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Finding a Good Massage Therapy School

To find a good massage therapy school, you may want to visit the Natural Healers Web site which can be found at www.naturalhealers.com . This site has a search mode that will list all massage therapy schools that are located in your area.

Once the list of schools appears on the screen, you can click on the institutions where you may like to complete your training for massage therapy. You should now decide the type of massage therapy that most interests you. There are several different types of this therapy that you may want to go into. These programs include sports therapy, neuromuscular therapy, Reiki, and even equine therapy that is used on horses.

Considerations When Choosing a Massage Therapy School

There are certain considerations to think about when choosing a school in which to complete your training for massage therapy. The length of time required to complete your course of study varies from school to school. Some institutions require eighteen months to complete training for massage therapy while others have a course of study that only lasts seven months.

Another consideration to keep in mind is the fact that there is training for massage therapy available online. While you may want to take this option, many state boards of massage therapy will accept only a few hours of this type of training towards your certification. This stipulation is to ensure that all graduates will have the valuable “hands on” training for massage therapy that they will need when entering the professional world.

Training for massage therapy can be a long process. Choosing the right school and type of program that interests you can make the experience a pleasant one.

Many people have heard of Swedish massage therapy but are not sure exactly what it is. Simply put, this massage technique was imported from Europe and uses a combination of five techniques to achieve relaxation. It is also an effective way to aid sore and injured muscles and tissues.

The Effleurage and Petrissage Techniques

When receiving a traditional Swedish therapy massage, the practitioner may begin by lightly rubbing your muscles with an open hand. This technique is called effleurage, and its main purpose is to relax the patient. It also gives the therapist a chance to acquaint himself with any abnormal muscles or tissues that he may need to work on later.

The next step in a Swedish massage therapy is the petrissage technique. This therapy procedure involves kneading and compressing the muscles, putting the patient into an even more relaxed state. By stretching the muscles and tissues, the therapist can prepare them for the next stage of the Swedish therapy massage.

The Friction Technique

The most painful technique that is involved in a Swedish massage therapy is the friction procedure. This part of the session involves the therapist working on the problem areas that he discovered earlier. He will vigorously rub while firmly pressing down on a knot or sore spot until it is massaged out.

The Tapotement and Vibration Techniques

To finish with your Swedish therapy massage, the therapist will begin to go over the area briskly with a series of “karate chops” or other percussive movements. This beating motion is called the tapotement procedure and is used to prevent the muscles in the problem area from cramping or having spasms. The vibration technique is the final stage of a Swedish massage therapy and simply involves the therapist vigorously shaking you to restore your blood flow and to help any problem areas limber up.

A Swedish massage therapy can be a useful tool in the treatment of sore or injured muscles. To find out more about this treatment method and the techniques that it uses, you can visit www.holisticonline.com/massage/mas_techniques.htm

The sports therapy massage is becoming a more familiar sight in locker rooms across the country. There are several types of massage techniques that are best used when working on the tired muscles of athletes.

Step One-The Effleurage Technique

At the beginning of a sports therapy massage, the therapist will begin by rubbing the muscles with the palms of his hands. This type of massage technique is known as effleurage. The main purpose of this technique is to relax the client’s muscles and put him at ease. It will also stimulate blood circulation and help to warm up the muscle tissue.

Starting lightly and gradually becoming deeper as the first stage of the sports therapy massage session progresses, effleurage is a good way for the therapist to detect any abnormalities with the muscle or tissue. The technique will let him know about any problem areas that he may need to concentrate on in the other stages of the massage.

The Second Stage-The Petrissage Technique

The second stage of a sports therapy massage involves the deeper, kneading technique that can feel so good on sore and aching muscles. This kneading motion is known as the petrissage technique of massage therapy and can help to stretch the muscles and can mobilize the bodily fluids at the deepest levels.

Stage Three-The Friction Technique

A sports therapy massage includes a final stage which is referred to as the friction technique. This part of the massage is usually the most painful as the therapist is concentrating all his efforts on the problem areas. The practitioner begins by feeling for the abnormalities that he has discovered in the earlier stages of the session. He then rubs the spot vigorously to loosen the muscle and break down any lesions that may be lying under the surface.

