professional massage therapy courses
About Massage
If you are thinking of training in massage therapy it is important to be clear as to what exactly massage is, what its benefits are, what some of the different types are and where you might expect to work as a therapist.
Massage is recognised as one of the oldest therapies with references in medical texts dating back nearly 5,000 years.
Due to the growth in demand for massage therapy by the public and as a larger number of people are taking a more active role in looking after their health, the profession has grown and so have the many different styles of massage.
Brief descriptions of the different types of massage taught by the Western School are given below, but whatever style is being used, there are a wide number of possible beneficial effects which may be experienced by the recipient.
- release of tight, tense muscles
- reduction or elimination of aches and pains
- improved circulation
- increased range of motion
- improved elimination of toxins
- reduction of stress, anxiety, lethargy, depression
- improved sleep patterns
- increased energy and sense of vitality
- enhanced sense of well-being
Swedish Massage:
This is generally regarded as the most common form of massage. It involves a combination of five basic strokes, performed in a particular order. A treatment session may focus on a particular area, e.g. back and hips, neck and shoulder, legs and feet or may take the form of a full body massage. Consultation with the patient/client will determine whether the desired outcome is relaxation or invigoration of the tissues. Treatment duration is normally 30, 60 or 90 minutes.
Remedial Massage:
The remedial therapist, who will be qualified in Swedish Massage or equivalent, becomes more of the detective and the focus of the desired outcome becomes more specific. Using a set testing protocol enables the therapist to identify specific conditions and problems, e.g. frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow. In addition to Swedish Massage strokes, extra techniques may be used to ensure the most beneficial outcome, e.g. myofascial release, neuromuscular and trigger point work and active, passive and resisted movements. Treatment duration is approximately one hour.
Sports Massage:
The Sports Massage therapist will use Swedish and Remedial Massage techniques to address situations particular to the sports setting. Conditions may present more in the acute, rather than the chronic, stage but treatment can be both preventative as well as therapeutic. Sports Massage can be used for athletes during warm-ups and cool-downs, as part of a training regime, in pre-inter- and post-event settings or as part of the rehabilitative process following injury. The main aims are to increase flexibility and range of movement, reduce pain, restore appropriate balance, enhance performance and reduce re-injury risk, all of which will allow the athlete to actively continue with his or her sport for longer. Virtually all professional sports teams employ professional sports massage therapists and many sportsmen and women privately employ their own therapist. Treatment duration is approximately one hour.
Advanced Remedial Massage:
The therapist will be qualified in both Remedial and Sports techniques and will have some years of experience working either from home, in a clinic or for a sports club or gymnasium. More complicated conditions will be treated, e.g. spinal vertebral rotations, restricted neck movement, pelvic instability, knee cartilage problems. Treatment duration will depend on the nature of the problem.
On-Site Seated Acupressure Massage:
The therapist will be in possession of a Diploma in Swedish Massage or equivalent. Seated Acupressure Massage is performed with the recipient sitting in a specially designed chair and consists of a sequence of specific movements called a Kata. Pressure is applied with the fingers and hands to acupressure points, many of which correspond to where an acupuncturist would place a needle. The patient/client remains clothed and no oil is used. This has made this an increasingly popular therapy in the workplace, with more and more organisations providing Well Being Days for their staff. Treatment duration is normally 20 minutes, the first half being relaxing and the second half revitalising.
Whether or not a treatment session has a specific goal or not, massage therapy tends to increase the general health and well-being of the recipient which accounts for its growing popularity and hence the need for more massage therapists.