Massage Therapy
Growing as a Career Opportunity

Recent research reflects growing trends in massage therapy: people are getting more massages, and its value is acknowledged by most Americans. It appeals to every age group. People are seeking the therapeutic benefits of massage for relaxation, to relieve aches and pains, to help reduce stress and to improve their general health and well-being.

The 2004 Massage Therapy Consumer Survey commissioned by the American Massage Therapy Association® (AMTA®) showed that more than one in five adults surveyed (21 percent) received a massage in the past 12 months.

The number of massage therapy training programs is also on the rise. In 2002, there were an estimated 628 massage therapy schools that offered programs of a minimum of 500 in-class hours. In 2004, the number of schools offering 500 in-class-hour programs was 1,135, more than an 80 percent increase in two years.

The Ancient Tradition of Massage
Massage comes from both Western and Eastern traditions. The first written records referring to massage date back more than 4,000 years to China. Eastern traditions also can be traced back to the Ayurvedic medicine of India. Shiatsu, acupressure, reflexology and many other contemporary massage and bodywork modalities have their roots in these sources. Western traditions date back to ancient Greece and Rome. Modern Western massage owes a great deal to the work of Per Henrik Ling, a 19th-century educator and athlete from Sweden. His approach, which combined hands-on techniques with active movements, became known as Swedish massage, and now is perhaps the most common therapeutic massage modality in the West.

The State of the Massage Therapy Profession
The public perception of massage has changed dramatically with the increase of well-trained, state-regulated and nationally certified massage therapy professionals. Public demand is driving the trend as the benefits of therapeutic massage are validated through evidence-based research. As public acceptance of massage has grown in the United States, the number of massage therapists has risen dramatically.

Trends in Massage
Several trends in massage suggest that the opportunities for massage therapy careers are increasing, as indicated in several surveys.

Massage for Pain Management. Ninety percent of respondents to the 2004 AMTA Consumer Survey agreed that massage can be effective in reducing pain. Nearly half (49 percent) of those polled have had a massage at some time to relieve pain. As a preferred method for relieving pain, massage ranked second, after medication.

Acceptance by Healthcare Providers. One in five of Americans polled (20 percent) say they have discussed massage therapy with their doctor or healthcare provider, up from 14 percent in 2002. For those who discussed massage therapy with their healthcare providers, 62 percent of the providers strongly recommended or encouraged their patients to get a massage.

Americans Growing Older. The movement of the Baby Boom generation into retirement and beyond may have an enormous impact on the massage therapy profession. The 2004 AMTA Consumer Survey showed 21% of those ages 55-64 had a massage in the last 12 months, compared to only 13% in 2002.

Growth in Spas. With an estimated 12,000 spas doing business in the United States, and more growth anticipated, the demand for massage therapists at these facilities is on the rise.

Variations on Massage Therapy Careers
There is no such thing as "a standard massage therapy practice." One of the reasons individuals choose this profession is because of the flexibility it offers in terms of work hours, independence, and choice of practice locations and types. Income levels for massage therapists vary by region of the country, experience and type of practice. Massage therapists choose whether to work full time or part time. According to a 2000 AMTA survey of members, 41 percent reported that they work full time (more than 17 paid one-hour massage sessions per week) and 59% said part time (fewer than 17 one-hour sessions per week). They also choose whether to work for themselves, as an independent contractor (which is a form of working for themselves), or as an employee.

Settings in Which Massage Therapists Practice
Some examples of locations in which massage therapists practice are:

• massage office
• group practice
  
• office in home
  
• physicians' offices and clinics
  
• hospitals and wellness centers
  
• nursing homes/hospices
  
• chiropractic offices
  
• on-site (chair massage in offices, airports,at public events, etc.)
  
• health clubs and fitness centers
  
• sports teams and events (amateur and professional)
  
• hotels
  
• spas and resorts
  
• hotels
  
• beauty and hair salons
  
• cruise ships

The Path to a Career in Massage Therapy
Pursuing a career in massage therapy often involves three steps: 1) Complete a training program that will qualify you to practice in the location you choose; 2) Become nationally certified by passing the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork; 3) Meet the requirements of your state or municipality (such as obtaining a license or other credential, if you practice in an area where massage therapy is regulated).

Excerpted from the 2004 Massage Therapy Consumer Fact Sheet, American Massage Therapy Association.