To learn more about the sports therapy massage and the various stages that it involves, you can visit www.brianmac.co.uk/massage.htm

Finding Schools That Offer Equine Massage Therapy

To begin your search for schools for equine sports massage therapy, you can visit www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/aternative_therapies/therapy_school_links . This Web page is sponsored by Equisearch.com and lists a variety of schools that offer this particular field of study.

While most of these have programs will start you from scratch, the Equissage Massage School requires that you have prior knowledge of horse anatomy and physiology. Below are the schools for equine sports massage therapy that will teach you everything that you will need to know to enter this profession without any prior experience.

The D’Arcy Lane School of Equine Massage

One of the schools for equine sports massage therapy is the D’Arcy Lane School of Equine Massage. Its courses of study include equine anatomy, physiology, pathology, behavior, and terminology. There are also courses dealing with horse management and special massage therapies and techniques formatted for the body of these creatures. Located in Ontario, Canada, this type of schools for equine sports massage therapy may be what you are looking for. You can visit their Web site at www.darcylane.com .

The Prairie Winds Equine Massage Therapy School

Another of the schools for equine sports massage therapy is the Prairie Winds Equine Massage Therapy School. This institution also offers classes for equine anatomy, physiology, and pathology. It has courses dealing in reading a horse and hoof anatomy and care. This program can be completed in just 360 hours as the courses offered are intensive study sessions. Located in Wellington, Colorado, you can visit their Web site at www.equinemassagecollege.com

These are only two of the schools for equine sports massage therapy. As this area of sports medicine becomes more widespread, many more massage therapy schools will be adding this type of therapy to their educational programs.

Everest College

Everest College is one of the schools for sports massage therapy that is listed and has numerous locations across the United States and Canada. Some of these cities include Los Angeles (California), Clearwater (Florida), and Ontario (Canada). This school offers three quarters of courses studying a range of subjects that you will need to become a successful sports massage therapist.

The first quarter of studies will include the subjects of general biology, medical terminology, computer basics, body systems, and general psychology. The second quarter includes courses basic massage, anatomy, therapeutic massage, and deep tissue sculpting. The third quarter’s subjects concentrate on sports massage, traumatology, and personal fitness and nutrition. If this college is one of the schools for sports massage therapy that you are interested in, the directory on this Website lists the address of each particular branch of Everest College.

Cortiva Institute

Another group of schools for sports massage therapy is the Cortiva Institute. Having branches in Arizona, Illinois, and New Jersey as well as numerous other states, Cortiva may be one of the most widespread massage schools and also offers numerous comprehensive as well as clinical studies that will enable its graduates to enter the business world of massage therapy with confidence. Again, the addresses of these schools for sports massage are listed in the NaturalHealer.com directory.

These are just two of the many schools for sports massage therapy that are available. You can visit the Web page to view others to find the schools for sports massage therapy that are located closest to you.

Celadon Salon & Spa

One business that offers Ottawa massage therapy is the Celadon Salon & Spa located at 373 St. Laurent Boulevard. This establishment offers therapeutic, relaxation, and hot stone massages as part of their spa treatments. If you are interested in contacting the Celadon Salon & Spa, you can telephone them at 613-746-3500 or visit their Web page at www.celadonspa.ca .

Myobalance Registered Massage Therapy

Myobalance Registered Massage Therapy is another business that offers Ottawa massage therapy. Located at 324 Somerset Street West, this establishment’s posting on the Ottawa Web page includes a complete list of all the services that are available when visiting this business.

Myobalance offers a Swedish massage, a hot stone massage, an aromatherapy massage, and manual lymphatic drainage as well as numerous other treatments. For more information about this business, you can visit their Web site at www.myobalance.ca/index1.html . You can also reach them at 613-569-9000.

Soma Health & Fitness

In your search for Ottawa massage therapy, you may want to check out Soma Health & Fitness, which is located at 700 Sussex Drive. As well as offering fitness programs, this establishment also offers massage therapy with certified practitioners. If you are interested in more information about Soma Health & Fitness, you can visit their Web page at www.somahealthandfitness.com/massage.html or telephone them at 613-244-0490.

These are just a few of the many Ottawa massage therapy businesses that are available. You can check the entire Ottawa directory to finds the ideal massage therapy program that is right for you.