Archive for November, 2007
Massage Therapy vs. Physical Therapy
14 November 2007I am on this kick to find out the major differences of Massage vs. other alternative care. So here goes….
The basic definition of Physical Therapy is to develop, restore or maintain maximum mobility and function. Massage is a treatment of the soft tissue involving mechanical, physical, functional, emotional affects through the manipulation of muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin and joints. You can see why some may confuse these two health care modalities. People who utilize both therapies may do so because they have negative affects from injury, disease or the discomforts associated with the process of aging. So what’s the difference?
Physical Therapy got its start in the 1920’s under the direction of physicians and mostly limited to military and civilian hospitals. Its early association was woman only, but later changed to include male therapists as the demands for PT’s grew after WWII. The American Physical Therapist Association has always maintained a strict line between rehabilitation through physical therapy and the manual manipulations of soft tissue with Massage Therapy.
Physical Therapies involve working hard in a vigorous program to restore health; on the other hand Massage Therapies utilize techniques that induce relaxation of the muscles to stimulate the health and well-being. Both MT’s and PT’s work to reduce pain, increase functional mobility and retrain weakend muscles to induce maximum functions of the body.
Like everything in this world both have their place. One treatment does not fit all. What works for one may not work for another and that’s what makes the world go round!
Massage Therapy and Nursing
12 November 2007History of nursing began with applications of massage. Florence Nightingale wrote, “Notes on Nursing“, published in 1860 supporting her work in establishing effective nursing, including applications of massage. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg was dedicated to educating the masses on the benefits of massage for healing the whole body, he wrote “The Art of Massage” in 1895. He noted ” The world is waiting for a new generation of trained nurses who shall be thoroughly trained in the technique of all physiologic methods “. (page 269) His book influenced nursing education in massage techniques until its decline in the late 1920’s, disappearing all together in the nursing programs by the 1950’s.
It is very interesting to note that massage was used by the nursing corp in both world wars, but is not practiced now by the majority of nurses because of its additional education requirements. The few nurses who value the art of massage are part of the National Association of Nurse Massage Therapists (NANMT).
Massage in western medicine started out on a great foundation with Nightingale and Kellogg, but fell by the wayside when the duties of the nurses adapted to assisting the Doctors in their job descriptions as the growth of western medicine increased. A division of Massage Therapists and Nurses should have been implemented when these changes occurred to further the ideal healing of the whole body. Fortunately Therapeutic Massage is now widely prescribed by physicians and accepted by Insurance companies as preventative alternative care.
FSMTB License or NCBTMB Certificate
9 November 2007Ok so now my brain is clicking as to exactly why it’s important to establish the Licensing Exam instead of the Certification exam. I am slow sometimes I admit it, but eventually things click. I have been doing research for our sister site Massage-Exam.com. The FSMTB has an exam available that Licenses you to have a license through your state to practice Massage. For most states in order to obtain your license to practice in the past you would have to get certified through NCBTMB but they are a privet organization and not government sanctioned.
This FSMTB exam is cost effective and you don’t have to pay extra to actually have a certificate from the NCBTMB to hang on your wall. What’s that about? I have my education, paid for the national exam and now you want me to pay more to be “Certified”. I thought I already was? Oh and don’t let me get started on the customer service of the NCBTMB. (Ok I’ll stop)
I believe the rapid increase of state boards joining the Federation is a testament to the validity and importance this difference makes. Our site is in the process of adding prep tests for the MBLEx. We are very exited about this beneficial change. So if I talk about it too much, forgive me in advance.
The main reason for my involvement with Massage-Exam.com was because when I was getting ready to take the National Exam, I couldn’t find an effective way to really study all the material that was covered in my year of schooling. I wanted to feel prepared when I went in to take it. Sure, there were a couple of resources out there but they were not cost effective or user friendly. If I signed up for an online prep site it was expensive and I couldn’t tell if it would be beneficial with the content or customer service. The books I looked at had many multiple-choice questions but no efficient way of repeating the tests.
In the end after all was said and done, I walked away from the National exam thinking, “That was the National Certification Exam”? I thought there would be more information on what I learned in massage school. This was foreign to me. So now I am looking forward to a new way of guaranteeing that you are tested in a more efficient manner. I think people will be able to walk away from the MBLEx feeling proud that they passed. Looking forward to an awesome career.
Massage License or Certificate
8 November 2007I never really thought about the difference between a License to practice (LMP) and being a Certified Massage Therapist (CMT). So I was reading about it and here is what I have found out.
A government agency or board maintains a License to practice. A Certificate is not regulated by a governmentally regulated profession and is established by a private organization. Leaving no binding legal laws or regulations to protect or insure public safety. Can certification be revoked just like a license, with penalties and fees?
FSMTB vs. NCBTMB Examination
7 November 2007The race is on. In an earlier blog I stated that the FSMTB had 21 states in the federation. I have confirmation that there are actually 26 states now signed with the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, Kentucky just last week. (Ah the winds of change feel so nice)
I also found out that neither of the Examinations from the FSMTB or NCBTMB are progressively scored through Pearson VUE. I thought that because EMT’s exams are done that way, then the massage questions would certainly be pulled from a database in the same manner. But alas it is not. The adaptive tests are available at Pearson VUE and may be one more professional advantage in the future of the MBLEx, but not at this point in time.
The rapid influx of states joining the FSMTB is just another confirmation for the need of the Federation of State Boards. Arkansas is ONLY accepting the MBLEx and other states may follow suit. New York and Ohio have had their own exam available in order to license therapists, but are looking at adopting the MBLEx. I for one, am in favor of this necessity and enjoy the reassurance it brings to all Massage Therapists across the US.
Massage Therapists Malpractice Comparison Page
5 November 2007I have complied a comparison of the different Malpractice Insurance Associations and companies available for Massage Therapists. It is interesting to see what the extra perks are; free Magazine subscriptions, business help tools, discounts, newsletters and even websites for your business. If you need to renew or are looking to get your Insurance, check out my page for side-by-side comparisons.
Massage Insurance Comparison
Gyrotonics Sweeping The Nation
2 November 2007My good friends daughter just became a certified instructor for Gyrotonics. What’s that you say? Heaven, check it out:
Respectful Curiosity and Interest
1 November 2007How can a Massage Therapist have a successful business, when they are money not health and wellness driven? I have a very strong conviction that anyone seeking to be a Massage Therapist or Bodyworker must have the best interest in the wellness of their client and not their pocketbook. Sure I can see going into schooling with the idea you will have enough money to pay your bills making $50-$70 an hour. But once you get into to the actual hands on techniques and the benefits they induce, I feel it turns automatically into how can I help this person in order to better their well-being.
I have met the exception to this assumption. We’ll just call her Money-Driven-Betty. Now I am not one to pick apart others way of life, but when it comes to Massage Therapy it is a sensitive subject. When others try and make it a reputable profession it?s hard to accept that some therapists may drag it under and through the Wall Street of Money Driven Manipulation. Miss MD Betty smokes and smells like a chimneystack, she wears high hills, wool suits and acrylic nails in her sessions and doesn’t care what your condition is just as long as you have money, stating, “I’m a Business Women, My clients are Doctors and Lawyers or wealthy business owners. I won’t massage anyone unless they can afford me weekly.”
I personally have not had the uh, pleasure of receiving a massage from MD Betty, she may even have awesome technique, but I am utterly confused as to how she plans on making a business career out of being a Massage Therapist with these less then healthy and unconventional attributes riding on her sleeves.