Physical Therapy Schools|Benefits Of Massage Therapy Schools

Low back pain is commonly associated with soft tissue pathology, often with resulting compensatory muscle guarding (spasm). This often involves both the paraspinal and abdominal musculature. Physical rehabilitation, including strengthening of the abdominal and paraspinal muscles through lumbar stabilization protocols has been shown to reduce pain and improve function.

In many cases, muscular pathology is the primary cause and instigator of the chronic low back pain and can be effectively treated with a lumbar stabilization program. Physical therapy is by and large short term and very goal oriented, with the hopeful end result being a patient whose pain has been decreased and having a home program for continued benefit.

Patients are educated on lumbar stabilization exercises and activities designed to prevent further injury to the spine. The overall goals for physical therapy with chronic back pain include the following:

• Promote and maintain function


• Prevent further injury


• Reduce pain and promote return of normal function using modalities (e.g. heat and cold, TENS - transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, ultrasound)

It is imperative that patients remain active participants in their rehabilitation to achieve maximum benefit in cases with relentless chronic LBP. Trigger point injections may be beneficial along with the physical rehabilitation along with chiropractic treatment. Spinal adjustments along with physical therapy may facilitate functional improvement. Spinal decompression therapy may add to pain relief as well.

Many times it's not simply one treatment that makes all the pain go away, it may in fact be a combination of treatments provided. Seeking treatment at a comprehensive pain center may therefore be in the best interest when dealing with recalcitrant chronic low back pain.

Massage therapy has become a very popular means to relieve stress and help relax the body. Because of this, it is widely performed on many people everyday. The medical industry also recognizes that it has many healing benefits for a wide variety of health conditions, and is a great way to restore overall physical and mental well being.

In recent years, this industry has begun to grow at a very fast rate. Many people are finding there are advantages to becoming a massage therapist. One reason is that it is a profession that allows you to help others both physically and mentally. As a result, there have been significant changes in the industry over the past several years. Now, more and more people are signing up to learn how it is done. This, of course, requires a good deal of training, as it is necessary to learn a lot about the human body and all its workings. Now, more massage therapy training facilities are cropping up and people are taking notice.

While the massage school industry continues to grow, the competition is mounting. Because many massage schools are private establishments, smaller, state run schools were not formally a concern. Now, however, more of these vocational institutions are beginning to offer massage therapy training to their mix of other courses and vocations. This is, somewhat, hindering massage schools, who are dedicated to the profession and offer it and only it. These state schools include public technical colleges and community colleges.

Now, enrollment is higher than ever. This is, naturally, causing the graduation rate to rise at an alarmingly high rate. More and more people are seeing massage therapy as a viable industry, one that will not only allow them to help others on a daily basis, but one that will also provide them a way of making good money. There is a lot to be learned in these schools, and some feel that a dedicated school is the way to go. That way, you will receive the most out of your training without having to take other courses that are not related to the industry at all. Still, there is something to be said for taking these courses at a technical school or community college.

When it comes right down to it, it does not matter where you receive massage training, as long as you learn what is necessary to help you work successfully in the industry. Always keep the overall outcome in mind, and remember what you are there to do. When you consider all the advantages it provides, it is no wonder that this useful industry is only continuing to grow.

As people are tending to work longer and longer hours in the office musculoskeletal and repetitive strain injuries are becoming more common in the workplace.

In 2007/08 an estimated 442,000 individuals in Britain, who worked in the last year, believed that they were experiencing work-related stress at a level that was making them ill, according to the Labour Force Survey.

The same survey also indicated that self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for an estimated 13.5 million lost working days in Britain in 2007/08 and that stress and muscular-skeletal problems cause up to 70% of long-term disabilities.

An increasing number of research studies show that massage has a wide range of benefits and research has verified that office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren't massaged.

