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Online Exclusives » Conventions and Events » Laws & Legislation » Massage Associations » Schools/Training » Self-Care » Reader Expressions » Research » Link Partners » Donate to Research »Strawberries and Blueberries May Cut Heart Attack Risk in Women - 3/24/2013
Eating three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries per week may help women reduce their risk of a heart attack by one-third, according to research from the University of East Anglia in collaboration with the Harvard School of Public Health.
Poor Stress Responses May Lead to Obesity in Children: Can Massage Therapy Help? - 3/19/2013
Children who overreact to stressors may be at risk of becoming overweight or obese, according to researchers at Penn State and Johns Hopkins University.
Experts Share Latest Findings at 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition - 1/29/2013
The latest research and breakthroughs in vegetarian nutrition will be showcased as Loma Linda University hosts a gathering of top experts from all over the world for the 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition, scheduled Feb. 24 to 26.
Practicing Hot Yoga During the Cold Weather Months - 1/10/2013
There are benefits to practicing hot yoga during the winter months. Not only do you get a break from the chilly weather, but performing yoga in such a warm space makes the exercise extra challenging, so you feel like you get an especially good workout.
Five Natural Health Tips to Prevent Diabetes - 11/13/2012
November is American Diabetes Month. Physicians from National University of Health Sciences, a leading university for advanced degrees in complementary and alternative health, are offering natural health tips that may help you reduce your risk for contracting type II diabetes.
Study Pinpoints Just How Much Exercise Is Good for Mental Health - 10/23/2012
Scientists and devotees of regular exercise have long known that fitness keeps minds healthy as well as bodies. In addition to regulating weight and building muscle strength, exercise improves self-esteem, lessens anxiety, calms the nerves and elevates the mood and vitality. But what is the optimum amount of physical activity associated with better mental health?
How to Check Your Skin for Skin Cancer - 10/11/2012
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., and finding spots that could be cancerous is as simple as looking at your skin. Now a new video, Skin Self-Exam: How to Do, from the American Academy of Dermatology, demonstrates how to check your skin and what to look for.
The American Heart Association Certifies Pecans as Heart-Healthy Food - 8/21/2012
Pecans are now designated as heart-healthy when enjoyed as part of a healthy eating pattern by the American Heart Association's Heart-Check Certification Program (www.heartcheckmark.org), according to the National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA).
Meditation Practice May Decrease Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in Teens - 6/20/2012
Regular meditation could decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in teens who are most at risk, according to Georgia Health Sciences University researchers.
Chinese Meditation IBMT Prompts Double Positive Punch in Brain White Matter - 6/19/2012
Scientists studying the Chinese mindfulness meditation known as integrative body-mind training (IBMT) say they've confirmed and expanded their findings on changes in structural efficiency of white matter in the brain that can be related to positive behavioral changes in subjects practicing the technique regularly for a month.
New Research Showcases Pain-Management Benefits of Massage Therapy - 5/16/2013
Massage therapy may be a helpful pain-management strategy for individuals suffering from metastatic cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, in addition to post-cardiac surgery, according to new research gathered by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).
Dermalogica Launches New Website to Accommodate Product Demand - 5/16/2013
Dermalogica has announced its new and improved website, www.dermalogica.com/, for the U.S. market, developed to bring the brand's hallmarks of education and professional skin care consultation within a mouse click.
Massage Therapists: Win a Portable Massage Table Package from Custom Craftworks - 5/14/2013
MASSAGE Magazine partners with Custom Craftworks to offer one lucky Facebook fan a chance to win a massage table package from Custom Craftworks during the month of May.
The Massage Therapy Foundation Thanks Sponsors for Support at Massage Research Conference - 5/14/2013
The Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) is pleased to announce the 2013 International Massage Therapy Research Conference was a success with nearly 300 massage therapists, nurses, doctors, researchers, educators and others in allied health care professions in attendance
Bioelements Announces 2013 World-Class Spas - 5/13/2013
Bioelements professional skin care has announced its 2013 World Class and World Class Elite spas. Chosen to represent the country's best in spa amenities, each World Class spa provides dedication to excellence in the spa industry.
New Executive Director Announced at Milady - 5/10/2013
Milady, part of Cengage Learning and a leading provider of beauty and wellness learning solutions, has appointed Sandra Bruce as its new executive director. Bruce is filling the position that was previously held by Dawn Gerrain, who is now operating as the vice president and general manager of skills and product planning with Cengage Learning.
