Massage can be one of the most relaxing and stress relieving gifts to give yourself or someone you love. Few activities result in such a feeling of physical and emotional well being at its culmination. But for those giving the massage – the massage therapist – an hour-long massage can be incredibly grueling work.
If you consider the amount of strength and energy it takes to massage several people a day, you can certainly understand the level of care a massage therapist must take to protect their own health. A full schedule of massage several times a week can be unbelievably strenuous for the massage therapist and, if they are not vigilant, can result in injury.
Depending on the type of massage being offered, the massage therapist will work with their client to release specific points of stress throughout the body. Whether it’s the lighter, longer strokes of Swedish massage or the more intensive kneading of deep tissue massage, the massage therapist must seamlessly adjust their level of touch to fit the client’s particular needs. Further, the massage therapist surely wants their last client’s massage to be just as effective and enjoyable as their first client of the day. It takes an enormous amount of stamina to maintain this high level of effective massage.
Some massage therapists – because of the work associated with massage – begin to experience back pain from bending over, sore joints and muscles, or carpal tunnel syndrome. It is not a career without its risks and these risks must be managed on a daily basis. The proactive massage therapist will not overbook their day and will schedule enough recuperation time between clients. During this “down time” the massage therapist can do some stretching to relieve muscle tightness and give joints a rest. Maintaining appropriate posture during a massage can also be helpful in minimizing back pain.
Additionally, a good massage therapist will also become an avid massage client. They recognize that they must treat their own bodies as well as they do their clients if they are to continue giving a massage that is in demand.
For easy to understand, in depth information about massage visit our ezGuide 2 Massage.