after I exercise I actually feel better. I may be exhausted physically, but I feel better than I did when I was just tired.

Let's see, there's "it's too hot," "it's too cold," "it's too windy," "it's raining;" "I'm too busy," "I'll do it tomorrow for sure," "I don't feel well," "I don't have time."

Here's a good one that I used to use all the time when I was a full-time massage therapist: "I need to save my energy because I have a really busy week. My clients need me to be strong for them."

Does any of that sound familiar?

It's actually rather embarrassing to actually see those excuses on my computer screen. I actually had to stop myself from sharing even more of my excuses so I wouldn't start to cry. Okay, I'm exaggerating, though if I think about how good I've gotten at this "I can't because" excuse thing, I just might cry.

The point is, I have exercised my excuses -- my can'ts -- into a muscle-bound monster, while I allowed my commonsense and willpower to get weak and puny.

Can't is a limiting word, giving power to the weaker part of oneself. And yet, I have made an art of I can't when it comes to my own physical well-being.

How did this happen?

Prior to my training to become a massage therapist I was in fantastic shape. I worked out several times a week at a local health club, I danced at least twice a week and I worked out on my rebounder every day. My weight was good, and I was strong.

When I started massage school, after a whole day in school and working my business, I was exhausted. Little by little I stopped going to the gym because I was too tired or didn't have time. Then when I started massaging full-time, I thought the work would be physical enough that I could give up the health club. And then... I wanted to save my strength for my clients so I couldn't work out on work days.

Slowly but surely my can't muscles got stronger and my must muscles just withered away.

You might wonder why I choose the word must instead of want to or can, need to, ought to, or should.

Simply because those other words will never be strong enough to compete with can't. Even unexercised, can't is a powerhouse word. Want to, need to, ought to or should combined are not strong enough to overcome the might of can't. Must, however, when exercised to its full strength can absolutely crush can't.

It's a well-known fact that exercise keeps us young, healthy and trim. When I think of how important exercise is to my health and longevity, it's so much more important than want to, can, need to, ought to or should. I must exercise! Those words just don't cut it when we're talking about vitality and longevity.

If you're under thirty and you haven't even begun to think about your longevity yet, believe me when I tell you, the next twenty-five years come along a whole lot faster than the first twenty-five. Before you know it, you'll be wondering what your next twenty-five might be like. My mom is about to turn eighty next month. If you ask her, she'll tell you it seems like yesterday that she turned sixty.

I'm talking from experience here: don't wait until you're in the last third or half of your life to start considering your longevity. Everything's much more difficult. Losing weight, lifting weights, running, walking, riding (getting in and out of chairs, cars...) are all much more grueling and take more energy than when you're young, especially if you've ignored your physical well-being until middle-age.

Regular exercise promotes healthy weight via boosting your metabolism, increases your circulation, enhances your mood, strengthens and tones your muscles which in turn strengthen your bones, strengthens your heart and improves sleep, just to name a few of the most important benefits of exercise.

For me, it also boosts my creativity. It's actually quite amazing. My mind is always working, which can be annoyingly confusing sometimes, but when I'm working out in some way, whether it's hiking or walking, riding my bike, swimming, or rowing, I experience an incredible clarity of thought. Seemingly difficult problems are easily solved, sometimes in the course of a twenty minute workout.

When I think of the idea of exercising can't into must, I think of can't as fat and must as muscle. I know, I know, I just said can't is a muscle bound beast and must as is a weakling. Well, can't is both things.

Have you ever tried to lose ten pounds? Twenty? Thirty? Fifty? A hundred? If you have, you know that fat is a beast of its own. It's powerful, willful, stubborn and determined to exist against all odds. Fat is a determined survivor; and, coincidentally, so is can't. Can't is a bad ass muscle and a hundred extra pounds of useless and unhealthy excess weight at the same time.

So how do you exercise can't into must?

This is what I think:


  • When I want to say, I can't work out today because... I have too much work to do; I need to say instead, I must workout so I can get more work done. My mind will be clearer and I'll probably figure out how to solve some problems that have me stuck.

  • When I want to say, I can't hike today because... it's too hot; I need to say, I must move my body for my health so since it's too hot outside, I will row on my Water Rower instead.

  • When I want to say, I can't ride my bike today because... I'm too tired and the hills are too steep; I need to say, then I must at least walk the dog, so we can both move our bodies today.

I think the more you do it, the stronger must becomes and the weaker can't becomes. Just like exercise.

This came to me as I was walking, and I realized it only takes a little bit of work to rephrase my excuses into must dos. What a simple, but powerful idea!

As I explained before, I think it's so important for bodyworkers to pay attention to their own health and well-being, at least as much as they do their clients'.

I read something the other day that really resonated with me. It went something like this: In a year from now, don't wish you'd started working out today. It's not an exact quote, but that was what I took away from it.

Are you a good excuse maker? Is your can't a muscle bound beast? See if you can exercise can't into must in areas that of weakness that may be plaguing you.

How to Become a Doctor of Physical Therapy


If you're looking to get into the field of physical therapy, holding a doctorate is becoming increasingly important. It is soon expected that every professional physical therapist will be a doctor, and the degree is necessary in today's competitive job market.

In order to go on to a graduate school program you must first have a bachelor's degree from a college or university. The most useful area of study for getting into physical therapy is biology, though other sciences or mathematics are helpful too. Choosing an undergraduate school that offers field work or internship opportunities in physical therapy is also a good way to get experience and to get into a good graduate school.

Once you have a bachelor's degree you can begin applying to graduate schools for physical therapy doctorate programs. The majority of schools require a bachelor's degree in a related field and the general GRE scores. Some more competitive schools may also request scores from a GRE subject test, such as the biology test. Most doctorate programs take between 3-4 years. There also also prerequisites for many programs that must be taken either in undergrad or in graduate work, including courses like psychology, physics, and anatomy.

Once you are accepted into a doctoral program, you will have to take a combination of classes and field work. Classes would include foundational science courses, clinically based courses specific to physical therapy work, and behavioral sciences such as psychology. Field work could be done at the school or in a nearby hospital, and will be monitored and supervised. At many schools you may also have to develop an independent study and do a research project on a related topic of your choosing.

After you receive your doctorate keep in mind that you also have to pass a licensing exam in the state that you want to practice in.

Massage Therapist Job Opportunities and Earning Potential


When I was in massage school I would have given anything for someone to give me a straight answer about what kind of job opportunities were actually out there and more importantly, what kind of money I could make. In typical massage school fashion I got the "The possibilities are endless" and "You can make whatever you choose to make." While both of these are nice thoughts in broad cosmic way, neither of them gave me what I really wanted: the truth.

Through a series of odd circumstances I have worked in almost every aspect of this industry and can now answer some of those questions. Please realize that my experiences are unique to my circumstances and this article is only meant to give general ideas.

Cruise Ship

Like many doe eyed teenagers entering massage school, I had dreams of working on a cruise ship and seeing the world. Unlike many of those people, I actually went through with it. This was about 5 years ago and things may be (and hopefully are) different now, but here is my experience.
I was offered a position with a big spa cruise ship company several months before I graduated from school. Because this was my first job in the industry I didn't really care what I was going to be making, I just wanted the experience. After I graduated and passed my national exam I was given a start date. Be in England for training on September 15. Oh and by the way, buy your own ticket here and bring plenty of money because it's really expensive to be here for the possible 2-6 weeks before we place you on a ship. I started my new job $2000 in the hole.

