As a massage therapist, your body is a professional tool. It’s an investment in your future as a bodywork practitioner. So why not protect that future with a simple home study course in body mechanics?
All too often, massage therapists fail to neglect their own health while taking care of their clients. They get physically burned out, which makes them susceptible to injury and more likely to leave behind their trained profession.
While massage schools go into great detail on how to take care of massage clients, many often fail to teach you about your own professional health–although some are getting better.
An Internet search resulted in numerous home study courses that any massage therapist can take to help alleviate these risks.
If you find yourself extremely fatigued after a day of providing massage, poor body mechanics is likely the culprit. Experts in the field have said that a massage therapist should be able to provide between four to five massages a day, five days a week, without experiencing excessive fatigue or pain.
But also keep in mind that even if you are not presently experiencing these symptoms, poor body mechanics can still lead to career-threatening injuries.
By taking a home study course in body mechanics, you can easily safeguard yourself from these injuries and make yourself a more effective therapist. Body mechanics courses often will count toward continuing education requirements.
A course in body mechanics can teach you how to best use your arms and hands to provide a high-quality massage without stress or injury. Many courses will also focus on posture, stance and body alignment that will help improve your stamina.
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