Massage Therapy Colleges: Where to Find Education for Massage Therapists

Many different career fields will withstand the test of time because of there necessity even if they seem like they can be avoided in times of crisis.

Massage therapy is one such field where we don't necessarily need to have a massage therapist or to get a massage, but it will never go out of style as long as we are a physically active people. As this field continues to grow it is a good one to look in to and the first thing you should do is find out how you can become educated as a massage therapist.

There are a few areas to look at and one may not always be better than the other as the options will vary based on your location.

The following three options are places that you may be able to find good massage therapy education.

1. The internet: Online training is the most popular way to train these days and it is the most convenient by far of any type of training opportunity. Massage therapists can get training online, though it may not be called a massage therapy college, but it is exactly what is being searched for. When you find a class or a college online that is offering these courses you will want to verify their authenticity. The best way to do this is by talking to a massage business in the town in which you live and ask if they have heard of the courses you are thinking of taking with the business you are looking in to.


2. The employer: Building on the last point it is never a bad idea to call massage businesses around your hometown and find out if they recommend anywhere to train. This is not a bad idea all the way around as the more you talk to potential employers the more they will listen to you and may even consider you for an opening. If not, you get the knowledge of what they are looking for and move on to bigger and better things.


3. The school: You know that vocational school or technical institute you drive by every day? Go look in their course catalog and see if they offer any massage therapy courses. Massage therapy colleges are important as you can gauge the validity of the school just by stepping on to the campus. Finding a good school that you can physically go to is not a bad idea as you will get such good instruction from people that have done the job and can show you the tricks of the trade.

Physical Therapy Schools - Choosing The Best

Have you been thinking about a career change? Continuing your education and becoming a physical therapist could be just the change you need. What is involved in becoming a therapist and is it worth your time?

Job Opportunities

Many people do not realize the physical therapists have a broad range of employment opportunities. If your local hospital is the only employer, you imagined for this specialty you are missing out on a number of options.

Schools- assist disabled children
Hospice- improve quality of life
Research- improve information and create new programs
Nursing Facility- assist elderly
Sports- injury recovery
Physical Fitness Centers

Income and Growth

As you can see physical therapy is a field with many different job potentials, but before searching for a physical therapy school, you may want to know a little more about income potential and job growth. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for the 2010-2020 is much higher than all other occupations at 39%. This is due in part to the fact that baby boomers are aging and staying active later in life.

What can you expect to earn as a therapist?

Top 10%- more than $107,000 annually
Bottom 10% less than $53,620 annually
Median- $76,310 annually

As to be expected there is quite a range between the bottom earnings and the top, but in comparison with many other job fields the potential is fantastic.

School

Before you can apply for current physical therapists positions, you will have to continue your education. Most accredited programs require applicants to first obtain a bachelor's degree, though there are some programs in which graduating high school seniors can participate.

In order to sit for your licensing exam you must have graduated from an accredited program, of which there are 212 programs approved by CAPTA. Which school you attend will of course depend on your location and specific needs. Every state in the union except Alaska and Hawaii has an accredited program.

Pros and Cons

Working in this field has its pros and cons:

Pros:

No shortage of jobs (now or in the future)
Less stress than other medical field positions
Flexible schedules may be possible
Long hours are uncommon

Cons:

Frequent bending and kneeling
Acute care can mean working around infectious diseases
Hospice care can be emotionally taxing
Private practice can have a high demand for meeting productivity quotas

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a career that involves helping people and has a good long-term outlook, becoming a physical therapists is a good option. Over the next decade or so positions in this field are going to grow faster than most career options. Job security, personal fulfillment and decent wages all add up to a very attractive opportunity.

Massage Therapy and Stages of Traumatic Injury

Massage Therapy is the hands on manipulation of muscles, skin, tendons, ligaments and membranes of the body to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical functions, relieve pain or prevent physical dysfunction. (College of Massage Therapists of Ontario)

Massage therapy has many benefits and can help a wide range of the population. Massage can be particularly beneficial after a trauma such as whiplash type injury, which can occur from a motor vehicle accident, fall or other mechanism of injury.

