Physical Therapy Schools|Benefits Of Massage Therapy Schools

Occupational therapy is a health profession that assists people with physical or mental impairments to engage in their daily routines. An occupational therapist may work with families and individuals, to encourage activity. This is achieved by modifying the environment, learning or re-learning skills, adjusting the activity, or facilitating mental or physical rehabilitation.

Occupational therapists are accredited at the Masters level through university study. To be admitted to a Master of Occupational Therapy program, the student must hold an accredited Bachelors degree in any subject. However, there are prerequisites that should be fulfilled at the undergraduate level. These vary from school to school, but most require at least a B average at 300 and 400 level courses; three credits in Human Anatomy at the 300 level, with an emphasis on gross musculature; three credits in social sciences; three credits in behavioral sciences. Some also require a course in statistics. Seventy hours of volunteer or work experience with people who have cognitive, physical or emotional disabilities are also required before admission to some graduate programs in Occupational Therapy. Some programs also require courses in physiology, child development, and developmental psychology of adolescents and adults. A prospective student must also display competence in the English language.

The exceptions to these prerequisites is the School of Occupational Therapy at University of Western Ontario, School of Rehabilitative Therapy at Queen's University, and School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University which require only the completion of a four-year undergraduate degree with a minimum B average in the last ten full courses.

The School of Rehabilitative Science at McMaster University requires only one course in biologic or life science, and one course in social science or humanities. School of Occupational Therapy at Dalhousie University requires six credits in human physiology, and three credits in human anatomy. The program at McGill incorporates a qualifying year, which ensures that all participants in the program have the same basis for continuing studies at the graduate level.

The Masters programs all cover a core of courses and clinical practicum to prepare the student for work in a variety of settings. These courses cover the theory of occupational therapy, health conditions and occupations, professional practice, human anatomy, assessment and analysis, wellness by design of technology, research methodology, social influences on occupational performance, neuroscience, pharmacology, and applied research.

The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is the body overseeing the certification of Occupational Therapists. Schools offering the program meet the criteria of CAOT for their students. CAOT is affiliated with the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, meaning that graduates who complete a program in Canada meet the criteria to be licensed in countries that recognize the WFOT guidelines. Upon completion of studies, the graduate will be certified by the CAOT after writing the Certification Examination. CAOT also offers continuing education courses to its members.

Each province also has a regulatory body for the practice of Occupational Therapy and provincial associations. Many provincial organizations also offer continuing education for practitioners in their province.

The field of Occupational Therapy requires a lot of study and training. It is a great choice for those who want both a rewarding and lucrative career helping people function in their daily activities.

It has been hotly debated whether or not the massage therapist should use herbal oil as part of the general massage of the entire body. As a recipient of regular massage, I find that the oil benefits me greatly by reducing the friction between me and the therapist's hands.

Whether or not the massage therapist uses oil, there are health benefits to getting a massage.

A good massage:

1. Relieves high blood pressures and promotes normal blood pressure.
   


2. Relieves stress-related disorders associated with sleeplessness and headaches.
   


3. Relieves many kinds of aches and pains especially in the joints.
   


4. Promotes normal heart rhythm and increases the efficiency of the heart.
   


5. Enhances skin tone and increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the body's tissues and organs.
   


6. Relieves depression and anxiety.
   


7. Improves muscle tone and increases mobility and flexibility.
   


8. Relieves indigestion and constipation and helps to remove gastrointestinal gases associated with bloating and flatulence.
   


9. Stimulates the lymphatic system by promoting the elimination of waste products, such as lactic acid, from your cells and tissues. This lactic acid can contribute to joint and muscle stiffness.

Keep in mind that a good massage is not the answer to cure or treat any disorder. It is simply a procedure to rejuvenate, repair wasted tissues, promote energy, and enhance function in the bodily organs. It is natural to feel relaxed and energized when the body has received a proper massage especially when more fatigued or ailing body parts receive a good massage.

