Physical Therapy Schools|Benefits Of Massage Therapy Schools

It may sound like a gender discriminating career, but the reality is massage therapy is still a career that accepts more women than men. Considering that massage involves skin to skin contact, regardless of gender, patients feel more at ease when women are the ones doing the massage.

Why Patients Choose Female Massage Therapists

- Female patients are afraid of sexual harassment or being taken advantage of by male therapists

- Male patients are not comfortable being touched by fellow men

- Both male and female patients prefer the soft and sensual touch of female therapists

Given the above reasons, does that mean then that if you are male, you can no longer practice as a massage therapist?

Of course not. Therefore, how can you break in this career if you are a man?

How to Increase your Chances of Working as a Male Massage Therapist

There are many other options and places of work where males are preferred over female massage therapists.

Learn more massage techniques. Despite the trend that shows more women are hired as a massage therapist, some clients or patients prefer the strong hands of males when it comes to giving massages. Therefore, you should be well versed in various massage techniques such as deep-tissue massages and Swedish massage, among others, so that you can also work in this industry.

Obtain higher education. Graduating from a 1-year or 2-year massage therapy course can help you land a job. However, obtaining higher education shows how serious you are when it comes to your chosen field, thus, this could be a way t attract potential employers. In addition, you do not have to limit yourself to work as a massage therapist because with higher education, you can work as office manager, massage therapy instructor, or even as physical therapist if you pursue a different path.

Find employment as a sports massage therapist. Nowadays, sports teams include a resident massage therapist in their payroll because after each game, athletes usually need to relax their bodies o tensed muscles to get ready for their next game. In addition, athletes are known to like hard massage than soft or medium massages, and because of this, teams usually hire male therapists.

Likewise, you may find employment in fitness centers, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers where patients are more likely to "see" you as a medical personnel rather than a masseuse.

Don't be discouraged by "trends". Trends are indicative of a number of people's preferences, but it does not necessarily mean you cannot enter the field. Be professional when it comes to dealings with your clients and build a professional reputation so that people will go to you regardless of your gender.

Make yourself indispensable by learning as much massage techniques as possible. This will be your key to a lucrative and fruitful career in massage therapy.

Physical therapy helps sufferers of a variety of ailments to maintain or improve functionality of the body. Physical therapists work to prevent, treat, and rehabilitate patients with physical problems and reduced mobility. There are a large number of physical therapy treatments out there, and the right one for you depends on your specific condition. Physical therapists treat patients for anything from headaches and back pain to spina bifida and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-- as well as helping many other patients to recover as much mobility as possible after an accident or other event.

There's been a lot of talk lately in the health care community about physical therapy robots. Because of this, you may be wondering which is better, robotic (mechanical) physical therapy or physical therapy done by human therapists. The answer is neither. A human therapist is always necessary when embarking on a long term physical therapy aide program, no matter your condition. However, studies done with hundred of stroke victims show that robotic therapy definitely has a place in the future of physical therapy-- a very important place.

Robotic Therapy

Robotic Physical therapy is a brand new field. Discoveries and inventions have been made in places like MIT that have had some very promising results on stroke victims.

Victims of a stroke are generally weeks, months, even years in physical therapy. Even though many attempts are made to return mobility to them, most stroke victims make no real visible improvements in mobility. Robotic therapists, however, are changing that. The advantage robotic therapy has over human therapy is constancy. It's very difficult for a human therapist to take the time necessary to make true strides in improving a patient's mobility. Robots, however, never tire, slow, or change pace-- of course, the repetitive motions needed in order to properly work the affected parts of body of the stroke victim don't affect a machine. In addition, robotic therapists generally have bio-feedback mechanisms. These mechanisms help to increase improvement in the affected parts of the body.

Some robotic therapists are even designed to act as both coach and therapist, using jokes, humor, and encouragement to help patients get though the long and tiring process of physical therapy.

Human Therapy

While strides are being made in the field of robotic therapy, and robotic therapists will at some point be available to help with many conditions, human therapists are and will always be necessary. For most conditions, a human therapist is your only option. However, even if using robotic therapy aide, you must have a human therapist in order to diagnose your movement problems and develop a long-term strategy for treating them. It's also necessary to visit human therapists to evaluate progress and make further plans for both human and robotic therapy.