On the actual ship I was only paid per treatment. You work from 8am to 8pm doing treatments and then from 8pm to 10pm cleaning the spa and prepping for the next day. If you subtract your 2 hour lunches and your 1 day off a week it turns out to be about 72 hours a week. If you work for the international ships (like I did) and not the US ships (like the ones in Hawaii) they do not have to comply with US labor laws and you do not get paid overtime for the incredible amount of hours you put in.

On an average day I would do 8 massages. I got $7 per massage plus on average a $10 tip. If you sold product (which was THE most important thing to them) you got something like 5%. I am not a salesperson so this did not matter to me. Though I was lectured daily by the Spa Director because you HAVE to try and sell to every client and you HAVE to hit your sales quota. It's something unreal like $300/day. So let's do the math. $17 x 8 treatments = $136/day x 6 days = $816/week. Divide that by 72 hours and it works out to be a little over $11/hour. Plus you have no rent and free food. And by the way, it will take you several months to physically and mentally recover from this adventure. I almost quit the industry.

Resorts

Many resorts are seasonal. Because I was young and unattached, I could move at the drop of a hat so this worked out well for me. In the winter I would work at a big ski resort and in the summer I would go to a big golf and spa resort or try out whatever random massage job happened to be available at the time.

Percentage

Many places choose to pay percentages because it means that they only have to pay you when you are making money for them. The up side to this method is that when you are working, you usually get a really good rate. I would say that I earned anywhere from $50-$75/hr (this include percentage and tip) when I was paid this way. (These resorts usually charge $125+ for an hour massage. The earning potential in a day spa would be far less) the down side is that you will not always have work. I would have a $400 day and then sometimes not work for several days. In the case of ski resorts you have about 2-3 months where you make lots of money and the rest of the time you make nothing. This is fine if you learn how to budget. Many feel that they make so much during the busy time that it justifies the nothing they make in the slow time. My twice monthly paychecks ranged from $200 to $2000. In rare cases I have heard of therapists that find resorts that are busy year round and they make insane amounts of money. I have never worked at such a place and that scenario is not common.

The other thing you have to consider with this method is whether you are an employee or an independent contractor. I preferred being an employee because they take your taxes out for you and offer some benefits. Independent contractors have to set aside money from every paycheck for taxes and usually have no benefits.

Hourly + Tip

When I first took a resort job that paid $8/hr plus tip I wasn't really impressed with the fact that I was giving a service that they were charging $150 for and I was only getting $8. I soon changed my mind when I realized that I was getting paid $8/hr when I was sitting on my butt and an average of $28/hr when I was doing treatments. (There was an automatic $20 gratuity on every treatment and clients had the option of adding more) This was the most I ever made in 6 months (around $22,000) and I had steady paychecks. I must add that I was working there during the busy summer months and probably would not have done nearly so well in the winter.

Day Spas

There are so many factors in how much you can make at a day spa. If you build a clientele and are fairly busy you can make an average of $20/hr. In my area the average is about $15/hr with some therapists making a lot more, some a lot less. With resorts so close to me I never had to explore this avenue

Medical Spa

The average medical spa wage varies greatly. When I worked at a medical spa I had 5 years of experience and was a massage therapist, esthetician and laser technician. I made $40,000/yr plus tips. This is a highly unusual scenario. Most medical spas pay about the same as day spas unless you have some advanced training.

Chiropractic

Most chiropractors I've talked to pay around $11/hr plus tips. You usually have to do some office work if you don't have clients. I worked for a chiropractor for a short time and liked it. For me it just didn't compare to the money and the atmosphere of a resort spa but many therapists like to work in a more casual, clinical setting.

Spa Management

As an assistant spa director at a big hotel I made $25,000/yr with the option of doing treatments on top of that for extra income. I never had the time. As a spa director I made $40,000/yr. I've seen spa directors make anywhere from $30,000 to $70,000/yr. In my opinion no amount of money is worth the stress involved in running a multi-million dollar spa and managing 20+ employees. I went back to being a therapist.

Massage Schools

I worked at a massage school after I had been in the industry for a couple of years. My arms needed a break and I thought it would be a great refresher course. I made about $20/hr and I enjoyed my job. Ultimately I missed working in the actual field. I also found it frustrating that schools in general omit certain truths so as not to discourage you from spending the $12,000 on tuition. I will discuss those truths in a later article.

Self Employed

Its lots of hard work and not that much money when you consider rent, products, marketing, etc. but you make your own schedule and you don't have to answer to anyone. If you work really hard and can build up a steady client base, it's well worth it. It is impossible to estimate earnings on this. It depends on how much you charge, what your expenses are and how hard you're willing to work to get clients. This has by far been the best option for me.

I hope this has given you a good look at the options that are out there. This is a tough industry to work in. You have to work hard to get licensed and even harder to get the good jobs. I saw so many people go to school thinking that as soon as they graduated there would be employers lining up with offers and clients.

So I Passed My Massage Boards: Now What?


It was not too long ago that I felt that exciting rush of anticipation as I realized I was about to graduate from massage school and prepare for the National Boards. I studied for a month, practicing massage techniques and scrutinizing my anatomy books. I, like many others, passed with flying colors! Then I rented an office. And waited. What now? I, unfortunately, was amongst the ranks of those who felt that if they constantly strived to perfect their craft, learn more, and become the best therapist possible with the education and experience accessible to me, my practice would become magically full! I was gravely disappointed that this did not happen. I started to think I had thrown ten thousand dollars down the drain. I started making lists of graduate programs I could apply to to go into a more "secure" field. And then, an inspiration hit!

What if I could utilize this constantly growing entity known as the social web to grow my business? What if I could stop wasting my time making flyers and calling friends, running sales that were not enough to cover my basic overhead, and utilizing all the "old school" marketing methods that I had learned about? What if I could really tap into what smart marketers and online entrepreneurs seemed to understand? They were claiming to make five and even six figures using a few very simple techniques. I wanted that for my business. I spent about two years diving completely and totally into the online marketing world. It was overwhelming, confusing, and exhilarating all at once.

I learned a few really basic things that I want to share with you so that you do not have to make the mistakes I did. First of all, I learned that potential clients do not particularly care about our product or service, namely, massage therapy. They care about the benefits of massage, they want to know how massage can improve the quality of their lives, how they feel after a massage. They care about stress reduction, headache relief, better sleep. They want to know that they will have better circulation, less pain, and boosted immunity function.

This essentially means that we as holistic practitioners have a responsibility to educate our potential clients about benefits, rather than providing a laundry list of what services we provide. I encourage therapists as a collective to take this on so that the general public will learn to take massage even more seriously, so that they will understand why it is not just a luxury to put at the bottom of the to-do list when there is extra cash in the house, that rather it is a regular part of creating lasting health and increased quality of life. This is where Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter come into play. The social web is an incredible place where we can meet and educate clients. By constantly building our social networks and providing them with valuable information, education and inspiration about our chosen field of massage therapy, we build credibility for ourselves, and we attract clients more efficiently and effectively than we could have previously imagined. It is a very simple, cost effective way of spreading the word about our individual and collective skill set. I think it is crucial that we assist each other so that we can all be successful in our massage careers.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Massage Therapy And Its Benefits


Massage therapy is by far one of the oldest types of therapies used. Research has proven it was practiced in the Far and Middle East for at least 5000 years. Additional research also suggests that massage therapy has long been practiced in Egypt, China, Greece and Rome. It is known for its numerous benefits to the body as well as to the spirit.