It is incorrect to assume that a good massage is possible through the use of oils on the body. Each client is different and will have his/her preferences. The use of oils is only one aspect of massage therapy. There are other techniques within the profession of massage therapy that are practiced regularly. They include but are not limited to reflexology, shiatsu, panchakarma, Swedish/Western massage, Thai massage, and myofascial release.

Massage therapy is not an absolute way to obtaining optimal health. It does not replace traditional medicine. Massage therapy helps to relax your muscles, remove mental and physical fatigue, improve circulation, improve digestion, and give you an increased sense of well-being

There are some positions in the field of medicine which offer people opportunities other than basic nursing. A physical therapy assistant works with patients who have undergone certain procedures, in order to help them regain the function of their muscles. This type of work is often classified as rehabilitative and is frequently given to people who have undergone surgery for the removal of a limb. People who work in this field are often employed by hospitals, but can be employed by medical centers such as burn units or government operated facilities.

People who want to work as assistants in the field of physical therapy will need to possess an associate degree. The courses covered in this program will include those in the fields of biology, chemistry and anatomy. People who work in health care professions are also required to take some type of psychology course during their studies. This type of program will incorporate two parts to the learning experience. Students will be required to have a certain number of classroom hours as well as clinical experience. The hands on training provided in a clinical setting is extremely valuable when learning how to properly care for people with debilitating conditions.

Some of the tasks a physical therapy assistant performs includes applying compresses to sore or stiff muscles. The compresses can be designed to transfer heat to the affected area in order to stimulate the flow of blood. This person will also be trained in the proper use of all of the related equipment used for therapy purposes. As an assistant, the health care worker will oversee the patient's use of the equipment and provide help when needed. Physical therapy also includes providing physical exercise to increase range of motion, which can be given without the use of machines.

The amount of money a person can earn in this field, will depend on where there are employed and how long they are employed in their position. People who receive bachelor degrees can earn more money then those who earn their associate degree. A starting salary for this position ranges between twenty and forty thousand dollars a year. People who have been employed for eighteen or more years can expect to earn as much as seventy-five thousand dollars as their yearly salary. These amounts do not include the wages paid for overtime hours or the health care benefit packages included with employment.

While massage has been most commonly regarded as simply a service to help you relax, there are actually numerous benefits that your body experiences. For those who are seeking to achieve a healthy body and overall wellness, massages can play an essential role in your fitness agenda.

As we exercise, our bodies expend energy. Our muscles can become sore or even strained, especially during the first few fitness sessions we undergo. And like a car, we sometimes need a tune-up in order to continue functioning at 100%.

Helping body functions

The most commonly renowned benefit of a massage is to loosen and relax the muscles. During a workout, lactic acid can form in the muscles, which is what causes the "muscle burn" we feel the day after. This happens when these bodily chemicals accumulate in the muscle tissue, causing a burning feeling, but it can also leave you with little desire to get moving again. Lactic acid is commonly the result of lack of oxygen in the muscle tissue and forms as a result of muscle activity. This irritation commonly dissipates within a few days, but not before lactic acid has hindered the tissue's ability to metabolize minerals and nutrients properly.

By massaging the muscles, you can recover from soreness or injury and even prevent it in the future. This is because the massage provides more oxygen and nutrients to the surrounding tissues. Blood flow is increased to the areas, specifically the muscles. Because the muscles are responsible for movement and ultimately play a key role in converting food into fuel, their proper function is essential to any fitness agenda.

In addition to increasing blood flow, massages increase the body's ability to detoxify itself by pushing chemicals out of the muscles. Toxins, including lactic acid, are able to be transferred out of their stored status and back into circulation. Because the toxins are being removed from the body, be sure to drink plenty of water to help eliminate them properly.

