Massage Professionals Article Archive

by Linda Fehrs, LMT

At the beginning of each new year we often start out with the good intention of resolving to eliminate bad habits and replacing them with life enhancing ones. We promise ourselves to eat healthier, exercise more, spend quality time with family and friends, contribute or volunteer time to charity and a myriad of other good deeds.

But each year also seems to become more stressful as we try to cope with changes around us and survive in a world that has become more technologically oriented and more complex. As massage therapists we interact on a one-to-one basis with our clients. Maintaining balance in our own lives is important not only in being able to be content in our own lives, but to be of value to them as well.

Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, doesn't take credit for inventing the concepts he writes about, only identifying and writing about what he calls "universal, timeless and self-evident 'principles.'" These principles, if applied, can serve to enhance and give depth and meaning to your personal life and your massage practice.

Incorporating the Seven Habits
1. Be Proactive - Being proactive is about taking responsibility for your life and not blaming or turning that responsibility over to others. Be proactive rather than reactive to the circumstances that exist around you. Proactive people use words like "I can and I will." A reactive person says, "I can't, I have to, if only" and feels they have no choice, no free will.

There are times when you may need to be proactive in your practice. If you are just starting out, or if the economy is sluggish, you need to be assertive in letting others know who you are and what you are doing. During times when clients seem to be too busy for a massage, or assume they cannot afford what they consider a luxury, you need to feel comfortable about sending reminders and perhaps making concessions in pricing such as holiday specials or reduced price gift certificates. Rather than sitting around depressed or feeling embittered because of circumstances around you, find ways to create an optimistic attitude and become empowered by focusing on those things you can control.

2. Begin With The End in Mind - As children we are often asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" You need to ask yourself similar questions. What will it take to achieve your dream - for your practice and personal life to evolve into what you envision it to be? Think of this in terms of your overall business - where is my practice going? Where will I be in one year, five years or even 10 years? Think of it also with regard to each client you work with. How can I help this client achieve the optimum benefit from massage? What is the goal? Each step you take in the 'now' is one step closer to your future.

3. Put First Things First - Proceeding one step at a time will help you from tripping over yourself or getting in your own way. Prioritize your life, including your family, business and time for yourself. Don't overextend obligations at the cost of losing something valuable. Is it all that important to work a 12-hour day at the expense of not spending time with your spouse or child? Is skipping lunch or not getting enough exercise in order to fit in one more client as important as your health? Putting first things first is about maintaining healthy balance in your life and managing your time. Taking care of yourself may be the best way you can continue to take care of others.

4. Think Win-Win - Modern culture seems to stress winning, sometimes at a high price. But in the game of win or lose, does anyone really come out ahead? Winning and losing is based on comparison and competition, sometimes unfairly. Win-win is based on cooperation and, "is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions," writes Covey. A win-win situation comes about when you approach potential conflict with integrity, maturity and an abundance mentality. That is, you remain true to your feelings, values and commitments; you express your ideas with consideration for others; and, you know there is plenty for everyone. Personal lives and businesses don't need to be either/or situations. There doesn't have to be a winner and loser. We can strive to greater heights together.

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood - Do you really pay attention to what others have to say? Do you hear what your client is saying during intake, or has it become just a formality? Do you ask and listen for feedback from your client during a session? How annoying is it when you speak to someone and know they aren't really listening, but simply waiting to tell you what they have to say? We often selectively listen to others and filter what is said through our own reference frames. But just as we want to be understood, so too do others. As massage therapists, we take in information through initial intakes, feedback during sessions and by touch. Make sure you really listen to what each client has to say.

6. Synergize - Work with others! Consider the effectiveness of creative cooperation. Synergy is all about more being better. It is about open-minded teamwork. It is about bringing in fresh ideas and finding new solutions to old problems. Get together with other massage therapists as well as other alternative healthcare professionals and learn from each other. Provide workshops together. Create a multi-practitioner office. Join professional organizations. Our differences not only make us unique as individuals but also contribute to the strength and unity of the whole.

7. Sharpen the Saw - Grow, change and evolve. Read and study. Take continuing education courses. Learn new techniques; deepen your knowledge about those things you already know. Spend time with nature. Meditate. Try your hand at creative endeavors - art, music or dance. Exercise not only your body, but also your mind and spirit. "Feeling good doesn't just happen," writes Covey, "Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. It's all up to you."

The problems and conflicts we have are universal. So, too, according to Covey, are the solutions.

Earn continuing education credit for this article contained in our Marketing Massage and the Economy series. Click here to enroll.