Although not a definitive list, here is a quick run down of the top 10 benefits of massage:

1. Relieves stress

2. Improves concentration and clarity

3. Alleviates muscle tension and stiffness

4. Increases joint flexibility and range of movement

5. Helps prevent repetitive strain injury

6. Improves circulation of blood and lymph

7. Pumps oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs

8. Improve the condition of the body's largest organ - the skin

9. Strengthens the immune system

10. Helps relieve tension-related headaches and effects of eye-strain

Of course one of the main benefits of massage is the simple fact that it feels so great, especially when it is performed by a trained professional who knows exactly where to apply just the right amount of pressure to relieve those tight tired muscles.

If you want a long career in massage, it's important to treat your thumbs like fine china.

Can you remember the first time your thumbs cried for mercy while massaging? Could it have been when you gave your first neck and shoulder massage? It probably lasted all of about two minutes before your hands, in particular your thumbs, started screaming, right? What are the last words you usually hear right before the neck and shoulder massage you're receiving from your non-massage therapist husband, wife or significant other abruptly ends?

"Ow! My thumbs!"

When I teach hands-on massage to massage therapists in training, the first thing I notice is the predominant use of their thumbs. It's so painful for me just to watch the few seconds I allow it to go on before I school them. As humans, it's a natural instinct to want to use our thumbs. After all, we've been given the wonderful gift of opposable thumbs, it seems a shame not to use them at every opportunity. Especially when we find a big juicy knot in the back that just begs for a monster thumb to dig into it. Unfortunately, for massage therapists, it's not the best idea ~ not if you're hoping for longevity in the bodywork industry.

I like to refer to my thumbs, and my students' thumbs as "Fine China." The first time I told that to a class, they looked at me as if I was a nut. Well, despite the fact that I am kind of nuts, part of the reason, I'm sure, is that about half of the class didn't know what fine china was, let alone what it had to do with their thumbs. I explained that fine china is very delicate, often expensive, porcelain dinnerware that can be easily broken; and, it's only brought out for special occasions. Of course, certain porcelains can be quite rugged, but I was trying to instill a vision in their heads of something delicate and rare that needed to be protected from damage.

Being new in the game, they didn't believe the amount of damage ~ sometimes permanent ~ massaging with heavy thumb use for three to six hours in a row, several days in a row could do. This is de rigeur behavior of newbies (until, that is we start our massage trades when they think they're going to die halfway through their first hour-long massage). Every new class was the same.

"Alright, I'd say," as I set my stopwatch. "Let's have a little demonstration. When I say go, I want you to tap your forefingers and your thumbs together, like this ~ tap tap tap ~ until I tell you to stop. Ready? Set... Go!"

And so the tapping would begin. A symphony of 25 to 30 pairs of thumbs and fingers ~ tap tap tap tap tap ~ two taps per second. Ah, so many students started out quite confident, almost mocking me in their tapping.

"See?" they'd smirk. Tap tap tap... "I can do this ALL day."

Tap tap tap... One minute down... Tap tap tap... two minutes, then three... Wait!

"Is that grimacing I see?" I'd ask smugly. "Keep tapping! Keep up that pace! Don't stop until I say!" I'd command like a Drill Sergeant in Basic Training.

I have to say, I almost enjoyed proving my point, though I knew the pain they were beginning to feel. I wanted it to hurt, just enough so they'd get it. Finally, at four minutes I'd stop them and they would breathe a collective sigh of relief as they'd begin rubbing their aching thumbs.

It's unbelievable that four minutes of simply tapping two digits together can create searing pain in the thumb joint, muscles and tendons, but it can.

In a poll taken by terrarosa.com.au in 2008, thumb injuries accounted for between 65 and 83% of the 64 massage therapists interviewed.

I find that outrageous, and sad.

My first year of working as a full-time massage therapist in a busy spa, I worked injured. The whole year. I endured horrible pain in my hand, due to "Hook of Hamate" that began in massage school, and was constantly seeking some relief from my colleagues between sessions. My injury was due in part to the fact that we were so busy, partly because some of the rooms were too small to employ proper body mechanics, and mostly because I was not properly cautioned in my training against overusing my thumbs. I massage with wanton abandon, thinking I was invincible. As a result, I suffered needlessly while I learned a valuable lesson.