Massage is a therapeutic technique that involves manipulation of the soft tissues of the body. It is the calming, therapeutic process of kneading, stroking, and pressing the different areas of the body. It is used to alleviate pain, relieve stress, tension, or to relax, stimulate, and tone the body.

Massage is more than being an excellent tool for calming and relaxing the body. I am emphasizing that it is not just practiced for feeling good anymore. Research has indicated that it does much more than create a pleasant sensation on the skin.

One of the major benefits is that this therapy works on the soft tissues of the body; such as muscles, tendons and ligaments. It even enhances the muscle tone. Although it does bring a great relief to the muscle under the skin, the benefits that this practice can offer may even affect the deeper layers of the muscles and the body organs themselves.

The therapy is further described as a holistic approach that alleviates blood pressure, heart rate, and increases the lymph flow and blood circulation. One report that has been published describes what massage can do in the systems of the body.

Another report indicates that massage works to aid the lymphatic system, which runs parallel to the circulatory system. This is what actually makes massage a great tool for enhancing the elimination of waste or unnecessary elements throughout the body.

Along with these benefits, massage therapy boosts the range of motions, and even increases the endorphins, which are the natural painkillers of the body.

Listed below are a few of the benefits of massage therapy:

* Soothes and relaxes the body

* Alleviate pain, tension and stiffness

* Improves breathing

* Improves circulation of the blood

* Heals the mind and body

* Improves sense of well-being

Given the information of the benefits of massage, it's no wonder that today the traditional health care systems all over the world have considered massage therapy as one very important and effective technique for treating illnesses.

Additionally, more and more people are also using services of licensed massage therapists these days. In fact, according to some surveys, most consumers spend about $2 billion to $4 billion annually just for massage therapy.

There is concrete evidence to show that massage therapy is gradually becoming a mainstream therapeutic practice. And, with an ever growing research on the much deeper beneficial effects of massage, thousands of health care professionals today are highly recommending patients include massage therapy in their health care plans.

Can Massage Therapy Treat Fracture Injuries?


Massage therapy is a treatment option which can reduce pain and discomfort in the soft tissue surrounding a fracture injury, and it can also assist in reducing edema and muscle tension of both the affected and compensating structures. When a massage therapy treatment plan is carried out correctly, once the cast is removed, a client can regain full function sooner as the health and mobility of compensating muscles has been addressed.

Initially, your massage therapist will only work above the cast, and will take care to not disturb the healing bone. Eventually, when the cast is removed, massage therapy will continue to restore the health of the tissue by increasing circulation, restoring function and strength, and reducing any scar tissue.

Considerations for treatment

It is highly recommended that your physician provide a written recommendation for massage, and your therapist probably won't agree to treat you until your doctor has given the green light.

In all likelihood, you will also be seeing a physical (physio) therapist. It's a good idea to provide written permission for your massage therapist to collaborate with your other health care professionals to ensure the best possible care and treatment outcome.

Before your massage therapist begins to treat you, he or she will want to verify the following information:


  • your physician has approved massage therapy

  • are you on any type of medication? (anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-coagulant, antibiotics).

  • what is your general health - for example, consider age, fitness prior to injury, nutrition (your MT may refer you to a nutritionist, as proper nutrition impacts the healing process), lifestyle (i.e. do you smoke?)

  • are there any open wounds which must be addressed? (i.e. with a compound fracture)

  • Will treating the affected limb with massage therapy stress and disrupt the healing of bone, muscle, skin or nerve tissue?

  • is there any neurological or vascular impairment in the area which prevents the use of certain massage techniques or modalities?

  • do you have any plates, wires or pins? If so, hydrotherapy over the site will be contraindicated.

  • the most important consideration is to avoid stressing and interfering with healing tissue. Any pressure or traction applied to the affected bone is contraindicated.

  • have other types of injuries been sustained, such as sprains or contusions? (in all likelihood, there will be other injuries)

  • muscle atrophy from disuse will be present when the cast is removed. Provided that the injury is not an avulsion fracture, the development of atrophy can be reduced by the use of isometric contractions at the appropriate time with cast on. If an avulsion fracture is present, avoid isometric contractions, as this may disrupt the healing bone.

  • tissue under the cast will be fragile when the cast is removed, so extra care must be taken when massaging this tissue

As treatment progresses and the injury heals, issues such as tissue atrophy, altered biomechanics and altered proprioception must be taken into account. For this reason, there are different considerations for treatment with cast on and cast off.

Types of fractures

There are several basic types of fractures:

1. Simple - there is no broken skin, and the break is clean. Also known as a "closed" fracture.

2. Compound - the broken bone damages surrounding tissue and skin by piercing it. There is a greater risk of infection in this type of break due to breaking of the skin and protrusion of the injured bone.

3. Comminuted - a fracture that is in several pieces - common among a population with more brittle bones (i.e. elderly)

4. Compression - a fracture where the bone is crushed

5. Depression - a fracture where the bone is crushed and pressed inward

6. Impacted - bony surfaces are forced into each other (impacted)

7. Spiral - an break with ragged edges that result from twisting

8. Greenstick - an incomplete break that is common in children, as bones are more flexible

9. Stress fracture - a.k.a. hairline fracture, is a tiny crack in the bone and may not be visible with an x-ray

10. Avulsion - this occurs when a ligament or tendon pulls away a chunk of bone to which it is attached.

Fractures and breaks are repaired by "reduction" - when the bony ends are placed back together. A closed reduction is done manually by a physician, whereas an open reduction involves surgery, and possibly the placement of pins or wires to hold the bony surfaces together.

Finding the best massage therapist for you

It goes without saying that an injury as serious as a fracture or break will require treatment from a therapist who really knows his or her stuff and understands the healing process. Personally, I would ask my physical therapist if he or she could refer me to a qualified and experienced massage therapist, and then ensure that I give them both permission to communicate with each other so that my treatment plan would address all of my needs and concerns.

Physical Therapy Continuing Education - ACL Reconstruction Surgery - Use of the Hamstring Graft


Physical Therapists spend much time in Physical Therapy continuing education courses learning how to rehab patients after ACL surgeries, but rarely due we get taught about the surgery itself. We recently interviewed an orthopedic surgeon to ask him some questions about the use of the hamstring graft in ACL reconstruction surgery. Here are some of his answers.

PhysicalTherapyContinuingEducation: So to summarize on the use of hamstring graft in ACL surgery, the biggest advantage of the hamstring graft would you say, I think you alluded to earlier, that it is an easier rehab period with less pain. Are they the two major points, or are there other?

ACL Surgeon: I think the advantages are that it's a very strong graft that has actually, bio-mechanically, when you double up the two strands of the hamstring and basically have a four strand graft it's actually a stronger graft initially than the patella tendon. It actually now has stronger fixation. It is not quite as painful as taking the patella tendon and the rehab I think is initially a bit easier. I think with time that evens out. And the results now clinically are as good as patella tendon.