At the physical level, massage therapy will chemically help return wellness and increase your natural healing ability. Without the harmful toxins that could hinder your fitness agenda, your body will be less susceptible to injury and far more efficient. Even though the lymph system and liver are primarily responsible for eliminating toxins, the toxins can still accumulate and are normally stored in fatty and muscular tissues, making it difficult to properly process them. Sources of the toxins can vary anywhere between unhealthy diets to contaminants in the air we breathe. They can even be by-products of the body's natural processes, such as lactic acid. By incorporating regular massages into your fitness agenda, you can help your body eliminate these toxins

A mental boost

While the muscles are often regarded as receiving the most benefit, there is also a psychological advantage to massages. The mental affects can come in the two different types of both chemical and emotional healing. Together, these benefits help the mind respond and function properly to ensure wellness in its entirety.

Chemically, your brain is apt to boost serotonin and dopamine, which are hormones within the body that make you feel good. During the process of the massage, you are able to relax and enjoy the experience, allowing for these naturally secreted chemicals to boost your mood. This is a natural and healthy way to increase confidence and initiative. But that's not all it does, since it is also known to lower the stress hormone cortisol. Both of these effects combined will not only affect your mood, but also increase your body's resistance to negativity.

As your body experiences these positive effects, you will also find yourself in a better emotional state. A body that feels great along with a mind that functions clearly provide you with the exact tools you need to remain positive. Emotionally, you are also put in a far better state of mind that will allow you to focus and achieve your goals. It isn't just because you experience the internal changes secreted in your brain, it comes from a conglomeration of effects that result from the body's relaxation and increased healing that causes your muscles and mind to respond well to during and after massages.

For the active person, regular massages can prove to be a beneficial asset to any fitness program. You can increase the body's healing abilities and overall function, while at the same time positively affecting your mind. Throughout the body, the massage provides a great number of advantages that will help you achieve overall well-being.

It takes much more than a desire to make money to become monetarily successful in a Massage Therapy Career. Don't be afraid to develop your empathetic side, and care for your clients' well-being. To become a true healer, it will need to come from the inside, out. Bring true value to your practice and your will gain loyal clients and an excellent reputation.

There are many levels of possible income for a masseuse. Some work for corporations making very little money, others work independently and make six figures, picking and choosing their clients. Many are somewhere in between. Decide what your Massage Therapy Career will be. Make a plan. Choose a course of action, writing a clear and workable business plan.

Make the most of your education. Choose a good school with a good name. Take classes that interest you even if they seem to reflect alternative thinking. Your passion will be reflected in your practice. Continue your education once you have reached the required hours. Learn much and learn it well. Ask questions of successful masseuse practitioners.

Develop relationships with fellow students who share your passion and high standards. Networking is key to marketing and beginning to develop your reputation. Fiercely guard your reputation. It is everything.

Treat every client and potential client as if they are very important to you. Your massage skill is only part of your healing potential. Your connection to them as people will serve you well in your career, as return clients and word of mouth are very important in your Massage Career. Maintain very high standards during each interaction with a client.

Develop a niche and become known for it. Refer people to friends in the field if they seek something you don't offer. It will come back to you in good ways. Target a particular clientele and find out how to access these people. Spend time marketing yourself. Athletes and celebrities are high paying gigs if you have confidence and a genuinely likable personality.

For professional athletes maintaining muscle condition and suppleness is not just a beneficial perk it is a vital component of their training regimen. When your lively hood depends on your body operating at its full potential, risking a torn ligament or a pulled muscle is just not worth it. Maintaining peak physical conditioning at all times, being constantly prepared for sports activity requires a lot of different practices. So massage techniques specially designed for sports people have come about and been integrated into most professional athletes repertoire of training practices.

Big league soccer teams, American football teams, basketball teams and any other sport where global excellence in sporting acumen must be matched with almost superhuman levels of physicality will typically have a sports masseur or even a team of massage specialists on hand to keep the athletes ready for play.

Before matches it is used to help loosen up muscles as part of a stretching and limbering routine to help prevent any cramps or strains occurring during the match or event. It has the added benefit of helping the athlete relax and focus their mind in preparation for the match which can require levels of concentration as intense as the levels of fitness required.