Typically Massage therapy can benefit in all stages of healing after such trauma, whether acute, sub acute or chronic.

In the very early, or acute stages of an injury, the main goal is to manage inflammation and reduce pain. Lymphatic drainage type massage, as well as ice massage or other cold hydrotherapy can help to accomplish this. Other techniques such as Cranial Sacral therapy can be helpful to rebalance the nervous system, allowing the body greater innate healing abilities. Massage during this stage will also help to speed up recovery time and may prevent stagnation of waste products in the affected tissues and build up of fibrotic materials. (If you have had an accident you may need medical attention before seeing your massage therapist. It is recommended to see your medical doctor and have appropriate diagnosis of your injury before commencing treatment)

In a sub acute stage, massage treatments may involve some joint mobilization and range of motion techniques within patient's tolerance to improve joint lubrication and motion. Beginning the retraining and reeducation process the sensory apparatus within the soft tissue is important at this stage. Some more specific techniques may start being used at this stage to help align any fibrotic tissues into the correct patterns, which may minimize the loss of ranges of motion in a joint.

In the chronic stage of healing, massage has many uses. It can be used to stretch, strengthen, increase range of motion, retrain, rebalance, increase circulation, help free trapped nerves or blood vessels, and increase the patient's general vitality and wellness. Techniques such as myofasical release can be useful and indicated at this stage for breaking up adhesions, treating residual joint dysfunctions and relieving trigger points.

In all stages, massage techniques to areas around and affected by the injured area can be beneficial. Compensations throughout the body can occur at any stage, but particularly symptomatic by the chronic stage, as the body is striving to balance itself around the trauma. Often after the initial injury has stabilized, the massage treatment will need to focus on removing the patterns of strain, which the body has developed as a way to cope with the injury.

Massage therapy may also have an affect on the psychosomatic or emotional aspect of a traumatic injury. Patients may process the emotional part of the trauma through the process of working on the physical aspects. Some massage therapists may have taken additional training in this type of therapy. Your registered massage therapist is informed of the services of other health care practitioners and will refer you to the appropriate provider if necessary.

*This article is not intended to provide legal advice. It is recommended that you consult your lawyer for advice concerning your particular case.

Plantar Fasciitis Taping

The plantar fascia is a thickened fibrous aponeurosis forming the longitudinal foot arch. It provides fixed support to the longitudinal arch and functions as a dynamic shock absorber. Persons with low arches or flat feet or high arches are at greater risk of increasing plantar fasciitis. The pain of plantar fasciitis is due to collagen degeneration along with recurring tearing of the plantar fascia.

Plantar fasciitis taping is often used to relieve stress on the plantar fascia ligament. It works by limiting the movement of the fascia. It limits the amount of stretching of the foot thereby keeping it from stretching excessively and preventing tears. Thus it can relieve some pain and inflammation of plantar fasciitis. Athletic tape is used to carry out taping. It is available in most drug stores.

Taping is a fairly simple method used to help ease pain related with the condition. Athletic tape can be applied in the morning to decrease strain throughout the day, or just before exercise to keep it from moving too much during physical activity. It is recommended that the tape be removed intermittently as it prevents the skin from breathing. The feet should be clean and dry to help the tape stick.

The procedure to be followed for taping is as follows. The ball-of-the-foot or metatarsal area is taped. Then another piece of tape is wrapped around the heel till it meets the taped area of the ball-of-the-foot. Another X shape is applied across the mid-foot. By applying tape horizontally across, the foot should be almost totally covered from the metatarsal region to the heel. This will add the support necessary to allow the fascia ligament to rest.

The success of taping varies depending on the person and the severity of the pain. At times, taping may not help in reducing pain. In other cases, it decreases the symptoms of plantar fasciitis, however, it may not completely heal and reverse the situation.