So, I think there are a lot of advantages. It is a smaller incision as well, so that may come into effect, particularly with those that are conscious of cosmesis. But, as we know, that's not the most important factor, but to some that may be.

PhysicalTherapyContinuingEducation: Fantastic. Let's talk a little bit more about the graft and the fixation. When we say we use the hamstring, what specifically do you use? And then on the fixation, you mentioned that there was some advancement in fixation. Could you just expand on that a little bit too?

ACL Surgeon: The grafts that we typically use for hamstring are the gracillis and the semitendinosus, and these are two long tendons that are attached to some of the hamstring muscles. If you really think about it, there are numerous hamstring muscles in the back part of the leg, so you still have many hamstring tendon muscles left, even after you take two.

So, these long tendons basically are such length that you can double them over and still have adequate length to reconstruct the ACL. So, we double them over and then the size of that can fit through a round tube anywhere from six-and-a-half millimeters all the way to eight millimeters in diameter, and really it actually provides more surface area and bulk a graft than say a typical ACL graft, which is a different type of graft. Actually, I'm sorry, I should say an ACL patella tendon graft, which is more of a - it doesn't quite fill up the diameter of a tube. It's more of a flatter graft, although it's quite strong. So, the tendons that we use are those.

The fixation, there's a lot of ways of fixating a hamstring graft. There's basically a point fixation that you can use with screws. You can use pins that go across the bone, and these will go through these or wrapped around these. There are also what we call suspension type fixation, where the graft is looped around a very heavy duty type rope suture and then there's an implant that goes around the end of the bone, and these are implanted around this and are terrifically strong fixation, and then fixed on the other end with either a combination of a screw, a washer, or some type of implant into the tibia. So, the fixation has really developed along the years and now is very strong. In fact, is stronger than that of the patella tendon.

Symbols in Design Using Law Firm Logos and Physical Therapy Logos As Examples


The logo design of a business serves as a visual identifier. This visual identifier may be created using fonts, symbols or a combination of both. For this logo design tip, we will focus on logos which use symbols.

If you are planning on using a symbol in your logo, make sure it is unique within your industry. For example, if you designing a law firm logo, try to use symbols which are unique to the legal industry. In other words, avoid using a "judges anvil" or "balance scales." These symbols are all too common among law firm logos. Using these symbols may communicate that you are no different than any other law firm, when you want to communicate that your law firm is better.

Same with the design of a physical therapy logo. You should try using a symbol which is unique, not only among physical therapy clinics, but unique to the medical industry. For example, the "caduceus" medical symbol is used way too often in physical therapy and medical logos. Instead, try and come up with an unique universal symbol or a symbol which is unique to the physical therapy and medical industry.

A great example of a successful logo design which used symbols uniquely, is the old version of the UPS logo. Instead of using a symbol of an envelope, mailbox, or a mail truck; UPS used a "gift wrapped package symbol" to represent "mail" and a "shield symbol" to represent "protection." This effectively communicated: "we protect your precious packages." This communication helps give the consumer confidence in UPS.

Not all logos use symbols. But, if you decide to use symbols in your logo, make sure they are unique to your industry. By following this tip, you should be that much closer to a successful logo design.

Aging Boomers Stay Active With Physical Therapy


My dad likes to say that getting old isn't for sissies. He should know, since he's 86 years old. As the baby boom generation heads into the latter portion of their lives, they are not taking this aging process lying down. Boomers are striving to stay active and in shape.

Baby boomers know that keeping active will enrich the quality of their lives and make the best of the extra years given to them by advancements in medicine. Not only will exercise keep the muscles toned and the cardio vascular system in top shape, studies show that it has a powerful effect on fighting dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

When selecting exercise programs or activities, mix up the routine to allow your body to rest and avoid repetitive motion injuries. Set your tennis racket aside and hop on a bike to add cycling to your assortment of exercises. Just remember to wear a helmet.

I bought a 300 page hardback book on how to become biologically younger in a year. The whole book could be summarized by one sentence: exercise, doing both aerobic and strength training and eating wholesome foods in moderation. It did have one of the best lines on aging that I have read, that you have to get older but you don't have to rot. Okay, I get it; aging bodies need exercise. To stay motivated, visualize yourself twenty years down the road as strong and vibrant but just a bit more wrinkled and grey, then contrast that with images of being frail and feeble. That second set of images proves to be very motivating.

One of the problems with going to the gym as we age is that exercise classes and equipment are geared for younger members. Before joining a gym, ask the staff if there are special classes or instructions for older members who may already have aching backs and joints.

Strong, conditioned muscles are better able to absorb the impact of repetitive motions without injury while improving performance. Performance is also improved with the proper posture and alignment that comes with good flexibility. Many people incorrectly think that physical therapy is just for rehabilitation after an injury or a stroke. As we age, tendons and ligaments become less elastic and are more prone to tears and injury. A therapeutic exercise program completed with a well trained professional can increase strength and conditioning of muscles and improve flexibility in order to avoid soft tissue injuries.

Working with a physical therapist for balance training will increase dexterity and reaction time for aging athletes and would also help aging boomers avoid debilitating falls.

In summary, stay active, vary your exercise program and consider consulting with a physical therapist to proactively work to avoid sports injuries. Enjoy your remaining years with gusto!

Chronic Back Pain And Its Non-Invasive Treatments


Chronic back pain is not a new condition among people who are prone to this kind of problem. This condition ranges from full soreness to persisting sharp inflammation. Back pain patients frequently experience stiffness in the morning, while others, undergo pain in the lumbar area (lower back). Though the pain is certainly distressing, more people complain about the disruption that it causes their daily life.

This is the reason why the sufferer must seek a treatment or relief that best suits his/her needs, as soon as possible. There are lots of treatments provided for chronic back pain. Some of these are home remedies, invasive, and non-invasive therapy. Home remedies can provide quick but temporary relief for the condition. Invasive therapies can cause you a lot of money and a possibility to encounter some side effects in the long run. On the other hand, non-invasive therapies are considered to be safe and effective for treating chronic lower back pain, as well.

What are Non-Invasive Treatments?

Non-Invasive Treatments are preferred if you are suffering from pain in the back without really having the necessity of going through drastic medical procedures. These treatments are generally those that provide somewhat conservative procedures, which don't require any kind of incisions made to the body or any elimination of tissue.

A treatment combination of non-invasive procedures such as physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation and heat therapy. These procedures are usually prescribed over a period of time depending on the level of treatment required. Non-invasive treatments are necessary if a patient needs to cope with the pain.

Physical Therapy

When a patient experiences a series of back pain that lasts between 2 to 6 weeks, or if there is a recurrent persistent back pain, then it is reasonable to try physical therapy or workouts. Generally, the goals of chronic back pain exercises and physical therapy are to lessen back pain, enhance function, and give education on a maintenance program to stop further recurrences.

There are lots of different types of physical therapy. The therapist may concentrate on reducing the pain by means of passive physical therapy, also called as modalities. These are considered passive therapies since they are completed to the patient. Some modalities include heat/ice packs, TENS units and ultrasound.

Other kind of physical therapies include active physical therapy or exercise. Exercise is important for patients who want to rehabilitate the spine. In general, the person's back exercise program must encompass a combination of stretching as well as strengthening for back pain exercise, and low-impact aerobic conditioning.