Thankfully, I was able to make some key changes to my work life that allowed my hand to heal; and of course, I really began working on my body mechanics. It helped to work in a room that was actually big enough to do massage, but that's another story for another day.

Where I taught, my students were going to end up with a $12,500 student loan balance upon graduation. I knew, based on my own experience, if I didn't find a way to drill into their heads just how delicate their hands, but especially their thumbs were, they would never manage to pay those loans off as massage therapists, because they'd most likely burn through their thumbs and/or hands in about two years.

I taught them that their hands were their money makers and they had to be treated like the super stars they were.

They had to be pampered and protected at all costs.

Prior to beginning trades we'd warm up by shaking our hands, singing "Shake your money makers!" It was rousing good fun, but it also taught them the importance of warming up prior to doing any bodywork. The invigorating, blood pulsing life evident in their ends at the end of the warm up reminded them what the focus of the whole exercise was.

In the midst of a massage trade where the class, with partners, would trade massages, I'd break the silence as I'd thrust my thumbs into the air, pointing to the heavens.

"What are these?" I'd bark in my finest Drill Sergeant voice.

"FINE CHINA!" chorused the students, massagers and the groggy massaged alike.

"When do we use them?"

"ONLY ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS!"

"Carry on."

Every massage class I've ever taught, I've mercilessly drilled the importance of protecting the thumbs into my students' heads, over and over and over again, so that they never forget what brings home the bacon, so-to-speak.

I was reminded of the importance of thumb consciousness when I saw a Tweet recently from a massage therapist mentioning how her thumb was healing and she could "probably" return to work in a week, or something like that. I'll admit, I don't know the particulars ~ for all I know she could have broken it playing basketball or falling off a bike ~ but the likelihood it was a job related injury is pretty high. If so, there's an example of a therapist losing work because the work she does has created undo stress on her money maker.

It's what prompted me to write this piece.

As most therapists know, thumbs are delicate. It's not too difficult to stress the muscles and tendons to the point of creating nerve damage. And, you don't even have to massage for a living to develop crippling Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I've had several clients who've endured numerous surgeries because they "typed," "put small parts together," or "cleaned teeth" for a living. Anything you do repetitively for long periods of time can cause injury, which can sometimes end up being permanent.

I always struggled with my hands because not only was I a busy massage therapist, but I was also performing music regularly, playing guitar and bass, and in my spare time writing (typing) for hours and hours on end. Add to that home improvement projects and gardening and you've got hands that hurt like the devil most of the time.

I supposed that's what made me more conscious of hand safety, and such an advocate for hand, in particular, thumb well-being. For bodyworkers, and massage therapists specifically, your thumbs and your hands are your livelihood and shouldn't be taken for granted that they'll get you all the way to retirement. Treated right, they can take you all the way. Treat them wrong, and they'll take you nowhere.

Raises fists and points thumbs to the sky.

What are these?

FINE CHINA!!!

When do we use them?

ONLY ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS!

Carry on.

Massage therapy is a profession that requires proper self-care and body mechanics in order to prevent musculoskeletal injury from overuse. Recovery from overuse injuries requires time and patience, but with the proper care and reassessment of technique and body mechanics, full recovery is often possible.

Overuse injuries often sneak up subtly over time. The damage begins long before you experience any symptoms, so even if you feel strong and healthy now, your body mechanics may cause pain and discomfort down the road. Don't wait for the first sign of pain to reevaluate your massage techniques.

The key to injury recovery is to work smarter, not harder. You may need complete rest from labor-intensive work for a period of time in order for the injured body part to fully heal. Taking advantage of the healing power of bodywork as part of your massage self-care may help speed your recovery.

As frustrating as an injury can be, it's also an opportunity to rethink your whole approach to massage therapy. You may discover through this process of reflection a new vision and energy for bodywork that drives you to improve your massage techniques or shift into a new form of bodywork.

