June 18, 2013
Reflexology Reduces Pain
Could hands-on health care replace painkillers? Massage therapists know the answer to that question firsthand.
New research indicates reflexology reduces feelings of pain, and may be as effective as over-the-counter pain medication.
This small study was conducted by researchers at the University of Portsmouth.
They found that people felt about 40 per cent less pain, and were able to stand pain for about 45 per cent longer, when they used reflexology as a method of pain relief, according to a press release.
Participants attended two sessions, in which they were asked to submerge their hand in ice water. In one of the sessions they were given reflexology before they submerged their hand, and in the other session they believed they were receiving pain relief from a TENS machine, that was not actually switched on.
The study has been published in the Journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practic. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388113000182
Read the press release here.
Source: Massage Magazine
June 17, 2013
New Massage Student Scholarship Launched
A group of massage businesses has partnered to create a new massage student scholarship of $1,000 to be used toward massage school tuition, along with a one-year massage liability insurance policy. A second prize and third prize will be offered to two additional massage students.
MASSAGE Magazine has partnered with Massage Warehouse, Sombra Professional Therapy Products and Massage Magazine Insurance Plus to launch its Student Scholarship Giveaway
The Scholarship Giveaway is open to applicants who are currently admitted or enrolled in a massage therapy program in the U.S. Applicants must be age 18 or older. To apply for the Scholarship Giveaway, visit www.massagemag.com/scholarship and fill out the application form. On the form, please provide in no more than 50 words why you should be chosen to receive this scholarship.
The second prize is an Ultimate Business Starter Package from Massage Warehouse, along with a one-year subscription to MASSAGE Magazine. The third prize is a Massage Lubricant Starter Kit from Sombra Professional Therapy Products, along with a one-year subscription to MASSAGE Magazine.
The deadline is Sept 20, 2013.
Click here for more information.
Source: Massage Magazine
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June 14, 2013
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June 13, 2013
No need to be mystified by meditation, says Steven Hartman, director of professional training at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. To ease into a practice, try this simple mantra-based technique. Start with five to 10 minutes right before bed.
1. Lying on your back, close your eyes and notice your breath.
2. As you inhale, focus on a soothing phrase, such as “I am safe and whole.” You can say it aloud or in your mind. When exhaling, silently repeat the mantra. The specific phrase isn’t that important, says Hartman; the mantra’s purpose is “to give your mind something simple to focus on.”
3. If your mind wanders, gently turn your attention back to your breath and back to the mantra.
Source: Whole Living - Body+Soul, April 2008
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June 11, 2013
New Grant Program Launched for Massage Students and Schools
A new grant program will benefit both massage students and schools.
BIOTONE massage-and-spa-product company and Biofreeze analgesic company have introduced the Helping Hands Gifts for Growth™ Grant Program, which will support professional massage therapy students in their educational pursuits or endeavors to launch a massage therapy practice.
Students can apply for one of four $1,000 grants. In addition, each winner’s school will receive a $500 grant and a $500 product package, according to a press release.
Read the press release here.
Source: Massage Magazine
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June 10, 2013
You know how beneficial massage therapy is for your clients, from stress reduction to relief from chronic pain and injury. What if you were also able to offer them additional services in the form of wellness coaching, teaming with experts in the burgeoning field of wellness to provide health-and-lifestyle solutions that can be truly transformational?
Wellness programs have grown in popularity, and are now being implemented in many workplaces to lower insurance costs, reduce absenteeism, improve productivity and create a motivated team. Quantum Health and Wellness is a specialized, professional spa industry resource for businesses and individuals looking to participate in wellness provider plans. They offer turnkey corporate wellness programs and training for massage professionals looking to become wellness advocates. Quantum Health and Wellness also works with local businesses to create and implement wellness programs for their employees and can, upon request, connect them with spas and massage therapists to participate in those programs.
Your massage-and-spa therapies are the perfect complement to wellness programs, which often include holistic services, yoga, meditation, alternative health care and energy healing. Larger spas can also be a great location for providers who want a serene place to hold their educational seminars.