Chiropractic Manipulation

Chiropractic or spinal manipulation involves moving a joint beyond its normal range of motion. You frequently hear a cracking or popping noise during chiropractic adjustment while the joint is manipulated. The objective of chiropractic manipulation is to ease the pain and enhance the physical function of a person's body.

Chiropractic manipulation is done with a chiropractic doctor. In the meantime, spinal manipulations are performed by physical therapist or osteopathic doctor.

Heat Therapy

Since heat and warmth are always associated with relaxation and comfort, heat therapy is one of the best ways to reduce back pain. Heat therapy provides more benefits than what patients of back pain usually know. Moreover, heat therapy for chronic back pain in the form of heat wraps, heating pad, warm gel packs, hot baths, are affordable and simple to do.

Heat therapy can dilate blood vessels of the muscles that surround the lumbar spine. This method increases the flow of oxygen, including nutrients to the muscles, helping to cure the damaged tissue. In addition, heat can stimulate the sensory receptors within the skin, which means that using heat to the lower back will moderately relieve the discomfort brought by chronic back pain.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Partial Rotator Cuff Tendon Tears - Diagnosis and Treatment


Partial rotator cuff tears are responsible for pain and loss of arm function in thousands of patients every year. The pain is usually located on the side and front of the shoulder, and it is made worse when patients try to raise their arms to the side and above their shoulders. When the partial tear worsens, patients can experience pain when making any motion away from their side, and the constant ache can keep them awake at night.

The diagnosis of a partial rotator cuff tear can be made by an experienced doctor who listens to the patient's symptoms and performs a thorough physical exam. An X-ray may be taken to eliminate other common causes of shoulder pain, such as calcific tendonitis or arthritis. An MRI of the shoulder is only needed if physical therapy does not work as expected. For a partial rotator cuff tear, an MRI will show a thin, worn tendon with fluid on top of it from the irritation.

In order to understand how physical therapy and other treatment options eliminate shoulder pain, patients need to understand how the rotator cuff works. The end of the arm bone is a ball that connects to a shallow cup in the shoulder blade bone. Four different muscles connect to the ball through four tendons, which are needed to move the ball of the shoulder in the cup. The tendons blend together around the shoulder ball. If some of the tendon detaches from the bone, then the muscles cannot rotate the arm bone, and the patient feels weakness in the arm.

Eventually the tendon will tear completely, but before that happens, it becomes worn, like an old, frayed shoe lace that is about to break. This is a partial tear of the rotator cuff. The tendon is still attached, but it is worn and thin. Irritation of the partially torn tendon can cause mild to severe pain, depending on the size of the tear and the amount of irritation it causes in the tissue around the tendon.

The goal of treating a partially torn rotator cuff tendon is to allow the irritation of the tendons and the bursa around the tendons to cease. This can be done with rest, activity modification, ice, heat, and over the counter pain medications.

Once the pain improves, a physical therapy program can be used to:

1. Regain any loss of motion of the shoulder.
2. Strengthen the muscles around the shoulder blade.
3. Practice proper posture and shoulder mechanics to avoid unnecessary stress on the rotator cuff tendons.
4. Strengthen the other rotator cuff tendons that are not partially torn.
5. Return to normal activities.

Accomplishing all 5 goals can take several months.

Some patients are unable to participate in physical therapy because the pain from the partial tear is too severe. For these patients, a steroid injection around the irritated tissue on top of the rotator cuff can stop the pain, allowing patients to do therapy. The injection is not a cure for the problem - it is more like a Band-AidTM that temporarily protects a cut on the skin while the body heals. Some patients need more than one injection, and while multiple steroid injections can cause tendon damage, the risk is small unless multiple injections (more than 3 to 4) are given in a short period of time, i.e., 1 year. Most steroid injections are not very painful if given by a doctor who is experienced in giving such injections.

When 8 to 12 weeks of therapy and an injection do not help alleviate the pain of a partial rotator cuff tear, surgery can be considered as a treatment option. The surgery can be done arthroscopically. An arthroscope is an instrument with a tiny camera on the end that can be inserted through small incisions around the shoulder and used to examine the shoulder and rotator cuff tendon. The irritated bursa on top of the tendon will be removed, along with any bone spurs that may be contributing to the pain. If the partial tear can be repaired, the surgeon will place sutures through the end of the tendon and tie the tendon to the bone.

The sutures will hold the tendon against the bone so that it heals there. This healing process takes 12 weeks, so the patient must protect the arm while the tendon is healing. Any lifting or reaching with the arm could pull the tendon through the sutures, meaning the repair will not heal. After the tendon heals, the patient can start a physical therapy strengthening program. The entire recovery can take a full year, but most patients no longer feel a constant ache in the shoulder after 6 to 8 weeks.

Massage Lessons - Become A Massage Therapist


It is time to say goodbye to drugs and their side effects. Massage therapy is one of the easiest ways to relieve physical and psychological stress off the body. Now, one could beat their stress and tension with a gentle stroking of hands on their back and their heads. Practiced by certified and licensed Massage therapists, massage therapy is getting to be very popular amongst people.

How does one acquire knowledge about Massage Therapy?

One can take Massage Lessons from a variety of sources. Massage Lessons are important for people to understand different massage techniques to be applied on the recipient of the massage. Though, massage is performed by the massage therapists with their hands, body posture of the recipient and finger positioning of the massage therapist is extremely critical to the massaging process. Individuals can gain knowledge about Massage Therapy by taking an online course on Massage therapy. Individuals also have the option of learning massage therapy by attending massage schools. For people who do not have time at their disposal, attending massage workshops is an option.

What are subjects covered in Massage Lessons?



  • Human anatomy and Physiology - Prospective massage therapists need to understand the human anatomy as one needs to know the reaction of a part of a body when massage is performed. The same massage technique cannot be applied to different parts of the body which emphasizes the importance of people understanding human anatomy.



  • Different Massage Therapies - There are many massage therapies like - Aromatherapy, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Lomi Lomi etc. Having knowledge of these massage therapies works to the advantage of massage therapist in catering to a wide range of clients offering a wide range of services.



  • Finger-positioning - Finger positioning is extremely important for a massage which meets the recipient's expectations. While most massages are performed utilizing all the fingers of both the hands on the recipient's body, some require the application of force by some of the fingers. Understanding finger-positioning for different massage therapies is extremely important for the massage therapist as a wrong finger positioning technique used in massage therapy may cause damage to the client.


Massage Therapy is a legal service with as many as 37 states in the United States of America mandating statutes for Massage Therapy. Massage therapists observe a lot of care in administering massages to the recipients as any untoward damage caused to the recipient's body may hold them liable for punitive consequences.

Though, one can learn massage therapies off online and classroom courses, education in massage therapy does not stop with a certification. Prospective Massage Therapists need to ensure that they practice the massage therapies for them to get complete expertise in this art.

Massage Therapy is an art. For one to perform this art, skills need to be acquired. One can learn about Massage Therapy by taking massage lessons from massage schools.

The Benefits of Massage Therapy


Massage therapy has been a therapeutic way to relax for centuries. It can help relieve tension, re-align your spirit, and rejuvenate your energy levels. There are many positive benefits to massage therapy. A skilled massage therapist can help you relieve this tension, keeping you healthy for both the short term and the long term.

