CE INSTITUTE LLC BLOG

by Sandy Fritz

Massage Career Longevity:

The Massage Therapy Foundation-MTF is conducting data collection about the work of massage therapy professionals to create a structured job task analysis. With this information, our goal is to provide safety parameters for massage therapy work which may include identifying risk factors, examining practice environments, and analyzing the essence of how typical massage therapy work tasks are performed.

This study aims to provide the profession with information which improves workplace safety and efficiency for therapists and inspires researchers to take the initial results and explore them more fully.
https://massagetherapyfoundation.org/mtf-ergo-project/

Massage Licensing Portability:

The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) announced March 17 that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has selected the massage therapy profession to receive technical assistance from The Council of State Governments to develop an interstate compact for occupational licensing portability. https://www.massagemag.com/a-move-to-transcend-state.../

Unified Language and Interdisciplinary Collaboration:

The advancement of the broad field of manual therapy and the quality of patient care it provides will be hastened through accurate understanding and communication about practice, educational principles and research designs and outcomes between the various manual therapy professions/disciplines. https://www.icmtconference.org

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by Sandy Fritz

A scar is the body's natural way of healing and replacing lost or damaged tissue. A scar results from the biologic process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues.

Most wounds, except for very minor ones, result in some degree of scarring. We can see and touch scars on the body surface but scar tissue can form inside the body as well.

A scar is usually composed of fibrous tissue that can have altered tissue texture including stiffness, denseness, roughness, etc. Scars may be formed for many different reasons, including as a result of infections, surgery, injuries, or inflammation of tissue.

The mechanical forces applied during massage can load the scar tissue resulting in short term shifts in the texture including increases in sliding and pliability. The sensory stimulation may reduce the feeling of the pulling or itching of the scar for a short time.

Regular attention to scar tissue may over time provide a longer-term result. To work with scar tissue, it is important to understand the healing phase of the scar and to appreciate the compensation of the body to the scar.

Early mobilization of the tissue containing the wound can help the scar tissue heal more mobile. Those who have had various types of surgery are encouraged to move the area very soon after the procedure to prevent or reduce internal scar tissue formation.

More importantly, every scar has a story. Sometimes the client will share the story. Sometimes not. It is their choice.

It is not our role to have the client explore, understand or resolve issues related to the story. If they share, our role is to LISTEN compassionately. It is their story not ours.

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Sandy Fritz a well renowned massage therapist with more than 35 years of experience. She dedicates her time to writing massage texts for Mosby Publishing (Elsevier), educating, consulting, teaching, and providing massage to a mixed clientele. You can view or purchase Sandy's textbooks at: https://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/catalogsearch/result/?filter_multi_product_type=&q=sandy+fritz

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the views or opinions of CE Institute LLC.

#massage #LMT #bodywork #bodyworker #massagetherapy #thought  #learning #education #scar #scartissue #respect

by Sandy Fritz

Pressure needs to be heavy/hard for results—NOT TRUE.

General pressure of the massage should be satisfying, ranging from light to firm depending on outcome desired and body area addressed.

Firm pressure is NOT DEEP TISSUE.

Moderate to firm pressure is generally indicated for most people during a therapeutic massage. The delivery of these pressure levels related to ergonomics and body mechanics …not increased effort by the massage therapist.

Painful (deep) pressure is needed for results. NOT TRUE.

Pressure provided should not be painful or cause the body to tighten. Pressure can be focused if indicated to target a specific symptom but should not cause soreness the day after the session. If that occurs the tissue that was worked on was damaged by the application.

Deep tissue means therapeutic focus heavy pressure spot work. NOT TRUE.

This terminology is a major source of confusion. Deep tissue as a type of massage approach is inaccurate and burning out and injuring massage therapists. What clients want is focused intensity. Better to use an adjunct method in combination with massage. Best are cupping/suction/decompression/vacuum methods that lift and pull the tissue and percussion tools combined with warm or cold application.

Swedish means relaxation focus light pressure. NOT TRUE.

This form of therapeutic massage, more accurately called classical massage, can be modified and adapted to achieve any outcome goal.

Trigger point is a massage approach….NOT TRUE.

A trigger point is a soft tissue condition that can be treated many ways, not just heavy pressure.

Stretching is necessary….NOT TRUE.

Stability and flexibility are needed for functional mobility. Many people are hypermobile and the stiffness is compensation for the lack of stability. Stretching should be only used when specifically indicated. Stretching moves a body area beyond a current motion barrier which could actually cause injury or aggravate a symptom.

Joint movement is stretching. NOT TRUE.