In addition to adding your massage therapy to wellness program offerings, you can also become a wellness coach to enhance your practice. The Quantum Health and Wellness program can provide a base of programs for massage therapists who want to offer other wellness education. The program may take only two weeks to get a basic understanding, and can continue for three months to receive some solid basic training. As wellness coaches that do not conduct medical screenings, blood testing or evaluations, no accreditation is needed. Quantum Health and Wellness provides health educators, nutritionists and registered nurses who create and monitor the programs. Wellness coaches offer support, accountability and motivation, provide health resources, demonstrate online tools and help clients set and meet goals.
Some of the many wellness program benefits for participants include weight loss, healthy lifestyle changes, smoking cessation, reduced stress and the creation of a well-balanced life. Participants may experience a drop in cholesterol and triglyceride rates, lowered blood sugar levels and improved body mass index. Wellness programs may include lifestyle counseling, exercise plans, nutritional advice and wellness education. Employers receive regular statistics to prove the programs are working through the use of biometric measurements and wellness records that can be tracked. Massage therapy is the perfect addition to any wellness program, as the proven health and stress-reduction benefits of massage are well-documented.
Participating in a wellness program with your therapeutic massage as well as becoming a wellness coach will advance your career, build your clientele and bring in a brand-new revenue stream. You can become a real wellness advocate, adding valuable new services to your practice while joining the new wave in health care.
Source: Massage Magazine
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June 6, 2013
Meditation might be your prescription for a happier mind and kinder heart, a new University of Wisconsin-Madison study shows. Scientists worked with 16 Tibetan monks and 16 meditation novices, giving the beginners lessons on compassion meditation two weeks prior to a series of brain-scan experiments. Those brain scans — taken while the participants responded to different emotional cues — revealed that the monks had more activity in certain brain regions involved in processing empathy. The findings, according to study authors, suggest that meditation may train the brain to increase feelings of compassion and happiness.
To start your own meditation practice, try this exercise created by “Untrain Your Parrot” author Elizabeth Hamilton:
- Sitting with your spine erect, breathe deeply, placing your fingertips over the center of your chest if you like.
- As you inhale, picture a person to whom you want to extend compassion. As you exhale, silently say, “May compassion awaken.” Inhale and exhale for several breaths, focusing on the center of your chest.
- Recalling the person, silently say, “May whatever clouds compassion be healed.” Repeat this cycle with the phrase, “May this moment be experienced, exactly as it is,” and finally, “May compassion be extended to all.”
Source: Whole Living
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June 5, 2013
Massage Therapy Improves Preterm Males’ Stress Response
New research from the University of Louisville in Kentucky indicates massage therapy improves the stress response in preterm infants.
Newborn intensive care units are stressful environments for preterm infants; mechanical ventilation, medical procedures, caregiving activities and maternal separation create these stressful conditions, noted a university press release.
For this study, which was recently published in Early Human Development, University of Louisville School of Nursing researcher Sandra Smith, Ph.D., and her team at the University of Utah found massage therapy that involved moderate pressure and stroking of the soft tissues followed by flexing and extending the joints of the arms and legs increased heart rate variability (HRV) in male, but not in female preterm infants.
HRV is a measure of ANS function and development. Infants who are born at term gestation demonstrate increased HRV, but preemies typically show decreased HRV and an inability to appropriately respond to stressors.
“We were surprised to learn the differences in the impact of massage therapy on preterm boys and girls,” Smith said. “Boys who received massage therapy demonstrated increased heart rate variability, but the therapy did not seem to affect HRV in girls–perhaps there are hormonal reasons for this difference.”
Source: Massage Magazine
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June 3, 2013
Balanced Posture and Career Longevity for Bodyworkers
To complement the MASSAGE Magazine article, “Create a Career That Lasts,” by Patrick Ingrassia, L.M.T., in the May 2013 issue. Article summary: Too many massage therapists suffer from injury and burnout. A tough reality of our chosen profession is its demand on the body, mind and spirit. But what if there was a way to not only avoid consequences like strain, injury and exhaustion, but take your practice and transform it into something that actually supports you and helps you stay healthy and happy?
Perhaps one of the most obvious reasons for having balanced posture is that it makes the person look better. This contributes significantly to the first impression clients will have about practitioners. Another reason is that it makes the practitioner feel better. The skeleton bears most of the body weight, taking stress off muscles and tendons.
Muscles are then in their most efficient positions, joints are ready to move freely, and the body feels relaxed and stable overall.