The Specific Ways that Massage Therapy Can Help You

Massage therapy can provide relief for tense, tight muscles, and increase the flexibility of joints throughout the body. This relaxation and stretching of joints and muscles has the added benefit of improving general circulation in the body. It can also improve the condition of the skin, including a reduction of scar tissue and stretch marks. Because massage also stimulates the activity of endorphins, the body's "natural painkillers," many people who receive frequent massages also report a decreased need for pain medications. Of course, these benefits are cumulative, so regular massages help maintain these benefits.

Knowing How to Give Specialized Massage Is a Valuable Skill

The benefits of massage therapy can be increased if you use specialized techniques. With sports massage, you can help athletes achieve better results before their competitions, and recover more quickly after finishing an event. Rehabilitative massage is used to help injured patients recover more quickly. Massage techniques based on ancient Chinese practices are also widely used today, and can be used to relieve tension in a different way. Other techniques, such as hydrotherapy and hot stone massage, are also becoming more popular. Share the benefits of massage with your future clients.

Massage Is Good for More than Just the Body

Science continues to show us how connected the mind and the body are. When the mind is stressed, that stress shows up in the body, and that physical tension can prevent you from being mentally sharp. Studies have shown that massage can help decrease anxiety in a variety of different patients.

Top 10 Reasons People Seek Massage Therapy


Most of us are aware that therapeutic massage feels amazing; but massage also provides relief to a multitude of specific health concerns. Therapeutic massage has been proven beneficial in reducing muscular pain and tension; relieving lower back pain; lessening depression; giving K.O.'s to sleep disorders, lowering high blood pressure, increasing flexibility, and much more!

Experts believe that 90% of stress accounts for 80-90% of illnesses and disease. As massage is a great stress-reliever, you can see that we can avoid a lot of current, stress-related illnesses via massage therapy.

As mentioned above, there are several reasons why people seek massage. Below are the top ten reasons why most people seek massage:

1. Massage feels great!

Massage can be a wonderful experience for deep relaxation. Post massage leaves your body and mind feeling at amazing ease.

2. Pain Relief

Massage provides significant reduction in back pain, (including lower back pain), migraine headaches, neck aches, shoulder pain, joint pain, overused or sore muscles, arthritis, Fibromyalgia, and muscle injuries. A regular massage loosens all this unnecessary tension!

3. Stress!

That overworked, overwhelmed, spaced-out feeling. Massage provides deep relaxation lessening your muscle tension and lowering your blood pressure (by reducing heart and pulse rates). Massage increases your mental clarity, heightens mental alertness, and revitalizes your mind. Massage also increases academic performance and ability to focus on calculations.

4. Combating age

Massage therapy and bodywork improves immune system functioning while relieving muscle aches and stiffness. Massage also enhances tissue elasticity and joint flexibility; improves blood and lymph circulation; and promotes healthy vibrant skin.

5. Calming Emotions

You'd be surprised at the number of people who receive regular massage treatments as an alternative to 'dealing' with depression. . Massage therapy increases self-esteem, improves your mood, decreases depression, reduces anxiety, and quiets insomnia. Massage also can ease PMS symptoms.

6. Accelerated Healing

Massage therapy speeds healing of muscles, tissues, and skin. Thus sports massage is used and great for post-workouts, post-surgery, and muscle soreness in general.

7. Increased Flexibility/Mobility

Massage therapy is perfect for people who workout, are physically fit, those who are athletes, elderly, and even pre/post surgery. Massage is wonderful for improving motor skills. Massage therapy also maintains posture in the skeletal system.

8. Removing built up toxins

Massage flushes away waste products from your muscles, tissues, and skin more easily. This helps digestive disorders (such as spastic colon, constipation and intestinal gas).

9. Improving and Maintaining Skin Tone

Massage therapy stimulates skin gland production, leaving clear, healthy skin. Massage to the skin also helps to reduce superficial scar tissue, improving skin condition(s).

10. Better overall health investment, maintenance of optimal health

In summary:

Regular massage will make you look and feel years younger! Massage therapy is so much more than a luxurious way to relax. It is a wise investment in your health and being. Massage certainly should be regarded as proof to your dedication towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Take a mini vacation for an hour or two!

Health Conscious? Try Massage Therapy


As one of the most ancient healing art forms, massage therapy is growing in modern culture, as well as in acceptance by the medical community. While conventional medicine does have its place in healthcare, studies are finding that massage therapy is a natural complement to most conventional medicine treatments, and can be an excellent alternative therapy for those seeking relief from stress and common health conditions like backaches, and other musculoskeletal problems.

A number of sports teams, in fact, have begun facilitating massage therapy as one of many available on-site treatments for team players. Many times, staff massage therapists provide bodywork treatments like sports massage, deep tissue massage, acupressure and Swedish massage to help prevent injuries, and sooth aching, stiff joints and muscles.

In nursing homes, geriatric massage therapy is finding a steady place as well. Because older individuals suffer from a variety of health conditions including arthritis, Alzheimer's, heart disease and other age-related health issues, massage therapy may prove valuable in helping alleviate a number of these conditions by lowering heart rate and blood pressure, reducing stress and anxiety, improve circulation, and alleviating chronic pain, among others.

As a noninvasive and natural healthcare treatment, massage therapy has been proven to reduce muscular tension, alleviate emotional stress, and improve overall wellbeing. Today, individuals must merely visit the airport or personal office cubicles, as a number of professional massage therapists have initiated health and wellness cooperatives whereby onsite chair massage therapy is provided to both corporate employees and travelers on the go.

In addition to seated massage therapy, there are a growing number of massage clinics, day spas, and physical therapy centers that offer a wide assortment of massage disciplines including Myofascial Release, Trigger Point therapy, craniosacral therapy, Shiatsu, infant and prenatal massage, Esalen massage, lymphatic drainage, Thai massage, and countless others.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding massage therapy programs, let professional training within fast-growing industries like natural healing, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore massage therapy [http://school.holisticjunction.com/clickcount.php?id=6634739&goto=http://www.holisticjunction.com/search.cfm] near you.

Health Conscious? Try Massage Therapy
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Physical Therapy Continuing Education: Rehabilitation Post ACL Reconstruction (Hamstring Graft)


ACL reconstruction surgery that use the hamstring graft are more commonly found these days than they use to be. One of the reasons is that their Physical Therapy rehabilitation is often easier than it is with a patella tendon graft.

We recently interviewed a orthopedic surgeon about this topic. Here are some of the questions & answers:

Interviewer: Well, let's switch gears a little bit and talk a little bit more about rehabilitation following the surgery. Are there any special considerations that one should be aware of with rehabbing a hamstring graft ACL?

ACL Surgeon: Earlier on we actually went a little bit slower with the hamstring. That's not the case anymore with better fixation. The consideration with any rehabilitation is you want an excellent physical therapist. Very important and very key and we found that to be true with the rehabilitation after an ACL, that people get started early. They start their motion early, and get going with the graft.

One of the considerations with the hamstring is that they have to just lay back a little bit off any of the heavy strengthening of the hamstrings, allowing the tissues of the hamstrings to still heal after taking the hamstring graft. So, we try to avoid some of the heavier loads on the hamstring.

