When it comes to home-study courses for massage therapists, the choices are numerous. Several of the courses offered for home study are mandatory requirements to keep your state and national licensing requirements current for continuing education. However, there are many others you can choose from that can be tailored to your specific interests.

So why not take one that will benefit you and your clients--more specifically, one that already reinforces the modalities and techniques you already use?

Courses focused on a specific modality, like oncology massage, are offered. But sometimes it can be more practical to choose a general topic like pain management. 

A variety of pain management courses are available through home-study instruction. Treating chronic pain can be learned through a variety of techniques. Some of the courses offered include those for sports injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger point therapy, orthopedic disorders, tendonitis, migraines, arthritis and myoskeletal alignment, among many others.

Sports massage techniques can reduce the chance of injury to the client by using proper stretching, preparation and deep-tissue massage. Massage can

also shorten recovery time between activities, improve the athletes' range of motion, break down scar tissue, increase blood flow and tissue permeability, improve tissue elasticity, and reduce pain and anxiety.

Trigger point therapy can be used to treat headaches, stiffness in the neck, bursitis, tennis elbow, back pain, sciatica, shin splints and other injuries that occur from accidents, sports, occupations and disease.

For orthopedic disorders, home-study courses include topics that cover the treatment of subscapularis tendinitis, tennis elbow, lateral ankle sprain, patella tendinitis and Achilles tendinitis. The courses also delve into teaching about massage techniques and musculoskeletal disorders, along with thermal modalities, treatment aids and the physiological effects.

Some of the benefits of pain management include released chronic muscular tension and pain, improved circulation, increased joint flexibility, reduced mental fatigue, reduced stress, improved posture and reduced blood pressure.

Make sure to check with your national and state licensing bodies to make sure the courses you select are acceptable for continuing education credits.

--Jeremy Maready

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