Improving your body mechanics includes reassessing the foundation of your approach to massage. Focus on the basics of ergonomics and body awareness. As you relearn massage techniques, open yourself up to change, even minor changes. Even if you think your technique is flawless, there may be a subtle change you can make that reduces the stress on your body and prevents reinjury.

Fine-tune your technique by studying your body movement in front of a mirror. Practice on a friend or family member with a mirror across from the massage table until you feel comfortable with the new technique. Watching your massage techniques in the mirror promotes self-awareness and constructs a more objective framework for self-assessment.

Adjust the height of the massage table to your own height, your client's needs, and your modality. If you use a pneumatic rolling stool, adjust the height for proper body alignment. A healthy mix of sitting on a massage stool and standing prevents you from working in the same position all day and helps to balance stress throughout the body.

Working in two or three modalities or types of bodywork also balances out the stress load of your body. Consider diversifying your bodywork practice to include less demanding modalities, such as Hawaiian lomi lomi, barefoot massage, shiatsu, Thai massage, hot stone massage, and energy work.

If you choose to specialize largely in one massage modality, expand your technique by massaging with your forearms, fists, elbows, and knuckles to alleviate undue stress on your wrists, thumbs, and fingers. If you place excessive demands on any one body part, you are opening the door to reinjury.

When you are ready to ease back into massage therapy, make the transition a gradual one. Start with one massage per week and increase your number of massage sessions very gradually. Learn your limits and respect them. It's better to increase the intensity of your massage routine too slowly than to risk reinjury.

Neglecting self-care and proper body mechanics as a massage therapist may threaten your ability to provide your clients with the quality of treatment they deserve. The more self-care and self-awareness you practice, the better your chances of a long and healthy career in massage therapy.

A physical therapy aide's job can be demanding as well as challenging. They carry out important duties such as assisting patients when needed to walk with crutches as well as other needed equipment. Responsibilities can include helping a physical therapist and assistants prepare the equipment needed for the days sessions. They will work directly under a physical therapist as well as the medical doctors. They are also responsible for at times keeping records as well as checking on the progress of patients. Depending on experience as well as which state you reside in will depend on a physical therapy aide salary.

Physical therapy aides help a therapist achieve their patient goals as well as help to make a session with a patient productive. Aides are under the supervision of the physical therapist in most settings. Statistics have shown that in 2008 there were around sixty thousand physical therapy assistant jobs available and around forty thousand vacancies for physical therapy aides.

In order to work as a physical therapy aide a student is not required to have completed an accredited program. This career does not require an associate's degree but there are many certification courses available, as well as experience that can help with employment. In order to be able to participate in a program a student generally must have obtained a high school diploma. Many of the employers provide in-house training. This profession does not require a license nor do they have to sit a board exam in order to work.

The US Bureau of Labor statistics have shown that job opportunities are excellent and more and more opportunities are presenting themselves and have rapidly grown over the recent years as opposed to other similar occupations. A P.T. aide salary potential is between $24,000 annually or $11.49 per hour, whereas a physical therapy assistant will earn around $49,000 annually and around $23.00 per hour.

In order to find out how much one earns in the various different states you can make use of the salary calculator at salary.com which will define the salary scale in each city in the US.

Overall the main job description for this rehabilitation profession is to keep the treatment area of a physical therapists practice organized and clean, as well as prepare the treatment room for each patient's therapy and treatment. Often the P.T. Aide will also make sure that a patient goes to and from the treatment area safely.

A physical therapy aide salary will be influenced by factors such as their education level as well as the city of employment as well as experience. The more experience a aide has the better the salary scale will be and they can earn around $10 to $15 an hour to begin with and after around fifteen years experience they can earn $20 to $25 an hour. For more information a student can contact the Bureau of Labor Statistics and request their occupational outlook handbook which will give the salary scales for all 50 states.

Touch is the most vital sensation in the human body. In fact, its use as a medical device extends to almost the most ancient periods in human history. This means that massage therapy for sciatica is indeed possible, but it has to be administered with the full knowledge of the correct points on the human body that would be useful to in alleviating the nerve pain due to this condition.

