Upcoming Continuing Education at The Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga

Welcome! The Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga provides state of the art instruction in a wide variety of continuing education Classes. We strive to bring you the very finest of teachers and content.  

To Register call 540.552.2177 
or email
info@blueridgemassage.org  

For more information about our upcoming programs go to : http://blueridgemassage.org/continuinged.htm

Important information regarding licensure of MT's in VA:

Important information regarding licensure of MT's in VA:
This material is excerpted from the VA AMTA Chapter newsletter. It is of significance to all CMTs, uncertified graduates of massage therapy programs, and students currently enrolled in massage therapy programs.

Since 1996, Virginia’s massage therapists have been certified under the Board of Nursing. In the 2012 General Assembly session, the Virginia Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association has introduced legislation that will update our regulation from certification to licensure. By doing so, we will join the majority of states that license massage therapists.

If you are already certified, you will notice little change in the way you currently interact with the Board of Nursing. Once the law passes and regulations are promulgated, you will receive notice of your renewal and instead of “certification,” the renewal will read, “licensure.” Your fees will stay the same unless the Board increases fees of all its licensees to keep up with costs of running the Board. Massage therapy licensure in and of itself will not increase your fees.

Licensure acknowledges what you already know about your practice. You are a professional who practices according to an established set of standards and code of ethics. This will not change with licensure. In fact, licensure is the most appropriate form of regulation for massage therapists because you practice independently and one-on-one with your clients. Therefore, the public expects you to be credentialed, safe, competent, and holding high ethical standards.

While we do not expect that we will receive opposition to our legislation, we know that some people will
have questions and concerns about licensure. These may be individuals who practice other modalities that some associate with massage. We have exempted these modalities from the requirements for licensure. Only those individuals who practice according to a defined scope of practice will be required to be licensed. The draft scope-of-practice statement is included in this newsletter. This should describe your current practice.

Those individuals who are currently not certified and who practice massage will need to become licensed,
and should have ample time to complete the licensure requirements.

Scope of Practice is a terminology used by national and state/provincial licensing boards for
various professions that defines the procedures, actions, and processes that are permitted for the licensed individual.

The scope of practice is limited to that which the law allows for specific education and experience, and specific demonstrated competency. Each jurisdiction has laws, licensing bodies, and regulations that describe requirements for education and training, and define scope of practice.

Here is the draft of the scope of practice statement in the proposed licensure legislation.

“Massage therapy and bodywork mean the manual application of a system of structured touch of the soft tissues of the body with the intent to enhance or restore health and well-being. The application may include but not be limited to pressure, compression, friction, rocking, pettrissage, effleurage, tapotement, and passive/active stretching within the normal anatomical range of movement and complementary techniques, such as the external application of lubricants, hydrotherapy, salt or herbal preparations, powder, hot or cold applications or mechanical devices that mimic or enhance actions that may be done manually. The terms ”massage therapy” and “bodywork” do not include the diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease or any service or procedure for which a license to practice medicine, nursing, midwifery, chiropractic therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture, athletic training,
podiatry, or esthetics as de!ned in § 54.1-700 is required by law.”

Frequently asked questions:

Why do we need to become licensed?
• Increasingly, states are moving toward licensure of MTs. Currently, 40 states license MTs.
• Licensure is the most appropriate form of regulation of MTs because MTs work autonomously and usually in privacy. Therefore, there is a potential risk of public harm, and licensure provides a means for the state to regulate the practice of MTs.
• Licensure conveys protection of scope of practice. Only individuals who are licensed (or exempt from licensure) are permitted to perform that scope of practice. Therefore, the public is further protected from the unregulated practice of individuals who claim to be massage therapists
but have not achieved licensure.

How does licensure protect the public?
• Licensure is the means by which the Commonwealth regulates the practice of a profession or occupation that has the potential to endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the public if the
practice were to be unregulated.
• The public is assured that the individuals who are regulated meet certain requirements verifying their competence and safety in practice.
• If a person receiving services from a regulated practitioner believes that the massage has been unsafe and/or unethical, the massage recipient has the ability to lodge a complaint against the regulated practitioner through the Department of Health Professions.

How will licensure help massage therapists?
• The licensure law will more specifically define the scope of practice of massage therapists and defined in the law to be licensed. No one will be able to call him or herself a massage therapist unless he/she is licensed. Everyone who is hired to practice massage will need to be licensed.
• Licensure helps massage therapists because all individuals practicing massage must be licensed;
therefore, the public and licensed massage therapists are protected.
• Licensure should help us update local ordinances by enabling us to more clearly differentiate our state- regulated profession from those who practice outside the law.

