Massage Therapy Schools Offer Alternative Healthcare Training

As patients turn to alternative medicine and holistic healthcare options, massage therapists are seeing more career opportunities. Most new massage therapy students are surprised to learn about the range of careers and modalities available within the field.

Different types of massage, called modalities, exist for different needs. Acupressure, sports massage, and Swedish massage are just a few of more than 80 modalities in which trained massage therapists can specialize. Massage therapy as a practice extends back 2,400 years, when the Greek physician Hippocrates noted the medical benefits of "friction."

Natural Health and Holistic Medicine Programs
Today, massage therapy school offers students a chance to practice alternative medicine on patients who are tired of hospitals, prescriptions, and modern options for pain. The shift towards holistic medicine is expected to continue, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS adds that therapists who complete formal training programs and pass the national certification exam are likely to have very good job opportunities.

Typical Massage Therapy School Courses:

• Physiology
• Sports massage
• General biology
• Anatomy

Graduates of massage therapy schools can be found in hospitals, private offices, massage studios, health clubs, and spas. About three quarters of all massage therapists work part-time, although the physical nature of the work means that full-time therapists might only work 30 hours a week.

Massage Therapy Certification Exam Topics:

• General knowledge of the body systems
• Detailed knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and kinesiology
• Therapeutic massage assessment/application
• Professional standards, ethics, and business and legal practices

Massage therapy school offers essential training needed for many certification exams. While some certification is optional, you should check with your home state's regulations for details.

Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Massage Therapists

About the Author
Amelia Gray is a freelance writer in Austin, TX. Amelia earned a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Arizona State University and an MFA from Texas State University.

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