ACL Physical Therapy - ACL Tear Remedies

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear is one of the most common, if not the most common, type of injury suffered by athletes in different sports. A damage incurred in the ACL might end the career of an athlete or might not let them get back to playing at their full potential. This type of injury is common to athletes as these ligaments are found in the knee and a lot of sports involve movements that put stress on the knee. Undergoing ACL physical therapy is the most effective way to help the ACL recuperate from a tear. There are many ways to do ACL physical therapy depending on the preference of a physical therapist.

If the ACL tear that is suffered by an athlete or any individual is considered severe, the most likely procedure to be done is surgery. ACL reconstruction surgery is the most common procedure done to help the fix the ACL. After surgery, it is most likely that the surgeon will recommend undergoing ACL physical therapy to help the knees restore its strength and normal movement. Especially for professional athletes, they are immediately provided with a personal therapist to help the knee recover as soon as possible.

Doing exercise routines are the usual start of ACL physical therapy after surgery. It is highly recommended that the exercise routines start slow and gradually increases over time. These exercises are most likely to be done at least thrice per week to ensure that the recovery process will progress. Physical therapists will provide a program that will serve as a guide for patients. Different types of exercises on different occasions to help in the recovery of different areas of the knee and to practice different movements. Since the movement of the knees would surely be restricted after an injury, these exercise routines will help the knee slowly get back its normal feel and function.

While on the recovery phase, patients are commonly advised to use a certain type of support in the knee. Knee braces are worn by patients as the knees are still not able to tolerate certain movements and they are not stable yet. After doing the initial exercises for a weeks or months, depending on the program, patients will undergo more intense workouts to further hasten the recovery until the knee gets back to normal.

After the ACL physical therapy program is accomplished, patients may still be feeling some pain or discomfort in the knee and it is just normal. For athletes, they are most likely not to play longer minutes in their first few games after recovering from an ACL injury. Even if this type of injury is severe, a patient could still fully recover as long as they are dedicated in performing exercise routines during the rehabilitation process and as long as they have good surgeons and physical therapists.

Hip Fractures - A Guide For Recovery

Hip Fracture Basics: Types and Causes of Broken Hips

Hip fractures are serious injuries that often require surgery to repair. Every year in the United States alone over 300,000 people suffer broken hips and require hospitalization. Of that number, over half of those people suffering a hip fracture are over the age of 80.

Bone density, age, and other medical conditions can all contribute to the likelihood of a broken hip, but generally a fracture occurs because of some sort of trauma to the area, like a fall. Most hip fractures in the elderly are caused by falls, while in younger patients - car accidents and other high impact injuries are the most likely causes.

Elderly women and other patients with osteoporosis are at a greater risk of suffering a broken hip in the event of a fall. Because osteoporosis weakens the skeletal system by causing loss of bone mass - bones and joints are at a greater risk of fracturing in the event of trauma.

Hip fractures are actually the breaking of the femur (the bone that extends from the pelvis to the knee) inside or near the hip joint. Hip fractures are generally placed into 2 main classifications - a Femoral Neck Fracture or an Intertrochanteric Fracture. Both of these types of fractures are very serious and in most cases will necessitate surgery to repair the fractures.

Femoral Neck Fracture

The femoral neck is just below the head (top) of the femur. A femoral neck fracture generally occurs within 1 to 2 inches from the end of the femur.

Intertrochanteric Fracture

This fracture occurs within 3 to 4 inches of the head of the femur and usually requires the use of a metal plate and screw to hold the bone in place while it heals - allowing the head of the femur to continue moving normally in the hip socket.

Though hip fractures are generally caused by a serious trauma - a fall or a high impact injury - other factors can contribute to the risk of sustaining a broken hip.

Age

Statistics show that age is a large factor. The majority of hip related injuries and fractures occur in people over 80. There are two main reasons why this may be true: bone density loss and the presence of other medical conditions affecting balance and mobility. But also effecting elderly patients are general aging issues like loss of vision and a decreasing or weakening sense of balance.

Medical Conditions

Osteoporosis puts patients at an even higher risk for breaking a hip simply because it reduces bone density. There are a number of other medical conditions that will also lead up to and increase chances of developing osteoporosis which in turn can lead to increased risks for hip fractures.