If massage therapists become licensed in Virginia, will MT licensure applicants be required to take
the MT licensure examination, the MBLEx, in order to become licensed?
• Licensed massage therapists in other states should be able to become licensed in Virginia without additional requirements, pending renewal of their licensure status and credentials by the Board of Nursing.
• The proposed law will enable the Board of Nursing to accept a variety of established examinations for licensure, including the NCBTMB certification examination and the MBLEx, the licensing examination developed by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.

If I am already certi!ed as a MT in Virginia, will I have to take another examination or other requirements to become licensed?
• If you are already certified and in good standing, meeting the continued education requirements for certification in Virginia, you will not need to take another examination or meet other requirements. You will automatically be granted a license when your renewal date occurs.

Will the licensure law require that MTs obtain additional education beyond the requirements currently listed in the law?
• No. The proposed law will have the same requirements as are currently in effect.
• The current law requires that MTs successfully complete a minimum of 500 hours of training from a massage therapy program that is certified or approved by the State Council of Higher Education or an agency in another state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory that approves educational programs.

If massage therapists become licensed in Virginia, would I be prevented from practicing different
forms of bodywork?
• No, so long as the bodywork is consistent with the definition of massage and bodywork that is in the law. The Commonwealth will not regulate other forms of bodywork that lie outside of that definition.

Will licensure in Virginia mean that my fees will be increased?
• No. Like all the other regulatory boards in the Department of Health Professions, the Board of Nursing operates solely on fees collected from individuals whom it regulates: RNs, LPNs, LNPs, CMTs, and CNAs. When the Board cannot meet its financial obligations, it announces through the state’s regulatory process that it intends to raise fees. This process takes about two years to complete. But licensure itself will not raise the fees because no additional staff work is expected to take place with licensure.

Will licensure mean that massage therapists need to have their own regulatory board?
• No. There are insufficient numbers of massage therapists in Virginia to support the operations of
a totally separate regulatory board.

Will licensure status mean that we will not have
to abide by local ordinances?
• No. You will still have to abide by local ordinances. However, if you believe that the local ordinance conflicts with the licensure law of the state, you should seek a change in the local ordinance. Localities cannot issue or maintain local ordinances that conflict with state laws.

If massage therapists become licensed in Virginia, would we be able to automatically accept insurance for massage?
• Licensure and insurance reimbursement are two entirely di"erent subjects. Licensure does not automatically mean that you can seek reimbursement. However, some insurance policies
reimburse for therapies by “licensed” providers, and you may be able to seek reimbursement.
• In order to become a “mandated” provider for insurance purposes, you would need to seek a change in another section of Virginia law.
Will becoming licensed prevent unqualified practitioners from advertising that they do massage?
• No. There will be individuals practicing massage who are not regulated by the Department of Health Professions, however, these individuals, if caught and prosecuted, will be breaking the law; that is, they will be practicing massage without a license.

Further updates will be provided as I obtain them. You may also want to obtain further information by going on the website for the Virginia Chapter of the AMTA. ABMP largely supports the legist=lations except for some exempted forms of bodywork such as those working with human energy fields, movement re-education, and structural integration.

Victoria Jordan Stone, NCMT, RYI
Member ABMP
Co-director Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga

The Gifts of Massage: A Holiday Perspective for the New Year Part II

The Gifts of Massage: A Holiday Perspective  for the New Year Part II

Victoria Jordan Stone, M.A., N.C.M.T

Co-director Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga

The beginning of the year marks a time that many people make resolutions; there must be a really strong urge among us to keep refining who we are and how we behave, how we attend to our health and other aspects of our lives. But it's a well-known fact that most New Year's resolutions, many focusing on weight loss in the aftermath of holiday season gorging) rarely last more then a few days at most. Giving up something is generally more difficult than creating something new.

There are more productive ways of welcoming change into one's life. From Business Class 1, graduates of Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga, may recall a discussion of annual vision statements. My personal one is put together every year now, for about 18 years, between Christmas and my birthday on January 7. It takes two weeks because it's pretty comprehensive, covering health and fitness, home, garden, massage practice, the school, artwork, spiritual life, relationships, personal development, continuing education, and finances. The business plans students put together as part of their program are a form of vision statement. Part of my vision statement this year is to take more time for myself and for fun and so I am running two weeks post-New Year's with this article on vision plans; I see it as a sign of health, and the information is timeless in any case.

If you have no goal you're bound to get there, but it might be nowhere. Conversely, it is known that if you have a well-fleshed out, descriptive plan – vision – for what you see in the coming year or other time frame – chances are good you will realize your plan. A study some years back showed that older children who engaged in journaling/vision plans for a period of more than one year during the formative years of early adolescence showed  significantly higher scores on their SATs, better grades in college and a higher rate of completion of programs, and higher participation in graduate programs.