Sciatica pain relief is often something that people only dream about. For one, only about twenty percent of people suffering from the condition know that they are actually suffering from a medical condition with definite causes and definite treatment. Many people just wait it out until they outgrow the condition, or some just get used to it, as if pain was nothing and one could simply ignore throbbing pain in regular intervals.

Sciatica pain is often linked with poor posture and the poorer condition of the lower lumbar area of the whole human spinal cord and column. Back pain treatment seems to be a wonderful way to take care of sciatica pain relief, and we simply have to take into consideration the safe ways that pressure may be applied to an area as vital and as sensitive as the human back.

Lower back muscle pain is often associated with poor posture, which means that you really have to improve the way you walk, you sit and the way you rise after sitting. Inappropriate posture means you are setting yourself up for problems, since back pain, when it is there; it remains embedded in your cellular memory already.

Sciatica physical therapy often involves the use of wonderful stretching positions and flexibility programs to ease the pressure off the lower back. In the final analysis, physical therapy provides that one beacon of hope where one need not be tied to taking pills on a daily basis just to control the pain. What happens is that the gas that builds up between the gaps in the human tissue are able to dissipate with the proper physical therapy.

Exercise for sciatic pain is often not that difficult, you just have to follow certain guidelines so that the exercises themselves target the most vital parts of the body that are affected by the different factors involved. The treatment itself is an ongoing thing that should always be pegged on continuous and progressive improvement. Do not limit yourself simply because you are experiencing some relief now.

The best way to go about it is to train your body from thereon to walk and position itself without causing too much strain on the back. Do this and you are already setting yourself up for so many victories.

Exercise can bring you that much needed sciatica pain relief - but only and only if you can promise yourself that you would be taking much better care of your whole body in the future. This is the best way to go about things.

If you are single, you know the feeling of wanting to be held, touched, cherished; that need for passionate touch, comforting touch, any kind of touch - and the suffering that results from having no one to give you that touch.

It's not so well-known that many married people and people in relationships also suffer from the unfulfilled need for touch, physical comfort and passion. Their story is different from that of singles, and the reasons for the absence of touch in their relationship may be varied, from a good relationship gone bad to health issues involving one of the spouses.

Most of us crave touch and can't live well without it. Having to live without can be excruciating. So what does a person do when there is nobody to meet the need for touch? You learn to satisfy some of your craving for touch for and by yourself.

The truth is, until you are in a loving, long-term, touchy-feely, intimate relationship, your need for touch will not be completely satisfied. If that is not motivation to get your fanny out of your chair and resolve the relationship issues that are keeping you from having a loving, touchy-feely, long-term relationship, I don't know what is.

The need for touch is very much like the need for food. You may satiate yourself for today, but tomorrow the need will arise again. Be prepared when the need arises daily. Pick a few suggestions below and practice them daily to keep your craving for touch at bay. Reducing your craving for touch will make it easier for you to make better relationship choices.

Speaking of cravings, here are things NOT to do to get your need for touch met:

* Do not hook up with an unavailable, married or otherwise involved person just because you need to be touched.

* Do not settle for a relationship or a partner you don't really want just to have someone who will touch you.

* Do not cheat to get your need for touch met.

If you do any of these, you will end up with a little fun and a little touch, and then a whole lot of headaches and love trouble. When the love trouble starts the touch will go away and you will be brokenhearted and without touch again.

Healthy ways to satisfy your need for touch:

1. Stimulate your skin

One of the things you are missing when you don't get enough touch is sensory stimulation of the skin. Help yourself to get more sensory stimulation by deliberately choosing the softest sheets, blankets and pillows, and very soft and even silky clothing. Pay attention to the objects that surround you throughout the day and see if you can make them specifically pleasing to touch.