The development of other diseases and conditions like Parkinson's disease which effect a person's mobility and balance can contribute to an increased risk of falling and breaking a hip as well. Diabetes, arthritis, and similar diseases can also effect a person's activity levels which in turn increases risk.

Physical Inactivity

Because physical inactivity can lead to the weakening of bones, tendons, and muscles - it can also contribute to a higher risk of fracturing critical bones and joints. Physical inactivity can in turn lead to other conditions such as obesity and weight gain which can put a larger strain on a weakening bone structure. Maintaining a regular physical activity schedule will often reduce a patient's risk of hip fracture.

Mortality Rates and Common Problems Associated with Hip Fractures

Hip fractures are serious injuries that require immediate medical attention because there are a number of problems and conditions that can arise because of the broken bone. Studies have shown that mortality rates following a hip fracture can be rather high for a number of reasons which include the development of other serious medical conditions (blood clots and infections) as well as the age of the patient at the time of the injury (since the majority of fractures occurs among seniors).

A study published in the British Medical Journal places mortality rates within one year of suffering a fractured hip at 20%. And this number only increases with the age of the patient - as many as 33% of patients over the age of 80 die within a year of breaking a hip. The 30 day mark following surgery for a fractured hip is high in this population also - coming in at about 10%.

A number of factors contribute to these high numbers. Post-operative complications like infections (i.e. pneumonia or bronchitis) are dangerous factors. The general health of the patients involved in the study also contributes to the high mortality rates. Because as we talked about, a number of other conditions can increase a patients risk of breaking a hip. These same conditions (obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, Parkinson's, and others) can also make recovery more difficult.

Mobility factors increase risk as well. Because a broken hip makes it even more difficult for patients to get proper exercise, the overall deterioration of the body due to inactivity can bring about other health problems or exasperate existing conditions like heart disease. For patients that are bedridden following surgery, pressure sores and infections become an increased risk.

Overall, the general health of a patient prior to the sustained injury and following surgery is going to play highly in determining the likelihood of the patient's complete recovery. This is why younger patients tend to recover more completely and quickly as they are less likely to have preexisting medical conditions that are going to be worsened by the injury.

Mortality rates and other complications decrease significantly in patients that work hard at maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle regardless of age. Often for these folks - a broken hip is a temporary setback, though it is still a serious injury. Recovery though will often be a lot simpler if the patient has maintained general good health prior to fracturing their hip.

How Hip Fractures are Treated

In most cases, a hip fracture is going to require surgery. In cases where surgery is not possible because of an illness or other factor - traction may be used. In those cases without surgery - the main treatment for a broken hip relies mainly on pain reduction.

Both types of hip fractures - the femoral neck fracture and the intertrochanteric fracture - require surgery. The exact procedure is slightly different for each type.

Intertrochanteric Fracture Surgery

When the break is lower on the femur as in an intertrochanteric fracture (occurring 3 to 4 inches from the head of the femur) a different procedure is generally used. Doctors will attach a metal plate to the side of the femur and insert a metal hip compression screw into the femur. This compression screw and plate allows the bone fragments to compress together and mend themselves.

Femoral Neck Fracture Surgery

With a femoral neck fracture, surgery will generally involve one of three types of procedures: metal screws, replacing part of the femur, or total hip replacement.

Using metal screws, the surgeon will align the bones and fix them in place with three long metal screws which will remain in place and not be removed. These screws serve to allow the bones to mend back together as well as strengthen that section of the femur.

If the doctors are unable to align the bones in a way that will allow them to heal properly, they will usually attempt a procedure known as a hemiarthroplasty. This involves removing and replacing the damaged head and neck of the femur with a metal prosthesis.

Total hip replacement is the most invasive of the three options. If for some reason, the socket joint in the hip is damaged - total hip replacement might be the best option. In this procedure, the surgeons will not only replace the top portion of the femur, but also the joint section of the pelvic bone. One of the benefits of total hip replacement is that it allows patients to become mobile again sooner after the surgery than other options. This can help to prevent other complications associated with major surgery from developing.