Other than that a lot of the focus is on the quadriceps and on the gluteus muscles, and so we get to going with that early. I'm a big believer in getting on the indoor stationary bicycle and then progressing outside, as that is a great strengthening type of activity and has minimal stress on the graft.

So, the considerations with the hamstring are just a bit different than the patellar tendon but not much, and rehabilitation really is not slowed down any by using the hamstring.

Interviewer: Gotcha. Are then any issues with the potential for prolonged hamstring weakness following this type of procedure?

ACL Surgeon: That's an excellent point, and that is one of the proposed drawbacks of using the hamstring, is that there are studies that show that there may be some weakness. They did strength testing after six months. And it may even out after a year or two years. But, even then there may be some, but clinically most people don't notice it, even if there is when you do test that in the lab.

So, that is something that people work on and people do tend to get back. If there is one drawback of the hamstring, that may be the one thing. That there may be some residual hamstring strength deficit even though it is small and most people are not going to notice it.

Interviewer: Very good. So, I got another question just out of my own curiosity. Now as a therapist, I know that the patient regularly follows up with you typically 10 days to two weeks, roundabout the six week mark, and the three month mark. What do you look for in those visits?

ACL Surgeon: Critical early on is getting the full extension after the surgery. We make sure that they can gain their full extension. If the patients don't gain that early on then it's very difficult to gain it later, so early on I want to emphasize that.

We want to emphasize getting the quad activated and emphasize the swelling be decreased. With time, at the six week mark we want to see good motion both in extension and flexion, and I want to see the quadriceps again coming along, gaining strength, and really building up muscles.

And then at the three month even more so, that all these factors are critically important, and the motion should have already been there by three months. Then at that point we're really looking at how their strength is.

Then it's going to be, over the months after that, is gaining that strength and endurance and then the neuromuscular ability to go back to a sport and more functional type activities, and that's where the rehabilitation specialist, specifically the physical therapist, along with maybe the athletic trainer, works on returning the person to sport.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

How Does Massage Therapy Benefit The Elderly?


Therapeutic massage has dozens of health advantages for everyone of every age, but there are special benefits the elderly receive from hands-on therapy. I have listed just a few of the most important advantages, below.

1. Pain Relief
Massage increases circulation, which brings oxygen and nutrients to the tissues while also carrying away cellular waste. This decreases pain in the muscles and joints, reduces swelling and water retention and helps to boost the immune system. All equaling less pain and improved health.

2. Improved Flexibility
Often times, the elderly have more difficulty with movement and flexibility. Sometimes this is due to the natural effects of aging or to conditions such as arthritis. Massage helps to keep joints lubricated and the muscles loose and supple, helping to prevent stiffness and keeping the body more limber and free moving.

3. Enhancing & Uplifting Mood
The many life changes that seniors experience, such as daily pain, death of friends and family, decreases in social life and sometimes, isolation - can all lead to high stress and depression. Massage increases and balances hormones such as oxytocin and endorphins, the bodies 'feel good' chemicals. It also assists in releasing blocked emotions and allows the senior to feel and experience a healing, loving touch. Enhancing their well-being and uplifting their mood.

4. Faster Healing From Injury Or Surgery
As we age, our bones become more brittle and injuries can take place more often - sometimes requiring surgery. Massage eases stress related to the trauma, brings needed nutrients to the injured area for faster cellular repair and helps to alleviate the pain that comes with the injury or surgical recovery.

Physical, emotional and psychological changes take place during massage that can greatly enhance the quality of life for the elderly. However, there are also a few times that bodywork may not be appropriate. If you have any of these conditions, please consult your doctor before receiving a massage.

- If you are taking blood thinners or have a history of blood clots.
- If you have Kidney problems or heart issues.
- If you currently have any infections or contagious skin conditions.
- If you have or are recovering from cancer.

Massage therapy for the elderly is a tremendous healing tool with a great many health benefits, both physically and emotionally. Approached with care, it can truly be a huge boost in improving a seniors quality and enjoyment of life.

Physical Therapy Scheduling Software Promotes Efficiency And Employee Accountability


Everyone wants to make a good impression, and all PTs aim to help their clients effectively and efficiently. But there are stumbling blocks in a typical day at a PT clinic that can greatly reduce your employees' effectiveness and, in turn, lead to dissatisfied clients and a reduced cash flow for your business. Some lapses in performance are unintentional, and many are simply the result of a lack of structure or accountability. One solution is to invest in a physical therapy software package that includes a program tailored to the needs of PT offices.

The What, How And How Many Of PT

Putting physical therapy scheduling software in place in your professional offices can immediately give you the right tools for tracking therapist performance, streamlining the check out and organization of client records, improve billing cycles and even promote repeated, long-term commitments from patients so that they will follow through with their treatment for the doctor-prescribed duration.

But the most important function of physical therapy scheduling software is that it allows managers to quickly get a snapshot of how each individual is using his or her hours at work. Are the therapists spending the bulk of their time working with patients and tracking the details of their progress? Do they spend a lot of it in the break room or at the front desk fielding phone calls rather than actually doing rehabilitation work? You can quickly find the weak spots in your system by reviewing each day and each week of your employees' days and improving the process as needed. Perhaps you need a different system in the front office, or one of your therapists needs to learn how to manage his time more effectively.

If you're concerned about the performance of a particular employee, look for blocks of time that aren't accounted for, then do some additional investigating. Is someone at the front desk simply not scheduling enough patients for this person, or is this person not willing to take on any more work? Physical therapy electronic documentation of hours, duties and details of each PT session will arm you with the information you need when you're ready to review each employee's contribution to the clinic as a whole.

Using The Right Physical Therapy Software Tools

Another way to ensure your clinic will make a profit and satisfy clients at the same time is to make sure every employee is using the available tools in your physical therapy software arsenal. Talk to your employees on an individual basis and ask questions:

Do they schedule multiple appointments in advance? Are they confirming availability of resources? (If you have three treadmills but four clients scheduled to use the treadmill at the same time, it's money down the drain) Do they provide patients with appointment reminders? Are they documenting patient performance?

PT software can lower your overhead and raise the performance level for your staff, but only if they know how to use the system. When shopping for physical therapy scheduling software and documentation programs, find one that balances flexibility with ease of use for results that can turn your clinic into a successful venture for everyone.

Physical Therapy Schools - Choosing The Best


Have you been thinking about a career change? Continuing your education and becoming a physical therapist could be just the change you need. What is involved in becoming a therapist and is it worth your time?

Job Opportunities

Many people do not realize the physical therapists have a broad range of employment opportunities. If your local hospital is the only employer, you imagined for this specialty you are missing out on a number of options.

Schools- assist disabled children
Hospice- improve quality of life
Research- improve information and create new programs
Nursing Facility- assist elderly
Sports- injury recovery
Physical Fitness Centers

Income and Growth

As you can see physical therapy is a field with many different job potentials, but before searching for a physical therapy school, you may want to know a little more about income potential and job growth. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for the 2010-2020 is much higher than all other occupations at 39%. This is due in part to the fact that baby boomers are aging and staying active later in life.

What can you expect to earn as a therapist?

Top 10%- more than $107,000 annually
Bottom 10% less than $53,620 annually
Median- $76,310 annually

As to be expected there is quite a range between the bottom earnings and the top, but in comparison with many other job fields the potential is fantastic.