Of course, having the therapist there on the sidelines of a match is necessary for when an athlete does eventually strain a muscle or a tendon during play. Again, after the match or event, therapeutic sports massage can help muscles in the cooling down phase after intense activity and help the muscles in their natural healing process by moving blood through the area to allow for new muscle cells to form.

But for the rest of us who are not multimillionaire sports superstars this kind of massage therapy may seem superfluous. The fact is its just as important for ordinary fitness as it is for professionals. A professional athlete's body is conditioned over years for intense activity. For those of us who can only make it to the gym a few times a week or play with a local team for fitness at the weekends muscle injuries are a much more likely occurrence. And puling a muscle in your neck or leg can mean you miss a week of work or at least make it very uncomfortable. A professional athlete may only have a few weeks of actual events they have to attend throughout the year so are more likely to have the time to rest an injury.

Finding time on a lunch break once or twice a week for a sports massage can ensure that you don't receive any injuries that may put you out of work for a few days. Even if an injury doesn't prevent you from working it will likely prevent you from working out. Anyone who has an ordinary day job knows how quickly you can get out of shape just from missing a week or two of training. Months of hard work sweating at the gym or the pool can be undone in a few days of being stuck on the couch.

There has been a recent study by Boris Prilutsky, MA, and Victor Gura, M.D., concerning the benefits that might be derived from medical massage by those who suffer from hypertension that is caused by arterial hypertension.

In the United States, it is estimated that as many as 70 million people suffer from hypertension. Of that 70 million, only about 8% are diagnosed with an actual cause for the high blood pressure, such as kidney insufficiency, a tumor on the adrenal gland, or narrowing of the aorta. A full 2% are simply diagnosed with essential hypertension. It is the same condition. It is just a condition without a named cause.

The study conducted by Gura and Prilutsky determined that most hypertension patients with musculoskeletal abnormalities can benefit from medical massage. There were only six patients involved in this study.

Medical massage therapy is defined as a soft-tissue mobilization method. The massage causes an acceleration of blood flow and lymphatic drainage as well as a mechanical breakdown of soft tissue calcifications. The objectives of the pilot study was to determine whether or not the elimination of musculoskeletal abnormalities in the reflex zones would cause the elimination of pain in the neck and upper back as well as headaches, increase range of motion, and cause a reduction in blood pressure.

Cardio examinations and blood pressure readings were taken before the start of treatments and again after they concluded. Each participant received a medical massage treatment every other day for a total of 15 treatments. That was followed by a two-week break, after which another course of 15 treatments was administered.

At the end of the study, all participants reported the disappearance of their pain. It was also evident that symptoms were eliminated from reflex zones and blood pressure readings returned to the normal range.

Careers that include physical therapy jobs are in demand! If you are thinking about becoming a PT or you are already one, healthcare staffing agencies can help you which connects those who have obtained a degree with health care professionals. Educational institutions, outpatient clinics, nursing facilities, and physician's offices are continually looking for qualified candidates. Some other avenues for employment include acute care, home health care, and rehab units.

Physical therapists address problems that a patient has due to an accident of some kind. Sports injuries are common in this area. Many times the patient has a disabling or chronic condition. Some of these are sprains, fractures, and arthritis, burns, stroke, or back and neck injuries. Also included can be amputations, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Physical therapy jobs encompass joining and practicing with other professionals. This includes consulting with primary care physicians, nurses, and dentists, and audiologists. Often educators and social workers are contacted. Speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists can also form the team that comes together to aid the injured patient.

Physical therapy jobs take place in hospitals, outpatient clinics, or private offices that have specially equipped facilities. Sometimes it is appropriate to administer treatment in the patient's home, office, or hospital room. It is very important the physical therapist to possess a good amount of bodily strength. Helping the person get to and from treatment areas is often required. They provide assistance daily with exercises or help the patient on and off equipment or massage tables. PTs also spend a majority of the day on their feet, including kneeling, stooping, bending, crouching, or lifting treatment equipment.

