Massage
therapy is the manipulation of bodily tissues for the purpose of pain
relief and relaxation. While the practice of therapeutic massage
predates recorded history, it has only recently become widely
practiced in the West. As a result of a growing interest in natural
therapies and overall wellness and the recognition of the health
benefits, practitioners of complementary medicine therapies such as
massage therapy are in demand nationwide. In order to succeed in this
growing field, it is important to receive quality education such as
the one provided at New York College of Health Professions.
Believed
to have first originated in Asia over 5,000 years ago, massage
therapy has a long history of being utilized as a treatment to manage
a variety of ailments by improving circulation, lowering blood
pressure and helping the body get rid of toxins. Today, massage
therapy is widely used by a variety of medical professionals
including physical therapists in order to relax and revitalize
patients’ muscles. One of the purposes of massage therapy in sports
medicine is to expel excess lactic acid from the athlete’s muscles.
Excess lactic acid in the muscles causes fatigue, preventing athletes
from performing at their optimal level. Massage therapy aids in
improving the athlete’s performance as well as their state of mind.
The
student’s choice of where to study massage therapy largely depends
on their desired career path. With over 80 modalities of massage
therapy, students can choose a massage therapy program to best fit
their needs. Licensed massage therapists are able to practice in
wellness centers, medical clinics, spas, with sports teams and even
start their own business. Individuals who are already in the medical
field can add massage therapy to their skill-set and be able to
further their career. Whichever career path the individual decides to
take, it is important for them to receive quality education from an
accredited program.
New
York College of Health Professions offers its students a
72-credit Massage Therapy Program and grants its graduates an
accredited Associates in Occupational Studies degree. Their
program’s curriculum includes both Swedish massage and Asian
Bodywork, Western health sciences as well as Oriental theory and
anatomy and physiology. Students are also required totake Yoga, T’ai
Chi Chuan, or Qi Gong in order to better understand how their own
body mechanics, enhancing their ability to treat their patients. In
order to have hands-on experience with real patients, students must
do a clinical internship at the College’s clincs which are open to
the public at New York College’s main campus in Syosset, New York
and in midtown Manhattan. To learn more about programs at New York
College, please visit
http://www.nycollege.edu/academics/school-of-massage-therapy.