Resources:

Benjamin, Ben E., Ph.D, and Sohnen-Moe, Cherie. The Ethics of Touch. Tucson, Arizona: Sohnen-Moe Associates, Inc., 2003.

Covey, Stephen. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. 15th Anniversary Edition. New York: Free Press/Simon & Schuster, Ó1989, 2004.

Covey, Stephen. The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. New York: Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 2005.

by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.

Since the next generation of video games stormed the market in 2006, Nintendo’s Wii games have transformed the living rooms of countless Americans. Requiring gamers to engage their body’s muscles for physical activity, Wii’s unique design creates a virtual playground in front of a television. Bringing computerized gaming to new heights, Wii fuses competitive athleticism into fun and addictive games. Unfortunately, such a combination is an ideal recipe for causing repetitive motion injuries.

Repetitive motion injuries are some of the most common, painful, soft tissue problems in the United States, making up over 50 percent of all athletic-related injuries seen by physicians. Unfortunately, repetitive motion injuries can be disabling for an extended period of time if appropriate and timely treatment is not sought. As one of the healthcare professionals most likely to assist with soft tissue injuries, massage therapists have the knowledge and tools to be instrumental in healing repetitive motion injuries.

The motion-sensitive technology activated by moving Wii’s controllers simulates actions like wielding a sword, swinging a tennis racket or punching a boxing opponent. Long hours spent waving Wii’s controllers around quickly add up to intense physical exertion. Thus, playing Wii commonly results in the kinds of aches and pains common with more familiar forms of exercise. More specifically, excessive Wii play has been known to result in carpal tunnel syndrome, back and knee pain, shoulder and elbow strains.

Although similar to playing sports, four of Wii’s characteristics that might render someone more likely to injure themselves include:

1. Time Restrictions – Real sports have time restrictions such as a boxing match consisting of a specified number of timed rounds. However, virtual gaming eliminates these restrictions by allowing someone to play until they drop.

2. Narrow Physical Exertion – Real sports involve many aspects of physicality but virtual gaming calls upon a specific set of actions. When you play a real tennis match, half of the time is devoted to hitting balls while the rest is devoted to chasing those balls. When playing tennis on Wii, you only perform the ball hitting motion which increases your chances of sustaining a repetitive motion injury.

3. Warm-up – Before engaging in a demanding sporting event, athletes are careful to warm up their muscles and joints first. However, many people who play Wii don’t realize the game’s demand on the body and skip a highly advisable warm-up.

4. Accessibility – Having Wii inside your home where you can play it whenever and with whomever you want (including playing solo) makes it a terrifically accessible game. Real sports games typically require opponents, are often dependant on the weather and can require travel, reservations, other team members or specialized equipment.

The most common types of repetitive motion injuries are tendonitis – inflammation of a tendon and bursitis – inflammation of a bursa sac. Regardless of which type of soft tissue is involved, repetitive motion disorders involve microscopic tears. When the body is unable to repair the tears in the tissue as fast as they are being made, inflammation occurs, leading to a painful sensation. In addition, injured tendons or bursa are frequently guilty of irritating a nearby nerve.

Massage therapy is useful for repetitive motion injuries because it can relax the muscles along the route of the inflamed tendon or bursa. According to a study by the Touch Research Institute at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine, researchers found that massage was able to bring a significant reduction in pain and other symptoms of the most common repetitive motion injury, carpal tunnel syndrome. Especially when a bodyworker knows how to test for various types of nerve entrapments and can devise an effective treatment plan to release nearby muscle tension and free the nerve, massage therapy can dramatically improve repetitive motion injury pain.

Confirmed by retailers across the country, the number of people getting active with Wii is expanding daily. While this trend is popularizing fitness, it is also causing more repetitive motion injuries. Thankfully, skilled massage therapists can bring their clients relief from the numbness, pain and tingling associated with the soft tissue injuries typically sustained by exuberant Wii players.

Recommended Study:
Nerve Mobilization
Sports Massage

References:

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB116441076273232312-3nPirhZn20_L2P7m_ROtFUkh6yA_20071124.html, A Wii Workout: When Videogames Hurt, Jamin Warren, Retrieved November 29, 2008, The Wall Street Journal, November 2006.

http://stanford.wellsphere.com/massage-spa-article/repetitive-stress-injuries-and-massage/371022, Repetitive Stress Injuries and Massage, Retrieved November 30, 2008, Wellsphere, 2008.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/repetitive_motion_injuries/page7_em.htm, Repetitive Motion Injuries, Retrieved November 30, 2008, WebMD Inc, 2008.

http://www.kidshealthnotes.com/2008/05/05/sports-injuries-from-playing-nintendo-wii-orthopedic-expert-weighs-in/, Sports injuries from playing Nintendo Wii - orthopedic expert weighs in, GRACE, Retrieved November 29, 2008, Kids Health Notes, May 2008.

by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.