40 hour work weeks are the average for physical therapy jobs. Sometimes therapists work nights or weekends to accommodate patient schedules. Part-time work is also common for PTs. In a survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, more than three quarters of PTs surveyed reported being "very satisfied" with their occupation. So what are you waiting for? Contact a specialist today, online or by telephone. A team is also available to talk about exciting new opportunities in this field of helping people recover from trauma and injuries. Candidates for this profession need a post-baccalaureate degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Passing scores on national and state examinations are also required to enter this field.

It's no secret that more people are looking for new careers. Probably the biggest reason is the current state of the economy. With so many people out of a job, or in a job with shrinking hours and benefits, people are looking for a new skill set that will sustain them and their families for years to come. One popular field many are getting into is massage therapy. But is it all that some think it is? Here's a closer look at what you can expect as a massage therapist.

To begin with, you'll have to be state licensed and certified. Some states will also require that you have a business license and carry insurance! Not only that, but some are requiring 4 years of training and school before you can sit for the certification test! Sure, there are still states that allow a Bachelor degree or trade school degree to be eligible for certification, but more and more are going with longer school requirements. It will pay to check to see what your state requires.

Many people who enter this field so so because they think there's fast and easy money to be made. Such is not the case. Sure, you have a few individuals making over $50,000 per year as a Massage Therapist, but these individuals have been doing this many years and have worked hard building up a loyal client list.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate that the salary of an experienced therapist is around $16 an hour. So that means that beginners will earn even less. The sad fact is that many beginners will leave this field in a matter of years due to several circumstances, low pay being one of them.

If you're lucky as a massage therapist, you'll find a salon or agency to work for. I think the lure of this business is that you can be your own boss and have low start up cost. But if you dig deeper, you'll see it may not be as economical to start up as your own boss as you think.

You'll have to buy all your equipment. If you'll be working out of your home, you'll need to dedicate one room to nothing other than a massage room. I'd say it was a safe bet to say that most beginners work out of their cars. They meet their clients at their homes or place of business to perform massages. They also work all kinds of strange hours in order to fit in picky clients. This isn't for everyone and is also one reason so many choose to leave the field after getting into it.

Finally, you'll have to put up with a wide range of personalities, not all of them good either. Some folks think that if they're paying your, they call the shots. They can be demanding and heartless. If you're the type of person who wears your heart on your sleeves, then you may want to look at another line of work!

But if you decide to stick it out, then you may find being a massage therapist as a rewarding and enlightening career choice!

Spending time promoting your massage therapy business yourself may not be the most fun thing to do but it is an important part of developing your business. It is just one of those things you need to do if you want to be successful.

As a massage therapist you are probably more interested in the practical aspect. After all, that is what you went to college for wasn't it? That is what interested you the most, becoming a massage therapist, being able to heal clients, not the business promotion.

As a massage therapist you have a business you want to promote, your business, your massage therapy business. So how do you do this successfully?

Well there are many ways you can try. Design some leaflets, well yes that's a good idea but what do you put in them? How do you make them catch your prospective clients eye? And where do you distribute your leaflets for maximum impact?

You could make a YouTube video of your massage business - that could be very interesting! But you could find your self being shut down if someone got the wrong idea, if you weren't marketing it correctly.

You could run an advert in your local paper. Well written articles go a long way in promoting your business, and especially press releases - however they may not reach the clientele you are looking for and can be rather expensive if you don't get it right first time.

Let me tell you, I know promoting your massage therapy business does not have to be expensive, it does not have to be time consuming and it can be hugely successful when you get it right and above all it can be easy - when you know how.

Save yourself the hard work. Don't go down the road of trial and error. Enjoy the easy life. Understand how the most successful massage therapists operate. Get into their mindset and copy their ways.

Understand how to market your massage therapy in the newspaper, where to position those ads and never have to worry about getting clients again. Capture those clients within the first few sentences. Learn what to do and what not to do when advertising your massage business.

Getting it right can transform your massage therapy business. Once you understand how to promote your business your client list will grow and grow. Your earning potential can go through the roof. You can have the massage therapy business you have always dreamed of.