Once choosing to attend the classes of a physical therapy school you must know already that this will qualify you into learning the clinical traits involved in a therapy and rehabilitation sessions. Apart from this you will learn skills into assisting patients to recover from their injuries.

But one thing you are not taught while attending these classes: how to market your business in case you want to operate in this field with your firm. You won't get the chance to learn how to make your clinic known to various patients who could need your services. And being known is of a great importance if you want for your business to be successful.

A good thing to do this, even if physical therapy school is not teaching you, is to firstly find a job position in this field. In this way you can get in touch with many people, inform them about your plans and what you are planning to provide through your services. It can be a first step to make yourself known while preparing also some business cards to spread them within your community. All these shouldn't stop here, as you would have to maintain a constant plan of implementing and developing your business initiative.

You should be aware of the fact that marketing your physical therapy clinic is a fact that involves various strategies and promotional practices. You must find out the type of marketing that can work successfully for your practice.

Each month many therapy clinics invest a great deal of money on marketing strategies and plans to keep their business going, especially that these ones are not displayed in any of the physical therapy schools. But as many of these strategies are out there, this doesn't mean that each one of them brings good results.

Do not rely on these strategies, such as spending a lot of money on printing expensive colorful brochures that are further spread within doctors' offices. Yours would be just another one piling up with others existing already ahead of you. It is however quite hard to penetrate in a market that is sometimes saturated with these sorts of businesses. Not to mention that is hard to compete with the already established ones.

Instead, try to approach a different marketing strategy that is also not taught within physical therapy schools classes. Try to stand out from all the rest such as specializing in services that are unique and diverse as compared to other clinics.

Night schools can be a way through which you can learn various effective marketing strategies for any kind of business one might run, physical therapy center being as well included. Successful marketers are always the ones to teach these classes allowing business people to learn new advertising methods for their particular business.

Deciding what type of massage is best for you is not always an easy task. Normally, massage therapists will either focus on targeted or full body massage.

Targeted therapies focus on a specific part of the body that needs massaging. We often call these areas trigger points. When they are massaged properly they release any built-up knots in your muscles that have been triggering discomfort and pain in other areas of the body. But massages are not done solely for pain relief. Reflexology is the act of massage for targeting specific areas on your body to aid in regulating your body systems. This type of massage is not for relieving pain, but for making your entire body healthier from the inside out. Another targeted massage therapy technique focuses on the cranial sacral area of your body. This refers to your head and neck. It is most effective in healing TMJD, headaches, and back and neck pain. Targeted massage therapy is perfect for anyone with a specific area of discomfort.

When we traditionally imagine massages, most people picture full body massage techniques. A Swedish massage is a very popular therapy technique that involves massaging the deep tissues in your body. This aids in releasing any metabolic build up and tight muscles that may be ailing you. It also realigns your entire skeletal system and improves your overall mobility. Athletes are very common with another type of full body massage called sports massages. This therapy technique releases metabolic build up and tight muscles, while improving your level of mobility by re-aligning your skeletal system. It is much like a Swedish massage, though it is geared more towards athletes or very active people. The final type of full body massage therapy is that which is geared towards specific conditions. For example, prenatal and geriatric clients can get massages that are designed just for them. These massages are very gentle. They focus on gently releasing metabolic build up and tight muscles, while also gently realigning the client's skeletal system. The ultimate goal in mind is to improve the prenatal or geriatric client's overall mobility.

So how do you choose between targeted or full body massage therapy? Determine if you are focusing on the overall wellness that a full body massage offers, or if you are simply looking to correct a region of chronic pain or a specific condition that is greatly impacting your life. Specific regions of your body are normally better treated through a technique like reflexology. If you are still unsure about which therapy technique is best for you, then stop in to your local massage parlor and speak to a therapist. He or she should be able to determine which technique will be best for you.