Rocking the lifestyles of many Americans, the downward financial spiral during the final months of George W. Bush's presidency is beginning to take its toll on business owners. Unfortunately, most massage therapists are self-employed and not exempt from our nation's economic decline. For those who operate their own practice, bodyworkers are recognizing that just like the rest of American business owners, their economic survival lies in operating within a tighter budget. Although slimming down a budget involves cutting costs, bodyworkers need to carefully discriminate between cuts that will help their business flourish and cuts that could demolish it.

Good Cuts
There are many things a business owner can do to help their fiscal bottom line. Saving money in a massage practice can be accomplished in many ways. While there are many more approaches to tightening a massage business's purse strings, a few suggestions include:

· Bulk - Purchase massage oil or lotion in bulk, then refill a reusable container. Or, buy necessities in bulk and then split the goods and cost with others.

· Sublet - Rent your office or treatment rooms to other professionals when not being used by you.

· Brown Bag - Bring your lunch from home instead of going out to eat.

· Reduce Overstock - For therapists who supplement their services by selling some kind of health-related product, restrain must be exercised when ordering product. Unless your supplier allows you to return unsold product for a full refund, keeping a back stock is money that may go down the drain. For that reason, keep a small amount of product on hand and order as needed.

· Donate - To help others in need and get a break on your taxes, donate money to a tax-deductible charity.

Bad Cuts
Whether seeking help online, in business development centers, with a financial advisor or within the pages of books or magazines, there are many resources available for keeping a positive cash flow in your business. Businesses can increase their prices or look for savings in other areas to offset their costs. However, massage therapists must always select their budget cuts with their clients in mind.

Cutting in areas that decrease professionalism, detract from the client's experience, reduce therapeutic effectiveness or compromise safety or infection control are definitely not worth the financial savings. Examples of unwise budget cuts in the massage profession include:

· Time Scrimp - Although shortening a 60-minute massage to 45 minutes can allow the therapist to fit more clients into a specified time block, this change will negatively impact your business. Unless you are up front about this time change and correlate it with a decrease in price, your clients are likely to feel shortchanged.

· Cleanliness Cut - Hiring an office cleaner once a month instead of once a week can save you a lot of money. However, if you don't pick up the slack, your clients will notice the accumulation of dust, dirt and grime. Neglecting the cleanliness of your office communicates a lack of respect for your practice and discredits your professionalism.

· Sheet Flipping - While you may wear a pair of pants twice before throwing them in the wash, the same does not apply to massage therapy linens. Done by those who want to save on their laundry costs, the dubious practice of sheet flipping negates infection control policies and is a surefire way to spread pathogens.

Most massage therapists who own their business are likely to be affected by our economy's downturn. To stay in business, most of these individuals will be looking for ways to save capital. In order to distinguish between cuts that are sound and those that are not, always perceive the proposed change through the eyes of your clients. Because the financial cuts you make have the potential to attract or repel current and future customers, each one must be carefully evaluated.

Earn continuing education credit for this article contained in our Marketing Massage and the Economy series. Click here to enroll.

References:

http://gmj.gallup.com/content/110995/Dont-Cut-Corners-Your-Customers.aspx, Don't Cut Corners With Your Customers, William J. McEwen, Retrieved November 12, 2008, Gallup Management Journal, Gallup, Inc., October 2008.

http://imassage.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-massage-therapists-can-survive.html, How Massage Therapists Can Survive the Economic Downturn, Retrieved November 12, 2008, Tara Thompson, LMT, September 2008.

by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.

Massage therapy’s gradual acceptance into mainstream medicine has brought an increased responsibility to its practitioners. This responsibility is being met by states, municipalities and professional organizations that assure proficiency and ethics with massage therapy regulation. Despite this need, the requirements for practicing massage vary dramatically across the United States.

Although the exact numbers are unknown, the state with one of the largest concentrations of bodyworkers also has one of the least uniform standards for massage therapists (MTs) in this country. This lack of regulation permits those with little education to practice and inhibits the reputation of the entire massage profession. Fortunately, newly signed legislation has the potential to put massage’s questionability in the past.

Recognition and Rights
Massage therapy is being increasingly recognized for its healing potential. Due in large part to research being conducted according to the scientific method and then being published in medically respected journals, massage therapy is finally gaining universal acknowledgement for its therapeutic benefits.