Hospital stays after surgery for a hip fracture can vary in length - although the average stay in the hospital generally lasts a week. The majority of patients will require physical therapy for a long period following the surgery to recover completely. Older and less mobile patients may even have to look to a long term care facility if they don't have available help or care at home.

Help With Recovery and Prevention of Hip Fractures

Exercise and physical activity is a key in helping with both recovery from a hip fracture and prevention of those fractures. Because mobility is limited following surgery for hip fractures, the use of a rolling walker is often a good idea for elderly patients as it will help them get the exercise to speed up healing and also help to prevent another fall from aggravating the injury further.

Everyday tasks will probably become a little more difficult for a patient recovering from hip fracture surgery. Things like bending over to tie shoes or getting dressed in the morning will require a little bit of extra effort. Lifting the affected leg into bed or onto the couch will also become more difficult at times during the recovery. There are quite a few products like extended shoe horns and leg lifters which can ease the pain and difficulty of recovery.

Often times, simple tasks that are taken for granted become more complicated. Bathing for example is an everyday thing that becomes tough following hip surgery. A sponge on an extended handle or a bath bench become tools which can really help.

To make recovery easier, the purchase of a "hip kit" is a small investment for quite a bit of help. Common items that you'll find in a hip kit include:

• Long Handled Sponges


• Long Handled Shoe Horn


• A Dressing Stick


• Extendable Reachers or Grabbers


• Leg Lifters

Mobility and physical therapy are both important factors in helping to speed up recovery. Full use of the hip will take some time, but in patients that were healthy prior to the surgery, a full recovery is possible and likely.

Exercise is a major factor in recovery as well as the prevention of other complications arising because of the surgery. Any help that a patient can enlist - either from family or qualified medical practitioners is going to aid them in recovery.

Prevention Tips

Learning how to prevent falls is another factor that is going to seriously limit the likelihood of breaking a hip.

* Building railings or ramps to help with stairs around the home is a good idea.

* Installing rails next to the toilet and in the bathtub or shower is another preventative measure. They're also great ideas to help somebody who is trying to recover from hip surgery since their mobility will be more limited for a time.

* Rearranging furniture to allow for clear paths.

* Check rugs and carpets for slippage or places somebody could trip.

* Consider the use of a hip protector - a low profile pad that you wear beneath your clothing and over your hip to help absorb any impact from a fall.

* Keep cords stowed safely away.

* Place used items in easy to reach places - avoid step stools and ladders where balance might be lost.

* Make sure areas of the home and yard are well lit. Being able to see a hazard is half the battle.

* Wear practical shoes that are non-slip.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also decrease your risk of breaking a hip. Not only exercise, but proper nutrition is important.

* Weight Bearing Exercise - Helps to fight bone density loss and works to maintain the strength of tendons and muscles that support the joints. Not only that, but regularly walking or exercising will help to maintain your sense of balance and agility - making the likelihood of a fall less likely.

* Smoking - Believe it or not, smoking actually works to reduce your bone density. So not only can it cause cancer - but it can weaken your bones.

* Calcium and Vitamin D - Proper nutrition and watching levels of calcium in your diet (through foods or supplements) will work to maintain your bone density so that in the event of a fall, you are less likely to fracture your hip. Vitamin D is also a key component of this process as it helps your body absorb and process calcium.

Other Hip Fracture Resources

There are a ton of available resources on the web these days that can help you in the prevention of or recovery from a hip fracture. The following is a listing and review of some great web sites and articles if you would like more information on hip fracture prevention, treatment, and recovery.

The Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic is a highly respected non-profit organization and clinic that maintains clinics in Minnesota, Arizona, and Florida. They also have a very informative web site that is a great resource for countless medical conditions. The section of the web site on hip fractures is very in depth and organized in a way that you can find information very easily on prevention of hip fractures or help with recovery from hip surgery.