Balanced posture contributes to career longevity because it enables you to work more proficiently. Joints, ligaments and muscles are not strained by the positions of your body, and you have greater range of movement. Your trunk is open, allowing you to have sufficient air intake. Balanced posture also helps maintain good health. Imbalanced posture such as an exaggerated low-back curve, makes practitioners more susceptible to conditions like backaches and, sometimes for female practitioners, painful menstruation.
A forward head position leads to muscle tension and pain in the head, face, neck, shoulders and arms. With a balanced posture, your upper body is in a position to receive the force generated by your lower body and then transfer it to the client’s body.
Having the joints in balanced positions decreases the risk of injury. Balanced posture also encourages proper performance of techniques. The increased body awareness that balanced posture gives practitioners makes it easier for them to adjust any problems with body alignment as they work; this, in turn, allows them to perform the techniques more effectively.
This can lead to greater client satisfaction with the treatments received and can increase client retention. You should also note that by understanding your own postural imbalances, you will be better able to recognize postural imbalances in clients. Understanding the muscular and energetic changes that occur in the various postural imbalances gives you information on how to design client-centered treatments that address clients’ specific needs. This, too, can lead to greater client satisfaction and increase client retention.
Balanced posture
In order to determine their own balanced postures, practitioners need to understand the factors that affect posture. These include gravity, the body’s center of gravity, the joint axes, the base of support, and a balance of strength and length of muscles. By understanding these concepts, you can strive for maximal physiological and biomechanical efficiency so you can minimize stress and strain on your body.
Components of balanced posture
As mentioned, the components of balanced posture include center of gravity, base of support, and skeletal alignment and muscular support. Each of these is discussed in detail in the following sections. Center of Gravity Balanced posture involves the alignment and position of the body in relation to gravity.
Gravity is defined as the force exerted by the Earth on objects in its vicinity. Because it is part of everyday life, some may not think of gravity as a force; they may just take it for granted. However, your musculoskeletal system must work hard against the pull of gravity to allow you to stand, sit, and move.
Take the example of standing up from a sitting position versus sitting down from a standing position. Standing up is harder to do because you are fighting gravity; sitting is easier to do because you are simply allowing gravity to pull you down, although you are using a certain amount of muscular contraction to control how fast and how far down you sit. Every living being has a center of gravity (center of weight), which is the point in the body where the weight is concentrated.
—Excerpted from Career Longevity: The Bodywork Practitioner’s Guide to Wellness and Body Mechanics, published by F.A. Davis (www.fadavis.com).
Source: Massage Magazine
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May 29, 2013
Massage Therapist Population Expands
By Editorial Staff
In a slow economy, the population of massage therapists in the United States continues to increase with California numbers leading the growth. According to recent research by Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP), the number of massage therapists in the United States has grown by more than 16,000 in the past two years.
ABMP has been conducting biennial research on this topic since 1998. The following is a summary of their recently released data:
The number of U.S. massage therapists as of January 2010 was 293,531. This represents an increase of 5.4 percent from the last estimate of 278,089, conducted in January 2008. The figure was based on state licensing lists and estimates from primary membership organizations and state populations. General receptivity to massage in particular regions was also considered in the estimation process.
“While the rate of growth for massage therapists entering the profession has understandably slowed, there are still many people seeking massage therapy as a career,” said Les Sweeney, ABMP president. “Massage has often attracted career changers in the past; now it’s even more attractive to people who want a second job because of the economy.”
California continues to lead the pack in the number of therapists, with an estimated 41,645. The state with the fewest massage therapists is North Dakota, with just 599.
The per capita, or number of U.S. citizens per massage therapist, has continued to decrease as a result of the growth in massage therapists. This means there are more massage therapists to serve the population.
“The growth has been remarkable,” said Sweeney. “In 1998, there was an estimated one massage therapist for every 1,941 people in the United States. The current estimate is one massage therapist for every 1,036 people.”
While the growth of the field has been impressive over the decade, Sweeney cautions against the conclusion that growth is a detriment for active practitioners. “More qualified practitioners who can provide services to the public are a good thing,” he says. “After all, when you contrast the 293,000-plus massage therapists with the more than 3 million registered and licensed practical nurses, an estimated 600,000 physicians and surgeons, and the more than 600,000 cosmetologists in the United States, you can see there’s still plenty of room for those considering massage therapy careers.”
Source: Massage Today
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