What I've found from the use of a vision  for the particulars of my life is (example) that if you can truly envision the way your massage practice  will look and operate, and you can really feel the feelings that will be present when you are successfully seeing the number of clients you want, where and when you want to see them, and having the results on their health and well-being you hope for. In my experience   there is somewhere around an 85% success rate for realizing your visions when you really work the process. . Gregg Braden has a great short work, available printed, on audio CD, or YouTube called The Lost Mode of Prayer in which he details the use of this type of visioning process for manifesting what you want, and he indicates having the emotional response to what you're seeing in your mind as an already done deal helps to make it so. Firefox has a number of background designs you can choose from, and while I tend to go for aesthetics, the one mine pulls up every time I go to the web has V + E = M (and  attractive muted peach and grey tones). The formula refers to Visualization+ Emotion = Manifestation.

So, in manifesting your dream massage practice you will circumvent some of the self-defeating practices I have recently been reading about on massage related Linked In news groups. There have been endless discussions about the use of Groupon, Daily Deal, and umpteen other programs for discounting massage therapy. Proponents of these practices will say that it's a cheap way of marketing, and needless to say many of those proponents are those who set them up and they are laughing all the way to the bank. In many localities where massage therapists are using these discounting programs the rate for massage therapy has dropped to a regular price of $30/hour; discounted many of these therapists are earning $15 or less when they participate in the discounting or package deal programs. It may be a cheap way of marketing – no up front cost – but it is very expensive in terms of lost revenues from regularly price massage sessions. And there are several pitfalls to the use of these schemes, which ultimately primarily benefit the promoters of them:

·         Discounting to new clients is a slap in the face to established regular clients who are presumably paying your full rate for massage sessions.

·         Those who come in for a cut-rate massage session will almost never re-book at your regular rate

·         Those who come to you based on price will leave you for someone else's discounted offer

·         Clients generally feel they get what they pay for and therefore will come in with low expectations, and even if you pleasantly surprise you, they may still undervalue the experience because of their pre-emptive prejudice

·         Clients generally treat their massage therapists in direct correlation to the amount they pay for massage, ie: they will tend to arrive on time, not cancel at the last minute, and tip (where accepted) when they are paying a standard or premium price for massage therapy, and will not do so for massage “deals.”

There may be other pitfalls as well, but you get my drift. If you can effectively image your practice into perfection it is a much more beneficial way of “promoting” yourself than making the promoters of these practices rich while you work your hands into repetitive strain injuries. This is not to say you should never perform massage for less than your standard price; it may be imperative to provide a reduced rate, or a different method of payment to specific individuals in need to meet your vision for yourself as a spiritual or evolved therapist, and certainly providing gift certificates for charitable organizations fund raisers, or on-site massage at public charitable events may fill a place in your personal vision statement and your business plan as well.

What we are engaging in as massage therapists is a heart-centered, highly skilled, caring and  beneficial  integrative healthcare practice and we make a huge difference in peoples' lives, which is why the public perception of massage therapy has risen so much over the past twenty years. It is also why people are willing to pay for our services out of their pockets when they could potentially seek services with insurance coverage. Let us all be thankful we can undertake such valuable and self-actualizing work and maintain an image of that work supporting us and our families abundantly, so we will maintain the energy, enthusiasm and heart to continue to give in a variety of conscious ways.

Namaste

Introduction to Massage - Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 10am - 2:30pm

Introduction to Massage - Registration Required - $35
Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 10am - 2:30pm

We are offering this 4-hour workshop so that those who believe they may be interested in the field of massage therapy can find out if the field is a good path for them to pursue. This short course provides information about the field and the school, and gives participants the opportunity to give and receive some bodywork. This is especially important for those who have never received a professional massage.   We strongly recommend that prospective students receive a massage either from a certified professional or from the student clinic (at a discounted rate for applicants) before starting school.

The introductory class cost is $35, which includes a simple lunch. Those who enroll in our Massage Therapist Training program will have the cost credited to their tuition.

Call 540-552-2177 to register for this workshop or to get more information.
http://blueridgemassage.org

BRSMY article on CE featured in January 2012 Natural Awakenings

Check out our most recent article published in the swva edition of Natural Awakenings. You can pick up a copy of this at any local grocery store or natural foods market. If you'd like to access it online, follow the link below - we are on page 9!

http://www.naswvamag.com/images/stories/digitalmagazine/january2012/index.html

New Class Dates! 12-month Medical Massage Therapy certification program:

12-month Medical Massage Therapy certification program:

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

(meets Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 1:30pm-5:30pm) 

At Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga, we provide instruction in a wider range of therapeutic modalities than most other massage programs.

