The vast majority of Americans work in an office and work-related stress has become one of the major healthcare factors of the modern workforce. 62% of US workers routinely find that they end the day with work-related neck pain, 44% reported stressed-out eyes, 38% complained of hurting hands and 34% reported difficulty in sleeping because they were too stressed-out To counteract the rising rate of workplace stress and it’s physical consequences, companies are increasingly employing in-office massage therapists. A 15-minute chair massage has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, help staff concentrate more effectively, and reduce the risk of..

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is recognized as a major depressive disorder with seasonal patterns. One in five Americans are impacted by seasonal change, and that number is even higher in states such as Utah and Nevada. A less severe form of seasonal mood disorder, commonly referred to as the winter blues, impacts an even larger portion of the American public and may be aggravated by the change to Daylight Savings Time. In this article, we will be looking at the causes of SAD and how massage therapy represents a viable treatment for this common depressive disorder What causes SAD?..

Great massage therapy isn’t just about knowing and applying the right techniques, it’s about setting the scene properly and using everything at your disposal to make the customer as happy and relaxed as possible. Music has a significant part to play in creating that kind of relaxed atmosphere. Think about your favorite song, then consider how just hearing it can smooth away some of the stresses of a troubled day. The right music during massage can have the same effect, allowing you to better relax your patient and for them to have a more enjoyable massage experience. To help you..

Recent medical research has shown a direct causal link between massage therapy and a positive impact on many common mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. In addition, there is mounting evidence that massage can assist as part a wider program to help treat more complex mental health issues. Below are some of the ways massage therapy is improving people’s mental health,   Mental Health for Veterans The journal for Military Medicine recently published research that found massage therapy helped veterans relieve pain, irritability, tension, worry, anxiety, and depression. As part of treatment for posttraumatic stress, clinical psychologist John..

The Use Of Kinesiology Tape has been a common part of sports massage therapy since the 1970s. Athletes make use of kinesiology taping to help them build muscle strength and recover from injuries at a faster pace.   Increasingly, massage therapists are using kinesiology taping methods to bring the same benefits that athletes have enjoyed for years to their patients. Taping can be used to assists the body’s natural healing processes and helps to extend the benefits of massage therapy after the session has ended. What is Kinesiology Taping?   Kinesiology, as a discipline, is the study of how the..

The foam rolling technique is becoming increasingly popular amongst those who use massage as a treatment, from physical therapists to athletic trainers. This technique, also known as self-myofascial release, involves using a foam roller, lacrosse ball, Theracane or even your own hands to apply pressure to specific points of your body, assisting in the recovery of  your muscles and allowing them to return normal function.   The technique itself has been around for some time, and yet has risen to prominence only recently. Part of the reason for it’s rising popularity is its effectiveness, with many adherents reporting reduced muscle..

Scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, is a chronic connective tissue disease, generally classified as an autoimmune rheumatic disease, that affects over 300,000 Americans.  Caused by the body’s auto-immune system triggering inflammation and other tissue abnormalities, symptoms of scleroderma include hardened or thickened skin that looks shiny and smooth, ulceration of fingertips, small red spots on the face and chest, painful or swollen joints and muscle weakness.   Although it differs from person to person, scleroderma can be very serious, with an untreated case leading to acute kidney disease, pulmonary hypertension, lung inflammation and gastrointestinal problems. Currently, there is no..

Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions you can make in your life. The job you choose will take up around 40 hours of your week, every week, for most of your life, so finding the right job is hugely important. There’s nothing worse than hating a job you’ll be spending most of your time doing.   Many people are now finding that massage therapy is an excellent career choice, providing great job satisfaction, great earning potential and a fantastic fit for their other lifestyle commitments.   Massage therapy is also a growing sector, with employment for..

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most common nerve compression disorder of the upper extremity in working adults in the U.S. Caused by the repetitive use of the hands and wrists, the symptoms of CTS, pain, tingling and numbness in the fingers or hand combined with weakness in the hand and a tendency to drop objects, can make continuing to work in a job role that requires manual dexterity difficult, with 18% of workers who develop CTS leaving their job within 18 months. What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? The symptoms of CTS are caused by compression of the Median nerve..

Stress is something we all experience every day. We all have responsibilities as part of our social and professional lives, and those responsibilities can put us under pressure. Your body’s reaction to that pressure is to release a series of hormones to help you battle through whatever challenges you are up against.   In the short term, this is a good thing, your body's stress reaction can sharpen your reflexes, make you better able to deal with pressured situations and can even make you heal faster. In the long term, a constant feeling of stress can unbalance your body's hormone..