What Is Massage Therapy?
It is is a hands-on manipulation of the soft tissue and joints of the body. This includes muscle, skin, tendons and associated fascia, ligaments and joint capsules. Massage has many diverse physiological effects.
The therapeutic use of massage by a registered massage therapist affects all the systems of the body - in particular, the muscular, circulatory, lymphatic (immune) and nervous systems. Massage therapy has become an important part of general health care for many
people living in today's stressful world.
What's a registered massage therapist?
Since massage therapy is a regulated health profession in Texas, massage therapists must complete 300 hours of education at accredited school and have extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology, assessment, bodywork techniques, and pathology to know when massage is or is not suitable.
To become a registered massage therapist (RMT), the state requires you to complete the 300 hours training and pass the state board examinations, which consist of a written and a practical exam.
Why a career in massage?
The massage therapy market is experiencing an explosive growth. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that Americans visit massage therapists 75 million times each year. That represents nearly one-fifth of the 425 million annual visits to alternative health care providers, and it's between two and four billion dollar of business. Massage is popular among consumers of all ages, with people ages 25 to 34 reporting the highest usage at 24% in the past 12 months. With more and more people turning to natural forms of health care and with aging of the “baby boomers,” the demand for licensed massage therapists continues to grow. Now is an exciting time to learn massage therapy and build your skills.
What can I expect to be paid after being licensed?
This question can have several answers depending on level of involvement - from part-timers to full-timers to entrepreneurs with multiple employees.
The earnings of massage therapy practitioners may vary from $25 per hour for beginning therapists in a spa or clinic to $75 per hour for an experienced massage therapist with an established clientele. The average salary base in the state of Texas for a Massage Therapist is $33,130*, while the National Median is $28,040*. Earnings potential for this career field nationally is $61,160*. (*National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates)
What are employment or business possibilities for graduates?
Very good,
the number of people in the United States that receive massage has doubled between 2000 and 2007 while the number of active therapists has not. According to Natural Health Magazine "Massage therapy has become the fastest growing health care field in the country today." The number of employers has risen, too. Here is a partial list of places that employ massage therapists: chiropractors, health clubs, day spas, resorts, hair salons, cruise ships, hospitals, sports teams, and massage entrepreneurs.
Many students start their own business or work in a preexisting clinic, doctor’s office, hospital, spa, resort, salon, gym or one of the many other existing alternative health opportunities.
What's next after I graduate?
After all the coursework and internship is completed, and tuition paid, you'll receive your transcript. At this time you send an application to the Texas Department of State Health Services-- to take your State Examination. You can check the exact test dates, requirements, etc. on the state website at: www.tdh.state.tx.us/hcqs/plc/massage.htm.
How important is my physical strength for becoming a massage therapist?
In principle, physical strength is not as important a factor as overall fitness for a massage therapist. In our training we teach how to use your body weight to apply pressure instead of relying on muscular strength. This is an important skill since even a very strong therapist can become injured by overusing muscular strength in doing the work. While there are some circumstances where physical strength can be important, you should not shy away from a career in massage because you lack physical strength -- you can succeed without it.
Do you offer home study program?
No, we don't. This program is very much “hands-on” and not suitable for correspondence education.
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