Joint movement within the client’s comfort range but within safe physiological parameters is a valuable aspect of massage therapy application. Generally, flexion movement should be 90 degrees from anatomical position. Extension moves to anatomical position. Hyperextension no more than 15 degrees from anatomical position. Adduction, abduction, internal and external rotation 45 degrees from anatomical position.

Cupping methods should leave marks to be effective…NOT TRUE.

Marks are caused by too much suction and leaving the cup in place (parked). Suction needs to be sufficient to lift skin/superficial fascia and stay on the skin. The cup should be slowly moved during application.

Scraping methods (Gua Sha/instrument assisted) needs to leave marks (petechiae) to be effective. NOT TRUE.

Scraping can be done safely if applied lightly with a lubricant. Scraping can provide a satisfying sensation and creates counterirritation and hyperstimulation analgesia . Scraping DOES NOT break up scar tissue. NOTE: Dry brushing can accomplish a similar sensation more safely.

by Sandy Fritz

An ongoing issue.

I read over and over about people asking about certification related to a particular method or approach. Last one I saw today was related to cupping.

Educators do not provide certification.

Educators provide certificates.

There is a major importance in using this terminology correctly.

Massage Therapists only need state licensing to practice and do not need specific certificates.

Continuing education is good, but completion of an educational program and then saying you are "certified" is misleading and unethical.

Please read the following carefully. The Academy of Clinical Massage explains the difference between Certificates and Certification: https://www.academyofclinicalmassage.com/certificate-vs-certification-credentialing-terminology-matters/

by Sandy Fritz

Currently the business of massage therapy along with many other occupations is adapting to find a way to move forward. The down time from the pandemic allowed for reflection.

Unfortunately, employers of all types are finding it hard to find quality employees that understand the dynamics of business balance. There is a cap on what a business owner can charge for services and products limiting business income.

Employees want higher income. The ratio for a sustainable business is wages being no more than 35-40% of gross business income.

The business owner has to cover wages for non-income producing employees such as receptionists and all payroll taxes and any benefits within the wage allotments.

When massage therapists ask for 50% + of the service fee, the business owner will not be able to maintain business viability. The business owner should be making 10% of business gross in profit. Many are using the profit to pay wages.

Business owners will not continue to work for nothing forever. This is just economics. Given this situation, unless the business owner is planning a larger business with multiple income streams and multiple therapists and services, I do not recommend that massage therapists in small practices become employers. You will make more income with less headaches maximizing your own solo practice in a small one-person space.

For those with larger facilities it is becoming common to rent space to solo practitioners. DO NOT DO THE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR THING. Become a landlord. You can rent space in many ways from by the day to long term lease.

Rent for space varies based on demographics but make sure you charge enough to cover your costs and make a profit. DO NOT RENT BY PERCENT OF FEES. Charge a fair but profitable rental fee. A landlord can control the facility, but not the renter.

Shared space can be tricky when there is a common lobby, reception and restrooms. If a common receptionist is used that is a fee over and above the space rental. I don’t recommend this. It gets messy and a solo massage therapist can now run a business on a smartphone or tablet.

Do not take money from clients. The money exchange is between client and solo massage therapists. The massage therapist pays you rent.

Do not provide supplies such as linens. Only provide basic equipment such as a massage table in the treatment area and only if renting by the hour, day or week.

Long term renters should provide their own equipment. Make sure the lease clearly defines facility use requirements such as when the building is open, noise and odor levels etc.

Also, eviction can be messy as well. Be prepared. Expect turnover. Being a solo practitioner is much harder than people think and until a solid retention client base is built, the income is not what most expect and the massage therapist often finds themselves over extended.

by Sandy Fritz

There are many ways to measure success and Massage Therapy as a career offers many many ways to create success from employment to self-employed, from a home office or mobile to working in a hospital. Satisfaction is a measure of success. Only you can determine what being satisfied means to you.

Massage Therapy is a one-on-one people career about one hour at a time and most stable with a retention client base serving the same group of people over and over. There certainly are other practice options such as a hospital based practice where clients pass through your hands after one or two sessions or in the resort practice with clients on vacation. The massage practice can be presented as a short term intervention targeting a specific issue. Even in these short term interactions connection and compassion are the foundation.

However, in my experience, the long term retention client practice is the most stable . Any one person can only sustain a relationship-personal or therapeutic (like with massage therapy clients) with a limited number of people. Many experts put the limits on group experiences at 12 people.

I limit my classes to 12 participates. Over my many years of practice my client base has hovered between 20-40 clients seen on a regular basis (weekly, every two weeks or monthly). There have been times when 10 -12 clients have filled my schedule.