Massage therapy seems to have evolved into a big industry. Today, massage is no longer limited to athletes or to celebrities. It is now being used for treatments and also relaxation of injured, wounded and also healthy individuals alike. Standard allopathic remedies often integrate massage in their plans and because of this there is a great need for licensed as well as experienced massage therapists. Across the US along with other parts worldwide, a large number of Massage treatment faculties are producing therapeutic massage practitioners each year. There is, thus, a huge pressure to provide massage services at the highest degree to remain at the very best. This kind of expectation is definitely the significant contributing factor to the striking surge in personal injuries like arthritis of wrist and even fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome and other work related spasms.

Bearing this factor in mind, large businesses, health care spas and even massage faculties are putting in ergonomic workstations to permit the students as well as their experienced workforce to be able to work perfectly.

Here are a few suggestions for Therapeutic massage practitioners to hinder work place injuries.

1) Allowing Relaxation to your body: Not that long ago, the workforce at spas as well as salons was not as well informed and prepared as therapists are these days. In order to reach for the financial pursuits of their organizations, massage therapists performed a lot of massages without taking more than a five minute break. Additionally, they performed services in crowded and uncomfortable therapeutic massage areas. These days massage practitioners are a lot more educated. The massage faculties are even incorporating Injury reduction programs into their curriculum. A physical therapist understands how to use breathing and also enjoyment approaches amid massages. This really is necessary for permitting the muscles loosen up along with minimizing the tension that gets built up due to massage appointments. It is also very important that a therapist monitors and controls their massage schedule to ensure there is no rise in number of massages with decreased break time in-between.

2) Including exercises and using high-quality massage tools: A therapeutic massage therapist must be physically energetic. This is very important to strengthen the muscles as well as also to increase blood flow. A massage specialist should get involved in aerobic exercises, stretching out and also some other physical activities at the very least three times a week. It will help in growth of good body mechanics. Using proper therapeutic massage equipment and even tools having ergonomic designs can also be most important.

3) Discontinue the massage strategies which injure: Any process that causes distress or pain must be discontinued right away by the therapist. It is also recommended that you vary the massage methodology to prevent repetitive activity to one part of the hands and even arms. Also, therapists having pre-existing injuries in addition to ailments like back in addition to neck injuries should execute only those massages that won't require much strength and also pressure. Hydrotherapy and Aromatherapy are a couple of massage forms that may maximize one's clients and even also do not demand much extreme hand-work.

4) Do Not disregard pain as well as discomfort: A regular mistake which a massage therapy professional makes is to neglect the pain as well as discomfort that one suffers from. Typical thought process is often that "If I ignore it, it is going to subside." At the slightest ache as well as discomfort one must get the injury or pain taken care of by a qualified professional. One must be aware that one is a human as well as needs to establish a practical attitude in direction of this job.

Eventually, a physical therapist should do not forget that injuries is usually a complex issue. There isn't a formula to keep one protected from work-related incidents. One must educate oneself in addition to use refresher CE courses that will help them up-date the Injury avoidance strategies learnt at faculties, which can be ignored with time. One must enhance body mechanics, allocate time for exercise, take well-timed breaks between massages and also make use of the preferred educational resources available in the market.

Prostate massage is different from the medical procedure digital rectal exam as performed by a medical professional. Prostate massage is once again gaining popularity as doctors discover that prostate massage increases the effectiveness of antibiotics, antimicrobials or herbal remedies by facilitating circulation to the prostate gland. Research studies report that prostate massage is effective in reduction, and in some cases, curing prostate issues without drugs or surgery.

The whole purpose of this external prostate massage is to bring some new fresh circulation to the area and keep it fresh and healthy. Prostate massage is NOT recommended for men with prostate cancer, as you can cause the cancer to metastasize, or for men with a prostate infection, since the infection can spread through the release of bacteria into the blood stream.

According to the precepts of Oriental medicine, massage of this acupressure point is beneficial for optimal prostate health and sexual function. Prostate massage has long been used as a means of maintaining prostate health and to promote increased sexual health. Quite simply, prostate massage stimulates the prostate with a finger or massage tool with the intention of relaxation and/or pleasure. Healthy prostates can also benefit from massage as preventative therapy.

