Sports massage is designed to prepare the athlete for their best performance, reduce fatigue, and relieve muscle swelling and tension. During physical activity — especially strenuous — muscle tension builds up in the body’s soft tissues. Due to overextension or overuse, minor injuries and lesions occur in these tissues that can cause a great deal of pain and poor athletic performance. Sports massage helps alleviate pain and prevent such injuries that greatly affect flexibility, mobility, response time, and overall performance in athletic events.   One of the most common setbacks for athletes is delayed-onset muscle soreness, more commonly known as..

2,000 years ago was one of the earliest documented history of the use of heated stones for healing in China. Stones were also used for healing work in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Egypt, and India. These traditions included laying stones in patterns on the body, carrying or wearing stones for health and protection, using stones for the diagnosis and treatment of disease, and for ceremonial uses such as sweat lodges and medicine wheels.   Ancient Greek and Roman cultures have a long-recorded history of many forms of massage and bodywork. The Roman Empire, which dates from 27 B.C...

The evolution of Text Neck and ways that Massage Therapy can help:   The widespread use of an increasing variety of technology: touch screen pads/tablets, laptops, smartphones—has detonated a cache of related conditions, from tight necks and sore backs to painful thumbs and increased stress. Anyone who has spent much time on a computer, cellphone, tablet or other advanced electronic device has surely experienced the discomfort of poor body mechanics and repetitive straining. These problems are not limited to the neck, as more and more people seek relief from shoulder, arms, wrists, hands, low-back and hip pain. Massage therapy can..

Massage therapy is a practice of holistic and physical health, and as an industry has come to realize the importance of being certified, licensed and accredited. Perhaps the most important of these is the certification process.   It only seems logical that the paying client or patient has a right to know that their massage therapist has the qualifications needed to practice safely and effectively. This certification also ensures the general safety, health and well-being of the client and promotes a certain level of professional standard.   Massage therapy certification nationally is a relatively new regulation process for the professional..

Many of the benefits of chair massage are similar to the benefits of getting a full body massage at a spa, but in the comfort and convenience of a workplace. Onsite massage eliminates the need to travel to a massage clinic or spa, and is a fraction of the cost. Plus chair massage makes massage therapy accessible to those within an organization who are uncomfortable getting undressed and would otherwise never experience massage without it.   Chair massage is typically performed in 15-20 minutes time frames where the recipient is fully clothed and the Massage Therapist is utilizing techniques such..

Shiatsu comes from the Japanese word shi meaning finger and atsu meaning pressure. It is characterized by the systematic application of pressure with the fingers, thumbs, palms, elbows, forearms, knees and feet on specific points (tsubos), and areas (meridians) on the body.   Unlike acupressure, Shiatsu uses not only the main acupuncture points located on a meridian, but also the spaces in between those points. It does not use typical massage mediums such as oils or creams, and as such can be done through clothing. Shiatsu is traditionally practiced on the floor on a thin futon.   The sustained application..

Mid-Life pregnancies are statistically on the rise. The CDC (Center For Disease Control) reports that pregnancies between the ages of 40-54 are at their highest since 1968. There are many factors as to why women are waiting longer to have children. Women are choosing to pursue higher education and work on their own careers.   As such, higher educated and working women are getting pregnant later. These later in life pregnancies do come with risks. There is an increased risk of pregnancy induced hypertension, gestational diabetes and peripartum cardiomyopathy which is a very serious and potentially fatal heart condition.  ..

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops in response to a traumatic event. The event often includes physical and/or psychological harm to an individual or a loved one. Triggers of PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or man-made disasters, accidents, or military combat. Post-traumatic stress is the inability to dissociate the trauma from the past and live without fear of the future. Evidence demonstrates that massage therapy eases suffering caused by this disorder and assists in the recovery process.   A revolutionary change in the treatment of PTSD has begun with a holistic approach. According to a..

As massage therapy has become increasingly important in the health and wellness professions, the number of massage therapists has risen dramatically. There are estimates that the number of massage therapists in the United States, including students, is between 300,000 and 350,000.   There are currently more than 300 accredited massage therapy institutions in the United States. Many institutions have multiple campuses. Training programs in massage therapy generally require a high school diploma, though post-secondary education is useful.   One of the reasons individuals choose this profession is because of the flexibility it offers in terms of work hours, independence, and..