| Massage therapy is growing in popularity because | | | | done with their fellow students before taking their |
| of the many health benefits that it contains. | | | | newly learned techniques on the road. Many |
| However, we the realization of the benefits is not | | | | massage therapy schools will take their students |
| something that is recent. As a matter of fact, | | | | to sporting events, such as marathons, to give |
| massage therapy has been used for | | | | massages to the marathon runners at the end of |
| approximately 2,400 years. It was actually | | | | the event. This helps speed up muscle repair and |
| Hippocrates who noted that friction has certain | | | | makes the runner feel much better. |
| health benefits. In modern times, massage | | | | What does it take? |
| therapy is being used for treating tired muscles, | | | | Now that you know that finding a school is easy |
| reducing stress, taking care of painful ailments, | | | | and that getting in is fairly easy, you simply have |
| and even in physical therapy as a tool to | | | | to have a drive to learn. As stated before, the |
| rehabilitate after an injury. | | | | classes do not last that long. This means you |
| The massage therapist massages the soft tissues | | | | have to learn a lot in a short period of time. With |
| of the body in order to improve circulation. This | | | | the proper motivation, you can do that. |
| improvement in circulation removes waste from | | | | In the end, you do have to take the National |
| the muscles. Anytime there is any sort of waste | | | | Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage |
| product in the muscle, the muscle doesn't work | | | | and Bodywork. This is an exam given by the |
| properly. Administering massage therapy does | | | | National Certification Board for Therapeutic |
| take a special type of training, which is not hard | | | | Massage and Bodywork and they do have their |
| to acquire. | | | | own criteria that must be met. |
| The training | | | | There are several areas that are covered by this |
| There are almost 2,000 massage therapy | | | | exam. They are: kinesiology and physiology, |
| programs within the United States today. They | | | | pathology, therapeutic massage assessment and |
| exist within post secondary schools and in | | | | application, anatomy, ethics, professional |
| colleges. There are many career centers that | | | | standards, and legal and business practices. |
| offer massage therapy courses. Students can | | | | Once this exam is passed, you can run with the |
| acquire financial aid to take the classes or they | | | | world. This is because you can be employed within |
| can pay out of their pocket. The cost of the class | | | | a chiropractor's office, a fitness club, another type |
| is usually not as much as your traditional college | | | | of doctor's office, or you can have your own |
| course. This is because massage therapy | | | | business. If you can acquire your own massage |
| programs do not last as long. There are some | | | | therapy equipment, then you will make the |
| programs which last as little as 10 months to a | | | | highest salary by having your own business. This |
| year. The focus is just on massage therapy and | | | | is because people will pay a lot of money for a |
| the curriculum that is required to prepare for it. | | | | quality massage. |
| The curriculum includes learning anatomy, the | | | | So if you don't think you have what it takes, |
| organs and tissues, and the physiology of the | | | | know that you are wrong because you do. Find a |
| body. Massage therapists also learn business ethics | | | | school, enroll for the class, take the class, take |
| and they study body mechanics and motion. | | | | the exam, and then decide what it is you want to |
| Learning massage therapy is also very hands on. | | | | do from there. There are many career |
| In order to properly learn the techniques, the | | | | possibilities, so run with them. |
| student must practice frequently. This is usually | | | | |