I have always suspected that massage is the key to a healthy prostate anyway and may prevent prostate cancer. It is nice, for once, to find something that is good for your health that does not have to be unpleasant or uncomfortable to use and really feels great. Get more healthy blood to the prostate gland and most prostate problems will disappear. Prostate health is essential for lifelong sexual pleasure and function. Regular ejaculations keep the prostate healthy by stimulating production of fresh prostatic fluid and bringing fresh blood to the area.

What are the benefits of doing this massage. The internal massage is by far the best massage for deep long term benefits. Prostate massage has since long been used as a means of maintaining prostate health, and to promote increased sexual health. Additional benefits of prostate massage include: creating positive energy, burning calories, reducing tension, and eliminating negative emotions like guilt and anger. However, most importantly, it is believed that regular prostate massage can provide numerous benefits like preventing prostate cancer and other prostate problems.

Prostate massage is considered a healthy activity for all men who are not experiencing severe symptoms of a prostate condition and is once again becoming more widely recommended as researchers discover that prostate massage complements and increases the effectiveness of antibiotics, antimicrobials or herbal remedies by facilitating circulation to the prostate gland. Today, it is fast becoming widely recommended, as prostate massage has been discovered to complement and enhance the effectiveness of antimicrobial, antibiotic and herbal remedies by facilitating prostate gland circulation.

Prostate massage is not recommended for men with prostate cancer, as you can cause the cancer to metastasize, or for men with a prostate infection, since the infection can spread. Even if you do not have any problems with your prostate yet, it is recommended that you do a massage once a month to prevent problems. Therefore, the American Urological Association has recommended a yearly prostate examination for every man over age 40 and an immediate examination for any man who develops persistent urinary symptoms If your physician suspects that you have prostatitis or another prostate problem, he or she may refer you to a urologist (a doctor who specializes in diseases of the urinary tract and the male reproductive system) to confirm the diagnosis.

Pay attention to personal life, and cultivate good living habits to prevent excessive fatigue, flu prevention, cut tobacco, alcohol, spicy bogey stimulate diet. A healthy diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards supporting lifelong prostate health. A diet rich in fiber and a clean colon will contribute enormously to a healthy prostate. You can put a stop to this harmful prostate problem from occurring by merely adjusting the things you do today in your life will make a huge difference tomorrow like changing your diet and exercising to deal with enlarged prostate.

A prostate massage is a great way to maintain a healthy prostate or to treat a swollen, painful prostate gland. If you have prostatis, prostate massage is recommended on a weekly basis. Prostate massage is both a therapeutical procedure, when it can relieve some of the prostatic pains or affections, as well as what is the well known prostate exam DRE [Digital Rectal Exam] in the world of prostate gland investigation methods.

Conventional therapies are good but not good enough.

My son Liam was diagnosed with Cerebellar Hypoplasia at ten months old. He received early intervention therapies (PT, OT and SP) from ten months old till he was two and a half years old. We saw some progress in the beginning but the developmental milestone gap widen as he approached his second birthday. He happily participated in most of his therapy sessions, but we noticed strange habits forming like knee locking after a few months of therapy. This was brought to the attention of his therapist and a series of exercises were assigned to help with the knee locking. We tried the suggestions but we didn't see any changes.

When I first learned about the Anat Baniel Method (ABM) I asked my son's doctors and therapists if they were familiar with this therapy and the answer across the board was no.

The Anat Baniel Method for Children has been around for over ten years. The method evolved from the groundbreaking work invented by Moshe Feldenkrais. The ABM for Children method was the brain child of Anat Baniel. Her method found an effective and efficient way to communicate with the childs' brain. The method creates a brain that learns, it transforms the body, the mind and the spirit. Some kids if seen early enough by ABM practitioners no longer suffer from their brain injury. The Anat Baniel Method for children has been so effective that the brain absorbs the injury.

The Anat Baniel Method is endorsed by leading brain plasticity researcher and neuroscientist Dr. Michael Merzenich. The co-founder of Fast ForWord. The Fast ForWord software program has helped many children overcome learning deficiencies by targeting the temporal processing area of the brain.

Anat Baniel's groundbreaking work with special needs children was published in multiple professional trade magazines. There are numerous parental testimonials that state how this method transformed the lives of their children when doctors or other medical professionals told them there was no hope. There is scientific proof that the Anat Baniel Method works.