2. Give yourself comfort and pleasure

Touch provides us with comfort and pleasure, and not just sexual pleasure. When you are not touched, it is hard to feel comforted and hard not to crave pleasure. To help, find ways to comfort yourself. Try a soothing cup of tea, a heart-centered meditation, listening to sweet music or reading poetry. Try going for a brisk walk to feel the pleasure of the sun or wind on your skin. Go for a swim to feel the pleasure of water on your skin. Walk barefoot in the grass to feel the softness of grass on your toes. You get the idea.

3. Get hugs and cuddles

Even when you don't have a lover to touch you, you still need to be hugged and cuddled - get a pet for this. Studies show that people with pets experience less stress. The act of petting an animal brings pleasure and provides a way to physically connect with a being that loves you. You could even take your pet to bed with you and cuddle it, especially if it's a puppy or a kitten.

4. Pay someone to touch you

No, not like that! Find a loving and safe masseur or masseuse and get a weekly massage. Many people resist going this route, as they feel uneasy having a stranger touch them. But if you find the right person, he or she will be able to comfort and nurture you in a respectful and fulfilling way. If money is an issue, call your local massage school and schedule an appointment at their clinic. At a school clinic you can get a great massage for about $25. If you like the person and help him or her build a practice, you may be able to get massages at that price for a very long time.

5. Give and get hugs

Hug and ask to be hugged by the people in your life. Hugs will help you get your need for touch met. Ask friends and family for hugs and give lots of hugs to your kids. Everyone will appreciate the extra touch, and everyone involved will be better off. (Needless to say, do not give hugs to folks who have not given you some level of permission to do so, and do not hug children you are not related to unless that child's parent explicitly approves.)

6. Touch yourself

Yes, that way too. But primarily give yourself a foot massage, a neck rub or a hand massage. Or climb into a bath and rub yourself all over with a loofa or a soft cloth.

7. Move your body

Exercise, dance, walk. Moving your body will heighten your endorphins, make you fit and help you feel good about your body. And moving simply feels good to the body. In the absence of touch, body pleasure is what you want to get more of.

8. Controversial ways to get your need for touch met

I have read about cuddle parties, where you meet with others to cuddle only, and where boundaries concerning other physical behaviors are specifically verbalized and respected. If that interests you, Google "cuddle parties" on your computer. Alternatively, you can get a cuddle buddy. A cuddle buddy would be someone with whom you would cuddle only. If you do find a cuddle buddy, be sure that both of you are very clear on what is and is not going to happen and how the two of you feel about each other.

Your need for touch is natural and normal. It will be great when you have someone wonderful in your life to hold, touch and love. Until that day, take care of your own need for physical touch using the suggestions above, and you will find yourself happier and less hungry for touch.

I believe it is fair for me to say that many of the practices I work with are now feeling some effects from this recession. This is not unexpected as this recession has affected every type of business and every size of business.

I often find that the most important factor affecting physical therapy practices during these economic times is the attitude of the practice owner. I see some practice owners waiting for it all to go away while others are fighting for every bit of business they can create. This last group of practice owner is still doing well. I believe it is all about attitude. The key choice for you as a practice owner is to be upbeat, positive and confident so that you can attract new clients and keep your existing clients. When this attitude exists throughout an entire team, I find that client numbers are stable and even growing.

I would like to share with you today the 5 rules professional services businesses need to learn about surviving this recession, as I see them.

The five rules:

Rule 1: Identify Where the Opportunities Lie

Look to where the opportunities lie for retaining your existing clients and winning new ones.

Here are examples of potential opportunities for both of these scenarios.

For retaining existing clients, you need to give them the best services you can offer and do this consistently. Look for times and places in your practice where this may not be the case. Make changes in these areas immediately. Your loyal clients deserve this.

One way to succeed in getting new clients is to make sure your loyal customers know how to pass the word along to their friends and families. Make it easy for them by giving them referral cards to use for this purpose. And just as important, show your appreciation when they do give you a referral.

Rule 2: Target Your Marketing to Segments of Your Community Which are Underserved

To do more business, identify who in your community could significantly benefit from physical therapy services and is currently underserved. Next look to partner with other businesses who serve these same people but with other services than yours. This is a great way to reach a new market quickly and easily.