Clients also have to be satisfied for a massage therapist to have a successful practice. A huge part of client satisfaction is connection. So, a successful massage career often involves a small circle of people. Keep this in mind as you develop and or redevelop your career vision. Some feel isolated or stagnant in this type of practice. Having a part time massage practice and another part time career focus is an option.

Some may find that it is time to move on into a different career path. There is some career pressure right now that is pushing massage therapists to question if the small massage practice is viable and the pandemic has created a time of reflection on your career satisfaction. Certainly it is fine to pivot and or expand or change career focus entirely.

It is also fine to realize that you are satisfied in your massage therapy career. The current circumstances will pass and we as a society will learn to adapt.

Massage Therapy creates connection - communicating through touch. We are valuable.

by Sandy Fritz

If you are contemplating a career shift in 2022 and are interested in massage therapy, now is the time to investigate. Learn about realistic career expectations related to scheduling, income, employment compared to self-employment, part time or full time, educational options, etc.

Massage Therapy is a wonderful career—IF—you really want to compassionately work with people within a health professions occupation in the health and wellness sector. But-- it is a physical occupation and one that requires focused attention to the clients.

Massage Therapy can be your first career, a career change or a retirement career. Income potential is similar to other vocationally trained health professions with realistic expectations for $30,000-$35,000 per year FULL TIME and at the lower range at entry level and certainly lower if working part time. Be skeptical if anyone tells you different.

Career advancement over time will influence income but realistic expectations are important in the beginning. And income is similar whether an employee or self-employed. Full time is generally considered 25-30 hours of actual massage time in a 35–40-hour work week. Many massage therapists work part time.

Health Enrichment Center School of Therapeutic Massage is a small school targeting quality education now and into the future. The instructors, Sandy and Luke Fritz, are the authors of a major textbook line. It is rare to be able to learn from the textbook authors.

The tuition is $7000 including books with no interest school payment plan available because we want students to own their education when they graduate. Schedule of classes is parttime primarily 1 day a week-Thursdays for the spring start and Wednesdays for the fall. The base monthly schedule plan is 3 days of class in Lapeer facility and 1-2 days ZOOM remote.

Additionally, there are clinic classes after midterm scheduled on first week of the month on Wednesdays for spring start and Thursdays for fall. Job shadowing hours have flexible schedule. The curriculum is updated every year to reflect the most current information. Graduates from all over the state have been able to successfully adapt their schedule, including travel time, to attend.

We only enroll 12 students in each class. The expectation is that students are self-motivated, committed to self-teaching by completing all online and homework assignments, accountable for their own educational success and want to be excellent massage therapists.

The instructing staff (Sandy and Luke +assistants) are committed to quality education and focused on individual student success BUT we will not babysit or tolerate students’ behavior that does not reflect the same level of commitment. This program is not for everyone.

Since the school is privately owned, we have ability for flexibility which is an advantage. However, before enrolling it is important that each student has self-evaluated readiness for the commitment required. Begin by investigating the school web page. We encourage you to investigate other schools as well. https://www.healthenrichment.com/

by Sandy Fritz

Specialization in massage therapy practice is NOT about methods. It is about adaptation of foundational massage.

I acquired many specializations over my 40+ years of practice by being an excellent self-teacher, learning from clients with shared experiences, trial and error and classes about the specifics such as how to swing a golf club. Never was good at it but understood it better.

I ended up as a specialist for football by working with professional teams for 25 years. Same with basketball and golf.

I learned about sports injury because I looked up each one, over and over, thinking about how to help with massage application and not make it worse. I certainly learned from mistakes.

I learned about interdisciplinary care by being in the settings and working with others. I learned about pain both acute and chronic by staying up to date with research. This takes time.

by Sandy Fritz

My family owns a massage therapy franchise as well as a massage therapy school. I am very protective of the massage therapists that work for us. This includes injury prevention.

Had a client last week insist on a 90 min. session with the massage therapist only using hands and thumbs. We teach that excessive use of the hands is to be avoided and the thumbs should rarely be used.

I called the client and told them that their request has the potential to harm the massage therapist and they said that that is what they want as well as deep pressure so I told them we would not book them for a session. TADA!

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Sandy Fritz a well renowned massage therapist with more than 35 years of experience. She dedicates her time to writing massage texts for Mosby Publishing (Elsevier), educating, consulting, teaching, and providing massage to a mixed clientele. You can view or purchase Sandy's textbooks at: https://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/catalogsearch/result/?filter_multi_product_type=&q=sandy+fritz

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the views or opinions of CE Institute LLC.

#massage #LMT #bodywork #bodyworker #massagetherapy #scopeofpractice #communications #business #safety #health #wellness