This excerpt is from Norman Doidge's book, The Brain That Changes Itself

"In the course of my travels I met a scientist who enabled people who had been blind since birth to begin to see, another who enabled the deaf to hear; I spoke with people who had had strokes decades before and had been declared incurable, who were helped to recover with neuroplastic treatments; I met people whose learning disorders were cured and whose IQs were raised; I saw evidence that it is possible for eighty-year-olds to sharpen their memories to function the way they did when they were fifty-five. I saw people rewire their brains with their thoughts, to cure previously incurable obsessions and traumas. I spoke with Nobel laureates who were hotly debating how we must rethink our model of the brain now that we know it is ever changing."

What Anat Baniel figured out before the scientists

There are nine simple elements Anat identified that can be incorporated into all aspects of life that creates a learning brain. The byproduct of this new and improved learning brain is a release of inner spirit and energy that can be visibly seen and felt. Anat calls these fundamentals her nine essentials for vitality. When using any of these nine essentials, a brain MRI will show a visible change in that persons brain map. New paths have been created in the brain and a shift from impossible to possible was made. That is the goal of ABM. ABM aims for transformation.

I attended Anat's three day Move Into Life Seminar in June. A 94 year old woman attended the same workshop. She had a severe curve in her back known as kyphosis or humpback. When we met her on the first day, I only saw the top of her head when standing. Over the course of three days we listened to inspirational stories and experiences and we were guided through a series of movement exercises. On the second day this woman transformed before our very eyes. On the last day of the seminary she stood tall and proud in front of the group with a beautiful smile on her face as she shared her thoughts. She did not believe she would be able to perform the movements in class because of her curved back and arthritic knee. She made a conscious decision to change her attitude and to just go for it. As she continues with her voice cracking and tears in her eyes, she thanks Anat for what she has achieved and for the wonderful gift she has given to human beings.

Do conventional therapy methods work?

Yes and no.

Yes, if the child is almost there and they are being guided by these well intentioned therapist in the right direction.

No, because some of these guided exercises have no meaning to the children. I've seen Liam zone out, move away or cry. What is the point of propping a child up to stand when that same child does not know how to transition from sitting to standing on their own. How will this help the child walk? How does drilling the same movement or sounds over and over help him understand what it means and how to use them. It doesn't unless the child receives these signals from within their brain to initiate these movements. Then they will truly know what it feels like to be standing on their own bones.

Physical, occupational and speech therapist are the best people in the world with the best intentions and enormous patience and dedication. But something is missing from their training.

We made the decision to use ABM in lieu of physical therapy. After making this switch we saw a boy that figured out how to pull himself up to standing. Shortly after we stopped all conventional forms of therapy and we witnessed a more confident Liam taking his first three independent steps.

During our intensive lesson at the Anat Baniel Center in San Rafael, California. The first lesson Liam had with Anat was spent throwing a book on the table hard than soft. He came away with a full understanding of how he affects his environment and people by his touch.

How can we embrace the Anat Baniel Method and bring it to the mainstream?

As PTs, OTs and SPs trained in the ABM for Children method, you have the power to transform the lives of children that come to you direct or through Early Intervention programs.

As a parent of a special needs child, I encourage ever therapist (PT, OT, SP) to sign up for the continuing education classes offered for credit at Anat Baniel's center in San Rafael California. Her methods combined with a therapists dedication and efforts can bring about a revolution.

As with everything in life, to stay ahead of the competition one must continue to learn and better themselves. This also rings true for the physical therapist. Not only is it a requirement to obtain continuing education credits, the number of credits needed vary from state to state making it important for the physical therapist to know and understand his or her individual needs to keep his or her license current. Continuing education physical therapy must also be accredited. Meaning that the course must be recognized by the individual state board of licensing to allow for applicable credit.

