Massage therapy is recognized as an effective healing treatment even by mainstream medicine today. There are various massage therapy styles that benefit a wide range of medical conditions. Reflexology, acupressure and craniosacral therapy have been proven to give both instantaneous pain relief and long term curative effects. Deep tissue massage and sports massage are often part of rehabilitation medicine regimens. Even pregnant women can avail of a special type of pregnancy massage. Even if you are in good health, you can still improve your wellbeing with shiatsu. For any type of massage therapy to be truly effective, though, you should approach only a licensed massage therapist or an LMT.
So how does one become a licensed massage therapist in the United States? The first requirement is proper education. Courses in massage therapy include an average of 500 hours of study on anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology, massage theory and techniques, first aid and CPR, hydrotherapy, clinical practice, sanitation as well as business, communication, ethical and legal issues. Actual hands-on experience is also required. Schools coordinate with the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) to ensure that standards are being met.
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