Prospective clients have a right to expect that a massage therapist has the qualifications needed to practice effectively and safely. Thus, legal recognition of the practice of massage therapy and clearly stated requirements to practice are essential for promoting the profession and protecting the health and safety of the general public. A majority of U.S. states understand the gravity of this responsibility to its citizens and have enacted state boards and licensure requirements that massage therapists are held accountable to.

How Many Massage Therapists?
Although there is no reliable data on the number of MTs legally practicing in California, analysts suspect this state to have the greatest proportion of practitioners. Regardless of which source looked upon, California has the greatest number of MTs in any of the states.

· While self-employed MTs are not included in their estimates, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Employment Statistics from May 2007 recorded California as having the highest number of employed massage practitioners in the country. The four states with the greatest concentration of employed MTs were: California with 7,240, Florida with 4,150, Texas with 3,120 and New York with 2,330. Again, this data does not included self-employment – the most common way MTs earn a living.

· Of these four states, all but California have state regulated massage therapy boards. According to these boards, the actual number of licensed MTs is as follows: Florida with 28,000, Texas with 26,000 and New York with 15,000. By extrapolating these statistics, California likely has over 30,000 practicing massage therapists.

How Much Education?
The states with massage therapy boards are leading the advancement of this profession into the future. Among other responsibilities, these boards mandate a certain level of education to assure the public that their practitioners know enough to safely and competently practice this healing modality. Unfortunately, California’s lack of a massage therapy board has put a drag on the profession. Of the states with the most MTs who have enacted legislation, the following number of hours is required to be completed in an approved certified massage therapy program:

· Florida – 500 hours
· Texas – 500 hours
· New York – 1,000 hours

Massage therapy is the largest healthcare profession in California without consistent statewide regulation. The profession is currently controlled by numerous county and city laws and, in some cities, there are no requirements at all. However, Governor Schwarzenegger changed this dynamic by signing California Senate Bill 731 into law on September 27, 2008. This legislation poises California to unify and improve its massage therapy standards. Some highlights of Bill 731 include:

· Definitions of what titles MTs may use

· Forming a Massage Therapy Organization (MTO) that will oversee statewide certification of MTs

· Two tiers of certification: Massage Practitioner requiring 250 hours of education from an approved school and Massage Therapist requiring 500 hours of education from an approved school

· The intention of the MTO is to accept applications and begin issuing certificates in September of 2009

Medical professionals’ understanding that the human body can benefit so much from massage therapy is cause for celebration. However, this realization places an urgent demand on bodyworkers to endure adequate training. Now that the state with the largest number of practicing MTs has begun a uniform licensing process, the profession can emerge from any doubtfulness of massage’s capabilities. Despite the allowance of Bill 731 for a massage practitioner to have half the education of a massage therapist, California is at least finally on the right track.

References:

http://data.bls.gov/oes/datatype.do, Occupational Employment Statistics: Massage Therapy, Retrieved November 18, 2008, US Department of Labor, 2008.

http://www.amtamassage.org/government/mt_regulations.html, Why We Need Massage Therapy Regulations, Retrieved November 17, 2008, American Massage Therapy Association, 2008.

http://www.futurehealth.ucsf.edu/pdf_files/massage_therapists.pdf, Massage Therapists in California, Tina McRee, Retrieved November 20, 2008, University of California, San Francisco, The Center for the Health Professions, September 2003.

http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=4313&catid=massage-therapy-title-act-sb731-signed-into-california-law&title=, Massage Therapy Title Act, SB731 Signed Into California Law, Retrieved November 20, 2008, Massage Magazine, October 2008.

http://www.massagemag.com/Resources/massage-laws-legislation.php, Massage Laws and Regulation, Retrieved November 20, 2008, Massage Magazine, Inc., 2008.

http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=13882&MERCURYSID=da9a0347fc9f974ba80c58f56b09b37c, Certification in California, Dixie Wall, Retrieved November 17, 2008, Massage Today, November 2008.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/massage/SA00082, Massage: A relaxing method to relieve stress and pain, Retrieved November 20, 2008, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008.

http://www.ncbtmb.org/about_faq.php#6, Frequently Asked Questions, Retrieved November 19, 2008, National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, 2008.

http://www.op.nysed.gov/article155.htm, Education Law: Article 155, Massage Therapy, Retrieved November 20, 2008, Office of the Professions, New York State Education Department, 2008.

http://www.sfdph.org/dph/EH/Massage/default.asp, Massage Licensing Program, Retrieved November 18, 2008, San Francisco Department of Public Health, 2008.

Michael De La Cruz, Program Specialist, Perfusionist Advisory Committee
DSHS Professional Licensing & Certification Unit - MC 19, Massage Therapists in Texas, Personal email, November 20, 2008.