For anyone searching for ways to get your physical therapy CEUs, you will find that the options are almost endless. You may opt for the traditional campus based classes to obtain the necessary credits. In this instance, you will physically be present in the classroom and listen to lecture for a set amount of time, pass the given exams to acquire your CEUs. However, you may also opt to use the online version when obtaining your physical therapy credits. Making sure the online class that is offered is accredited is the most important aspect prior to signing up for the class. Then you will be able to access the class from the convenience of your home on your home computer. Allowing the flexibility to fit the class around your current schedule.

Not only does refreshing your skills or learning a new technique better you as an individual physical therapist, it also keeps you in line for the possible promotion or wage increase. Something every working persons desires. In addition, these continuing education physical therapy credits are required to maintain and continue to keep your license active and in good standings. Causing the CEUs to be an imperative yearly occurrence to secure your current job or position.

If taking classes is less than exciting for you, look for engaging and ground breaking courses that will hold your attention and interest making the task o taking continuing education physical therapy courses more enjoyable and tolerable. There are a number of schools that offer some of the newest ideas and techniques as well as updated ideas about the standards of the practice and are able to present them in an attention grabbing fashion. Regardless of your excitement level of taking CEUs, they are a requirement that must be met on a timely basis to keep your license and better you as a professional.

Louis Zhang, Accrmassagetherapycourses.com

Massage has numerous physical, mental, and physiological health benefits. Therapeutic massage is especially important for athletes and military personnel, not only helping the body recover from injury, but also preventing injury and helping to promote increased blood circulation. A well-trained masseur can help keep athletes and soldiers in peak physical condition at any stage of training through sports oriented massage techniques.

Through massage therapy, the body increases blood and lymph cell activity to damaged and deprived areas to stimulate repair. The deep tissue types of massage can help to reduce lactic acid build up and enable muscles to recover easier. Massage can even be used to stimulate breakdown of previous scar tissue and increase the elasticity of the muscles. The benefits help to physically repair and maintain an athlete or soldier's body.

Physiologically, an athlete or soldier's body can endure quite a beating at times. Massage can help reduce tension in the muscles that can cause pain and inflammation. Therapeutic massage can even be preferred over pain medications. Before or after a body's exertion, massage can help to soothe, calm, and relax the individual.

Mentally, an athlete or soldier needs to be constantly prepared. Constantly being on edge or at-the-ready causes anxiety and stress. Theses stressors, though ensuring alertness, also impact performance. Massage can assist in reducing these feelings of anxiety and help with mental acuity.

Working with an experienced masseur and practicing a proper massage routine, many athletes and soldiers can keep their body in peak performance condition. Both athletes and military personnel are dependent on their bodies to keep them in action, and each relies on their body to overcome and succeed beyond normal mental and physical limits. By preventing injuries and stimulating muscles through massage, their bodies will reward them with peak performance.

Occupational Therapy is rooted in Physical therapy; therefore, in order to fully understand where it came from, one must first probe into the history of physical therapy. Physical therapy or physiotherapy can be traced as far back as ancient history. However, irrespective of the time frame, the primary goal of physiotherapy has always been to restore mobility and rehabilitation of the patient. The modern-day definition of Occupational therapy is define as the "use of productive or creative activity in the treatment or rehabilitation of physically or emotionally disabled people", based upon this definition, it is fair to conclude that nothing has changed.

For the sake of clarity and understanding, we will use the words 'occupational therapy' in exchange for 'physical therapy to explain where it came from. The first identification of Occupational therapy was recorded in the days of Hippocrates, the father of medicine. It was during 460BC, when Hippocrates introduced the idea of manually manipulating or massaging to relieve pain. This is also known in some fields as hydrotherapy. From early times the advantages of using this technique was understood and taken to heart to this very day. However, it wasn't until the 19th Century that a unified group of physical/occupational therapists or practitioners surfaced in England as the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Now the therapy practiced in America is identical to the physiotherapy practiced in other countries.

During World War I, many people educated in providing occupational therapy, or reconstruction aid during that time period, assisted injured or hurt soldiers ease their pain. But it wasn't until the early 1920s that the first OT organization was formulated in America by a woman name Mary McMillan. It was formerly known as the American Women's Physical Therapeutic Association. It wasn't long before men joined the group and the Association became known as the American Physical Therapy Association. The change of name brought about a change in curriculum and different requirements had to be met by physical or occupational therapists.