Care.com

Care.com is an interesting web site in that it deals with the care of patients following surgeries like total hip replacement. On this web site you'll find questions and tips related to helping patients or parents who are going through a difficult hip surgery recovery.

Advice on how to deal with the medical condition is provided, as well as advice on how to help the patient mentally get through the recovery is discussed.

This web site also provides access to a network of caregivers and service providers in your area if you need additional help with recovering from hip surgery. You can find providers for any level of help that might be needed, from full time care to part time help with housework and chores. The great thing about this service is that you can post your needs and interview potential caregivers as well as look at a background check.

EveryDayHealth.com

Maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle are the best preventative measures that you can take towards avoiding a hip fracture. Working as an online community and resource, EveryDayHealth.com is a great resource and web site to use to maintain that active and healthy lifestyle.

Nutrition information and tools like their 'meal planner' and 'weight tracker' are great ways to make sure you are doing everything you can to stay healthy. Participating in the community forums is also a great way to meet other people facing the same issues or working towards the same goals.

Hip fractures are a common injury, especially among the elderly - so reaching out to a community like EveryDayHealth will give you the opportunity to find understanding support of what it is you might be going through following hip surgery.

Finding the proper support, medical care, and tools to aid in the recovery from hip fracture surgery is a key component to reducing the difficulty and likelihood of complications from a broken hip. Whether you have experienced a hip fracture or are just interested in the prevention of a future injury - there's a myriad of online resources available to help you in that quest.

Thai Massage - Origins, Techniques and Benefits

Thai massage has been practiced for several thousand years. It is one branch of Thai medicine, which includes manipulation (of which massage is a part), diet, medicinal treatment and ritual (spiritual ceremony). In Thailand it is used in conjunction with these other forms of treatment, although in other countries it may be used on its own.

Thai massage is based on the belief that all disease is due to an imbalance of the body's energy. Its goal is to promote this balance and therefore assist in the healing of the entire person. To do this, it uses several techniques.

The first is the application of pressure through leaning into the area being treated. This pressure is less forceful than that used in some other forms of massage and more like the pressure used in shiatsu. Also like shiatsu, Thai massage uses pressure along energy channels. (called "sen" in Thailand, but more commonly known as meridians - which is what they are called in Chinese medicine). The major difference between the two is that Thai massage treats these channels in both directions, while shiatsu moves in only one direction.

Reflexology is also part of a Thai massage session. Reflexology is based on the belief that points on the feet can be use to treat the entire body. There is a lot of attention paid to the feet and legs in Thai massage, because getting energy moving in these areas helps to better connect the client to the earth, causing them to be more "grounded".

Another technique used is blood stopping. This is achieved by putting pressure on a major artery in the arm or leg for an extended period of time - up to about a minute. The theory behind this technique is that cutting off a major source of circulation to an area will initially result in increased pressure, which will cause the heart muscle to slow its contractions in order to bring the pressure down. When the pressure on the artery is released a fresh supply of blood rushes into the area, causing it to relax more deeply. This technique, however, is not used on anyone with heart or circulatory problems or with diabetes.

There is also a type of stretching used which is passive. This means that the client does not participate in the stretching; the therapist does all the work. Stretching is done in stages with rest periods between, working gradually up to as much range of motion as possible. It is also done slowly to avoid the muscle shortening - or spasm - that can occur when a muscle is stretched too far, too fast.

The asanas, or postures, of hatha yoga are also included, to help the whole massage flow more smoothly. Like stretching, these are passive, performed by the therapist.

Thai massage techniques can be very time-consuming. A typical Thai massage is much longer than a "regular" massage, lasting up to three hours. Also, all Thai massage is done with the client lying on a floor mat; this is such an active massage for the practitioner that a massage table would make it difficult or impossible to perform some of the techniques.

The benefits of Thai massage include those of regular massage, like improved circulation, mobility and flexibility, as well as stress relief. But Thai massage goes further; its more specialized techniques will help promote balance of all the body's systems. If you are looking for a more holistic approach to bodywork, Thai massage may be a good choice.