MASSAGE THERAPIST: Definition, Salary, Sports & School

MASSAGE THERAPIST
Image credit: MaKami College

When your mind and body are feeling the weight of the world, it may seem like your only option is to rely on the quick fix of generic painkillers and power through your daily routine. According to Bodner, indulging in a massage session can work wonders in terms of unwinding, alleviating discomfort, loosening up those tight muscles, and much more. Indulge in the vast world of massage therapist school and learn about the salary for a sports massage therapist and a mobile massage therapist. So, keep reading!

Who Is a Massage Therapist?

Massage therapists help people feel better by reducing muscle tension and pain. Their ability to help patients with temporary or permanent ailments stems from their knowledge of anatomy and physiology, as well as their skills in client care and connection development. How you decide if massage therapy is a good career for you rests on how well you know what skills massage therapists need to have.

Sports Massage Therapist

A skilled sports massage therapist works wonders in conditioning the muscles of athletes, regardless of their level of expertise. These skilled experts in good health assess their clients’ physical activity patterns and frequency. Hence, by utilizing this valuable information, they can skillfully apply a variety of massage techniques to specific muscle groups.

However, to become a skilled sports massage therapist, one must meet a set of requirements and possess unique abilities. These include completing a rigorous massage therapy program and obtaining accreditation in massage therapy.

How to Become a Sports Massage Therapist

Below are the steps to becoming a sports massage therapist:

#1. Try Out a Sports Massage as a Client

If you want to become a sports massage therapist, you might want to work with one or more massage therapists first. You can learn about potential job duties by participating in these seminars. Observe how therapy meetings go, how people communicate with each other, and the various healing methods set up to gain an understanding. You can also learn the differences between a good and terrible sports massage by scheduling sessions with multiple therapists.

While having a training credential has its advantages, not being able to identify client ailments is a major drawback. Instead, higher-level specialists send their patients or clients your way when they need specialized care. Getting a bachelor’s degree can be a good idea if you want to interact closely with clients and make medical diagnoses for them. Sports therapy degrees, for example, may incorporate coursework from allied fields like sports science and biology.

#3. Take a Class in Sports Massage

Taking a course in sports massage treatment is one of the quickest and most direct routes to a career in the field. There are several places you can go to get the training you need to become a sports massage therapist. While the specifics of each course may differ, they should all lead to the same end: certification as a sports massage therapist by the appropriate authorities. You can finish most classes in around 12 weeks, which makes them much more manageable than an undergraduate degree.

#4. Explore Your Job Options

Those that specialize in sports massage often get to interact with a diverse clientele. Anyone from professional athletes to the elderly or regular gym-goers who want to combine massage therapy with their workouts can benefit from a sports massage. Also, you can often find sports massage therapists working in health and exercise centers. Since more individuals are learning about the benefits of exercising, more of them will be able to use your services.

#5. Build Your Network

Freelance sports massage therapists may have a greater need to network their services, but doing so can benefit individuals in any setting. When working as a freelancer, you don’t have the security of a regular paycheck; therefore, it’s up to you to bring in clients and generate revenue. Here is where building professional relationships can help you advance in your career.

Mobile Massage Therapist

A mobile massage therapist visits customers in their homes or places of business to do therapeutic massage. As a mobile massage therapist, you’ll be responsible for delivering your tools and supplies to each appointment as well as driving to and from the client’s location. Some massage therapists work out of a wellness facility or spa in addition to seeing customers in their homes. When you’re your boss, you’re responsible for everything from advertising your services to keeping the books to updating your website.

How to Become a Mobile Massage Therapist

Below are the steps to become a mobile massage therapist:

To begin a career as a mobile massage therapist, one often needs to obtain an education in massage therapy. The number of hours needed to master the techniques of various massage modalities varies by program but is typically in the hundreds.

Furthermore, most states require massage therapists to obtain a state license or certification to legally provide their services. Depending on the job, the employer may require you to have a valid driver’s license, CPR certification, and familiarity with various forms of wellness care.

Massage Therapist School

It has never been a more interesting or rewarding moment to pursue a career in massage therapy. There has been a tremendous increase in the number of career opportunities available for massage therapists in a wide variety of settings, including resorts and spas, fitness facilities, stretching clinics, and school and private practices. Also, the schooling requirements to become a massage therapist aren’t too hard. That is to say, it can often be met in a few months instead of years.

Preamble

The majority of colleges that teach massage therapy require their students to have a high school diploma or an equivalent before they can enter. On the other hand, many people choose to make massage therapy their second, third, or even fourth career after having worked in another industry previously. The more knowledge and experience you have gained after high school, the more you may bring to the table in the field of massage therapy.