The keys here are seeking out new markets and then partnering with other businesses to attract them to your services.

Here is an example to demonstrate this rule. Let's say you uncover that young adults in your community are underserved, particularly those involved in competitive sports. You also truly love working with young athletes. You decide to contact some sport associations and sport coaches to determine how together you can better meet the needs of young athletes. You decide that you could do some combined programming, attend some special events, and sponsor an event. Do you see how this works, and how truly magical it can be to partner with others?

Rule 3: Close the Gap Between What Your Customers Need and What You Offer

I think you would be surprised if you asked your clients what they need from you. To do more business, it is critical to ask what more they want from you and what they need from you to get back to living their lives as they want.

Your expertise lies in knowing what they need in the way of clinical services. This is only a part of what your clients need. Ask them and find out what they say.

Let's say that you hear from your customers that they really would like to get involved in a swim program to stay limber after their therapy plan is completed. You had never thought of this before! So you decide to start one yourself or partner with an existing pool program. Now you are meeting the needs of more clients and you have another revenue source.

Rule 4: Go After Bad Costs

Remember that not all costs are the same. It is important to distinguish between "good" costs and costs that are not helping you grow your practice. You also need to identify what I call "hidden" costs, those that may not be so obvious to you.

An example of a good costs is one that helps you create a customer journey that your clients value. It will pay off many times over. An example of hidden costs is when one of your team members is not a peak performer and may be affecting the morale of others. This person is costing you money, literally!

Put your focus on dealing with the bad and hidden costs.

Rule 5: Revamp Your Processes

Consider revamping these four core processes in order to attract new clients, retain existing ones, and reduce bad costs:

• The customer journey in and through your practice to make it world class.


• Customer research and communications to establish how they perceive your services.


• Performance management for improved performance of your employees.


• Business Planning: having a plan!

When you are confident these processes are the best they can be, meaning that each process meets the needs of your customers very, very well, then you will keep the customers you have, they will tell others about their great experience with you and you will be bringing new people into your clinic. 

Act now on these 5 rules for surviving the recession!

The ancient civilizations of the Chinese, Egyptians, Hindus and Persians used massage therapy as a principal treatment for many an ailment. Now, the fact that Americans spend 6 billion dollars annually on massage therapy gives an idea of its popularity in treating a wide range of disorders.

It is important to clearly differentiate massage therapy from sensual massage, as the word 'massage' calls to mind massage parlors, which were used to peddle sex. Today, health professionals who are well trained, certified and insured give the therapy in a clinical and comfortable atmosphere.

Massage is part art and part science. Hands manipulate the skin, muscles, soft tissues, joints, tendons and ligaments. The therapist strokes, kneads, squeezes, presses or taps to achieve the aim of treatment. The patient is made comfortable, and some lubricants like oil, cream, jelly or lotion are applied. The therapist keeps the patient covered and exposes only the area that he is working on. A typical massage session lasts about an hour.

The massage relaxes the muscles and soft tissues, improves circulation, stimulates the lymphatic system and calms the nerves. There are a wide range of mental and physical disorders for which massage therapy is very beneficial. It eases tension, knots, cramps and spasms in the muscles. Massage therapy is a prime component of most relaxation therapies and stress management. As stress is perceived to be the root cause of many problems like cardiac diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorder and hypertension, stress management via massage therapy is an excellent supporting treatment for these disorders. There are quite a variety of massages - some for general purpose and some others targeting a specific problem. Some of the popular ones are Swedish massage, sports massage, shiatsu, acupressure, aromatherapy, neuromuscular therapy and prenatal pregnancy massage.

Today's therapists are trained in professional schools, both in theory and practice. They need to pass a board examination and many states have certification standards. Therapists are registered with their professional associations. These associations like the National Certified Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work (NCTMB), Associated Massage and Body Work Professional (AMBP) and American massage therapy Association (AMTA) set a high standard of professional ethics and competency.

This is a treatment well suited to hectic modern lifestyles even without any illness, and has no comparative competition in relaxing the body and mind, and relieving stress.