Associate Degree

Associate Degree > Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is used to reduce stress, complement athletic performance, lower blood pressure, improve circulation, and positively affect one's emotional and mental well being. Massage therapy dates back over 3,000 years and has its roots in Eastern and Western traditions. Massage techniques have been shown to effectively diminish pain associated with old age, cancer, PMS, and the lower back. Increasingly, employers are noticing the benefits of massage on their workers and are sponsoring work site massage sessions. Massage therapy is currently being practiced in fitness centers, private clinics, spas, cruise ships, and in clients' home. While massage therapy is an inherent part of some foreign health care systems and is sometimes even covered by national health insurance plans, it has not yet reached that status in the United States. It does continue however, to be one of the most popular forms of alternative medicine. Some therapies that rely on massage techniques include craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, reflexology, shiatsu,sports massage, and Swedish massage.

The American Massage Therapy Association recognizes more than 60 programs that fulfill accreditation requirements. These programs must consist of at least 500 instructional hours in such topics as massage theory and technique, anatomy and physiology, and basic medical principles. The national Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) conducts the certification examination for massage therapists and awards a certification status (CMT-certified massage therapist) that is valid for four years of practice. Currently, 21 states have licensing requirements and officially recognize massage therapists as health care professionals with the title of LMT-licensed massage therapist.