Overview
Massage therapists methodically apply focused, hands-on techniques to promote relaxation and increase circulation in the body’s soft tissues (muscles, tendons, connective tissue, etc.). Although the warming and stimulating effect of massage has a positive effect on joint mobility and range of motion, direct work on the skeleton is outside the massage therapists’ scope of practice.
While many choose to practice independently, certified massage therapists also may work closely with other members of the healthcare team – i.e., physicians, physical therapists, rehabilitation counselors, chiropractors, and acupuncturists, among others. In recent years, massage has gained attention from NIH and other respected sectors of the healthcare community, as a highly effective complementary and alternative medical therapy.
The news about the health benefits of massage should come as no surprise, since it is one of the oldest “healing arts” known to man – dating back to 2,700 B.C., when it was first recorded as a therapeutic technique in the ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine treatise, The Yellow Emporer’s Classic of Internal Medicine.
Today, therapeutic massage is employed throughout the healthcare system – in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and private clinics, for patients ranging from premature infants to the elderly. Many hospices have massage therapists on staff, and massage frequently is offered in wellness centers, drug treatment programs, and pain clinics.
Virtually all massage therapists in the U.S. are trained in Swedish and deep tissue techniques; in addition, they may specialize in other methods and adjunct modalities, such as:
- Acupressure
- Connective tissue massage
- Infant massage
- Lomi-Lomi (Hawaiian massage)
- Manual lymphatic drainage
- Pregnancy massage
- Rolfing
- Shiatsu
- Sports massage
- Thai massage
- Trager Method
- Trigger point therapy
- Tui Na (Traditional Chinese Medical massage)
You can download, save and print a PDF of this career profile:
Massage Therapist Massage Therapist 14 May 2008 [pdf, 172 KB]
For more information on becoming a massage therapist, see the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) website.