Many states require applicants to undergo criminal record checks to obtain a professional license for massage therapy, even if some colleges do not conduct them. So, if you have any reason to believe that you might not pass a background check, it is in your best interest to bring it up at the time that you enroll in the program. This will prevent you from graduating from the program but still being unable to obtain a license.

Another item that isn’t necessarily a prerequisite for a job as a professional massage therapist but is something you should know before selecting this path is that this line of work may be highly demanding on your body physically. It is quite easy to injure yourself if you practice massage without practicing good body mechanics if you perform massage without doing enough self-care, if you perform too many massages for too long, or if you perform massage for too long.

Furthermore, you may extend your career as a massage therapist and make the most of your investment in massage school by keeping your body in good physical shape, engaging in regular exercise and stretching, consuming a healthy diet, receiving frequent massages for yourself, and being meticulous about ensuring that you use the correct form and posture when you are working.

How Long Does Massage Therapist School Take?

This depends in part on how many hours your state requires for a license and how many hours you take at once. Day and evening massage therapy programs are typically available at most schools, with varying start and end dates. According to Sohnen-Moe, massage therapy schools provide courses ranging in duration from a few months to two years. You will not only learn the mechanics of massage, but also its roots and history, as well as the benefits and risks of the practice, as well as business, values, and self-care.

Salary for a Massage Therapist

Healthcare professionals project that the coming decade will see the opening of over 29,900 new positions for massage therapists. But how much salary can you make working as a massage therapist in this expanding industry? Because compensation data disregard taxes or business-related charges like the cost of paying for premises or goods, the answer is a little bit complicated.

What you make also relies on the city and state in which you reside, the place and amount of work you put in, the credentials and expertise you bring to the table, and your sales and client acquisition skills. The working environment in which you perform massage therapy also has a significant impact on the amount of salary you bring in as a massage therapist. According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), massage therapists who work for massage therapy chains often earn the least per hour on average compared to those who provide in-home visits for customers or work at resorts.

But keep in mind that even though staff at shackles clinics and hairdressers make less per hour up front, they have a lot fewer costs than self-employed therapists. Nearly two-thirds of massage therapists, regardless of the setting in which they practice, report getting tips approximately sixty percent of the time.

Factors That Affect the Salary of a Massage Therapist

There are several variables beyond just work experience and education that might affect the salary of a massage therapist. While the information in this guide should give you a good idea of what you could earn as a massage therapist, it is important to keep in mind that, as with most professions, your salary will vary greatly depending on your location, what kind of massage you perform, and how successful you are at attracting clients. 

Since it might take several years to establish a solid reputation and a loyal clientele, recent massage therapy school graduates are also likely to earn on the low end of the scale.

What Is the Difference Between a Massage Therapist and Masseuse?

In French, a woman who gives massages is called a masseuse. Men who worked in the field are called masseurs. However, both male and female massage therapists use the term “massage therapist” due to some undesirable associations (and the need for a gender-inclusive vocabulary).

Do Massage Therapists Get Hard?

When a massage therapist and a client establish a sense of trust during a session, the body releases oxytocin into the bloodstream.

What Are Different Types of Massage Called?

  • Deep Tissue Massage.
  • Aromatherapy Massage.
  • Hot Stone Massage. 
  • Shiatsu Massage.
  • Sports Massage.Prenatal Massage
  • Swedish massage
  • Chair massage

What Is the Difference Between Massage Therapist and Physiotherapist?

Physiotherapy is more about improving how muscles and joints work, while massage treatment is usually used to relieve pain and muscle spasms right away. Massage therapy is also often used to help people with long-term pain.

Which Country Is Best for Massage?

The Thai( Thailand) massage is well-known around the world. India, Turkey, Vietnam, Sweden, the Philippines, and Japan are among the countries where you may also get the greatest massages.

Do Massages Make Lot of Money?

There is a large range of salaries available for massage therapists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the annual median salary for massage therapists is $43,620. However, the BLS also reports that the yearly minimum wage for massage therapists is approximately $22,580. On the other hand, individuals who are most successful in this industry bring in an annual salary of more than $79,000.

How Many Massages Should a Therapist Do a Day?

The majority of massage therapists set a limit for themselves each day of no more than five massage treatments they may perform. Because of this, therapists can provide remarkable therapies without sacrificing their own need for self-care.

References

  • money.usnews.com
  • indeed.com
  • naturalhealers.com
  • ziprecruiter.com
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