Institute for Integrative Healthcare Studies Announces New NCBTMB Board Certification Savings - 5/10/2013
The Institute for Integrative Healthcare Studies (IIHS), approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education approved provider (#049478-00), has announced it has developed a savings plan—eligible on 100 of its 125-plus home-study continuing education courses.
Two Massage Industry Leaders Partner to Benefit Massage Students and Schools - 5/9/2013
BIOTONE® and Biofreeze® have introduced the Helping Hands Gifts for Growth™ Grant Program, which will support professional massage therapy students in their educational pursuits or endeavors to launch a massage therapy practice.
Massage Therapy Foundation Board Announces New Executive Director - 5/2/2013
The Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) Board of Trustees has announced that Gini S. Ohlson, the American Massage Therapy Association's (AMTA) current foundation director, will become its executive director on July 1, 2013.
College of Southern Maryland Wins Award from Massage Warehouse - 5/2/2013
The College of Southern Maryland has won Massage Warehouse's 2013 Ultimate New Graduate Award. The award was presented at the 17th annual Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) School Issues Forum.
Success from the Start: Business Principles for Massage Therapists
F.A. Davis Publishing Company
Business naiveté is one of the primary reasons massage therapists leave the profession. The author has written this text to provide you with the business skills you need to envision and then launch a successful career of your choosing as an employee, independent contractor or business owner.
Success from the Start: Business Principles for Massage Therapists costs $39.95.
F.A. Davis Publishing Company
1915 Arch Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103
(215) 568-2483
http://fadavis.com
by Lauriann Greene, C.E.A.S., and Richard W. Goggins, C.P.E., L.M.P.
Massage therapists tend to overuse their fingers and thumbs in their work, which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome and DeQuervain's thumb. There are times when you may feel you must use your fingers or thumbs to do your work, but there are likely many other times when you could easily substitute other techniques using other parts of your body to do the same work and get the same results.
Be sure to palpate lightly first to find the spot you want to treat, mark it with your thumb or fingers, and then apply pressure with another part of your hand or arm. Vary the part of the hand or arm you use to apply pressure, so you don't use one part exclusively or repetitively.
To save your delicate, easily-injured fingers and thumbs, try using the following suggestions to perform techniques and apply pressure:
Reproduced with permission from Save Your Hands! The Complete Guide to Injury Prevention and Ergonomics for Manual Therapists, Second Edition, by Lauriann Greene, C.E.A.S., and Richard W. Goggins, C.P.E., L.M.P., © 2008 Gilded Age Press. For more information, visitwww.saveyourhands.com. Read their blog here.
by Ted Guggenheim
Technology can be a Catch-22 for many small businesses. While technology can often help streamline operations and ease communication between staff and clients, it can also be a source of frustration, because it often takes time and energy to get staff--and clients--up to speed.
To help ease that frustration, here are some simple ways to integrate the use of mobile technologies to ensure your massage practice, spa or salon has found its way into the 21st Century.
1. Communication. It's all about texting. Surveys show more than a third of your clients prefer to text than talk. Texting is the easiest way to communicate with friends and family, so why not make it easy for clients to receive communication from you via text? While, one-way texting (often referred to as "push-texting") using short codes is one option for marketing and communicating with your clients, you can also turn your existing landline into a two-way text number via an iPad app such as TextUs.Biz.
2. Pay up. Mobile payments are becoming more common, as companies like Square and PayPal make it easier to streamline the point of sale (POS). iPads have virtually eliminated the need for a space-taking, clunky POS system with simple apps that offer intuitive interfaces for both the massage therapist and client.
3. What time? Online scheduling was certainly revolutionary when it appeared on the scene, but now technology has advanced even more with iOS apps that allow scheduling to happen on the go from companies like Vagaro. Apps abound and enable you to book a client while you're on the beach, in line for a movie or on a ski lift. Just because your physical doors are not open for business, shouldn't mean your clients can't reach you directly to schedule their next appointment.
4. Edutainment. We've all heard about social media, but free social media apps like Twitter, Vimeo, Instagram, Pinterest and, of course, Facebook can offer the chance for you to engage, inform and educate your client base. Engaging customers via these apps allows your business to promote a vibrant, exciting personality to retain and attract customers.
Ted Guggenheim is the co-founder and president of TextUs.Biz, a company dedicated to making it easy for small businesses to send and receive text messages with customers from their computer or iPad. Guggenheim and his team of developers are located in Boulder, Colorado. E-mail him at ted@textus.biz and follow on Twitter @TextUsBiz.
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