School

Before you can apply for current physical therapists positions, you will have to continue your education. Most accredited programs require applicants to first obtain a bachelor's degree, though there are some programs in which graduating high school seniors can participate.

In order to sit for your licensing exam you must have graduated from an accredited program, of which there are 212 programs approved by CAPTA. Which school you attend will of course depend on your location and specific needs. Every state in the union except Alaska and Hawaii has an accredited program.

Pros and Cons

Working in this field has its pros and cons:

Pros:

No shortage of jobs (now or in the future)
Less stress than other medical field positions
Flexible schedules may be possible
Long hours are uncommon

Cons:

Frequent bending and kneeling
Acute care can mean working around infectious diseases
Hospice care can be emotionally taxing
Private practice can have a high demand for meeting productivity quotas

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a career that involves helping people and has a good long-term outlook, becoming a physical therapists is a good option. Over the next decade or so positions in this field are going to grow faster than most career options. Job security, personal fulfillment and decent wages all add up to a very attractive opportunity.

Foot Massage Benefits - Fact or Fiction?


Find out the truth about foot massage benefits.

Foot massage has been used for thousands of years all over the world. Many medical practitioners worldwide will attest to foot massage benefits. Still others doubt there are any foot massage benefits. Who is right?

It's almost a natural process after a long day on your feet to take off your shoes and begin rubbing the soles of your feet. Rubbing your feet is something you'll do without even realizing what you're doing. It's a natural way to ease the pressure and aching of your feet.

There is one basic foot massage benefit that no person can dispute...it feels good. Often the most worked body part, they can become very tired and stressed. Massaging tired aching feet almost always relaxes and relieves the aches and pains.

There are some scientific facts that can prove specific levels of foot massage benefits. Any time massage occurs on any body parts the area receives increased blood circulation. The blood is the lifeline of every cell in our body. It carries nutrients to the cells and carries toxins and poisons away from the cells. It only makes sense that if blood flow increases to an area, then the area will be proportionately rejuvenated and cleansed. This is factual. Therefore, it only makes sense that there are foot massage benefits.

Another scientific study performed on heart surgery patients showed there was a significant decrease in levels of stress after a foot massage. Reducing stress levels can help the body in many ways, mentally and physically as well.

Foot massage benefits are best received when a professional massage therapist performs the massage. All too often, it's not possible to get this kind of massage on a regular basis. There is another way to receive foot massage benefits without visiting a professional therapist.

You can now get scientifically designed foot massage units for home use. These foot massage tools can give you a wonderfully relaxing and calming massage. Pains and tiredness can be greatly reduced.

The iSqueeze Calf and Foot Massager is one of your best options for foot massage equipment. You'll get the benefits of a professional quality foot and calf massage right at home. Invigorating disks squeeze and penetrate muscles, while soothes vibration improves circulation and energizes muscles. Pressure nodes stimulate the soles of the foot for total foot massage benefits.

One favorite is the Aqua-Jet Foot Massage Spa. This foot massage machine provides everything necessary for a complete and relaxing foot massage.

The precision heater maintains the water temperature at a comfortable 115 degrees. Two hydro-jets control airflow and speed while two massaging nodes massage specific points and the arches on the feet. A remote control allows you to sit back, relax, and enjoy this great foot massager.

If you've never experienced the benefits of a foot massage, you owe it to yourself to try it today.

Massage Offers Therapeutic Benefits to Hospice Patients


Massage can provide comfort and relaxation at the end of life, which can be a time of increased anxiety and fear for those making the transition as well as for their families. Hospice is a term that refers to the palliative care of patients who are nearing death. Palliative care does not attempt to cure a condition, rather, it strives to provide comfort and support to the dying, and treatments such as massage are focused on making the transition more comfortable for the individual. 

Limited research has been conducted on the benefits of therapeutic massage for the dying, but the available data points to a quantifiable improvement in several important areas. Many recipients of end of life massage have demonstrated a positive response to the therapy, such as a decrease in emotional distress, anxiety, physical discomfort, pain and nausea. Although more research is necessary to establish the advantage of providing massage therapy at the end of life, informal discussions with practitioners support the opinion that therapeutic massage provides increased relaxation and comforts the recipient both physically and emotionally.

Physical benefits of therapeutic massage for those at the end of life include the easing of muscle tension and improved circulation. Improved circulation has secondary benefits, such as aiding with digestion, promoting easier breathing, providing a temporary enhancement of mental clarity and encouraging a more restful sleep. Pain management is also an important benefit of massage, especially for those with a terminal illness. Massage's proven effectiveness for the reduction or mitigation of pain can even diminish the need for prescription painkillers.

Emotional comfort also extends to the family members, as they are aware that someone is providing a gentle and compassionate method of care to their dying loved one. Isolation is a common factor that hospice patients experience, and the gentle, caring touch of a massage can convey a sense of physical connectedness that helps the individual to know that they are not alone.  Massage can reestablish positive self-esteem and promote self-acceptance to a person whose body has been tormented by disease. This can have a positive impact on the quality of life, and can also spur a release of emotions. 

Sports Therapy - A Growing Field for Physical Therapists


Physical therapists have the ability to become certified in different specialties. Sports therapy is one specialty that therapists can specialize in and offers a growing field that include many different physical therapy forms. This form of therapy includes treating sports injuries with proper therapy, using rehabilitative practices along with injury protection. For those considering a career as a sports therapist, here is a closer look at what this field has to offer.

What is Involved in Sports Therapy

Sports therapy requires targeted treatments to help athletes recover and rehabilitate from an injury. Therapists may provide assistance with stretching, evaluating the condition of an athlete before sporting events, protecting injuries and more. In many cases, these professionals also offer advice on proper diet, nutrition and exercise programs while working closely with sports coaches.

Professional therapists work with individuals who have sustained sports injuries, customizing treatments based on the specific needs of the patient. The main goal of rehabilitation is to help return the athlete to their original condition pre-injury. Common injuries rehabilitated by sports therapists include lower back, leg, foot, shoulder, ankle, elbow and knee injuries. Some of the rehabilitation treatments include strengthening exercises, reconditioning exercises, massage, compression wraps and more.

Working in sports therapy requires therapists to work very closely with doctors, such as the patients surgeon and physician. Therapists work closely with doctors to come up with a good plan for rehabilitation. These professionals are often on site during games and competitions as well, offering first aid when simple injuries occur and deciding whether additional treatment is necessary. While much of their job includes treating current injuries and rehabilitation, their primary goal is to help athletes prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.

Education and Certification

To become a sports therapist, individuals must require physical therapy schools to get their physical therapist degree. After their original education, therapists have the ability to get specialty certifications, which come with strict requirements. To become certified in this specialty, therapists must show that they have extensive training or experience in this area. Most certifications will require the applicant to have emergency medicine training as well. While certification is required to practice sports therapy, currently a uniform standard of certification does not exist. However, the American Board of PT Specialties offers the most common certification in this specific field.

While sports therapy is a fairly small specialty within the PT realm today, it does offer a great opportunity to therapists who want to work with athletes. This field is growing and offers great potential in the future for those interested in specializing in a specific area of therapy. While salary amounts can vary, sports therapists usually enjoy a better than average salary in their field.