Our curriculum compares favorably with other schools. For example, in 2005 the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) greatly increased the curriculum requirements for students who want to take the National Exam. Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga has exceeded these new curriculum standards since 2001. According to the NCBTMB, in 2004 only 16% of massage schools surveyed met the new standards. In addition, our curriculum has been approved by the Association of Bodywork and Massage Professionals.

Swedish Massage uses a variety of strokes to stimulate the circulation of blood through the soft tissues of the body. Stroking and kneading the bare skin with lubricant stimulates metabolic processes, loosens tight muscles, promotes healing, and enhances one’s sense of vitality. We also teach Deep Swedish massage, a form that follows the basic Swedish massage strokes applied more specifically and deeply.

Deep Tissue Massage is a broad term for various techniques that affect deeper layers of muscles and fascia (connective tissue). These techniques help with chronic muscle pain, injury rehabilitation, and the restoration of increased mobility. At Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga, we have developed a unique way of integrating 3 forms of deep tissue work -- Travell Trigger Point Therapy, Counterstrain, and NeuromuscularTrigger Point Therapy -- into a form of bodywork we call Combined Deep Therapy (CDT). CDT manipulates trigger points for pain relief. Students learn to analyze pain patterns and to use the most appropriate technique to work with a clients’ specific needs. Students learn to place parts of the body in positions of stretch or ease to facilitate the release of stubborn muscle spasms and holding patterns.

Myofascial Release is another form of deep tissue work. MFR is a positioning and stretching system applied to soft tissues. The practitioner moves the client’s body while using a superficial or deep stroke, with the intent to manipulate the connective tissue, in order to increase mobility.

Medical Massage is a foundation of knowledge that allows the practitioner to work safely and effectively with individuals in the entire range of health, illness and disability. We provide instruction in prenatal, perinatal and post-partum massage; infant massage; compassionate touch for the frail and dying; working in a medical environment; medical terminology; documentation; and working with a host of medical conditions, emphasizing where massage is indicated or contraindicated and what cautions should be observed. Our program exceeds the National Certification Board standards for the number of hours of study in Physiology and Pathology. We teach a Pathology course oriented specifi- cally towards massage therapy and how massage interacts with specific medical conditions.  

Sports Massage is designed to reduce injuries, alleviate inflammation, and provide warm-up and cool-down for athletes before, during, and after their training regimens. Graduates may have opportunites to work on athletes through the workplace program.

Shiatsu is a form of acupressure. It focuses on the efficient flow of energy through the body, its nervous system, and energy meridians. Meridians and organs lacking in sufficient energy are balanced and strengthened. Stretching and movement are also employed. The recipient is fully clothed.

Thai Yoga Massage is a form of oriental pressure point therapy which combines thumbing and palming along energy lines in the body with assisted stretches. Thai yoga massage is performed on a fully clothed client on a floor mat. 

Polarity Therapy emphasizes energy flow in the body. Emotional tension and/or pain is released when the flow of energy is restored. Polarity therapy is a blending of Eastern and Western philosophy and techniques. The body is gently manipulated to balance the positive and negative energies.  

Reflexology is based on the theory that there are reflex areas, or specific points in the feet and hands, that correspond to all the parts of the body. Pressure on such points improves circulation, relieves stress, and helps stimulate the body’s healing process.  

Reiki is based on the principles of Chi, or universal life energy. Reiki promotes healing through hands-on energy channeling. A practitioner’s hands are placed on the fully clothed client in various positions on the head, chest, abdomen, back, legs and feet. The recipient generally feels a sense of deep relaxation and well-being.

The Gifts of Massage: A Holiday Perspective , Part I

The Gifts of Massage: A Holiday Perspective , Part I 
Victoria Jordan Stone, M.A., N.C.M.T
Co-director Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga 

This time of year many of us have been  focused on gifts – what to get for those significant people, whether family members or friends. We may be considering what to give our clients as well. Most of us, as adults who care for others on a regular basis have long left behind the child's orientation about what  we're likely to receive, but I'll address that here as well. This is an editorial piece – my opinions only, and particularly from the perspective of being an ethics instructor.  
It is very tempting, especially when someone is still in massage school and needs the practice, or documentation project sessions, to give gift certificates for massage to those near and dear for the holidays. Certified massage therapists often also choose to give massage – something from their unique talents to family members or friends, as well. I think this can be great, but having heard from one CMT friend tell me that she felt resentful spending all her time in the back room working on relatives while merry-making was going on in the living room there are pitfalls to this kind of giving. Many of you may have experienced this  over the recent holidays, and may have decided it works for you, or that you might want to be more selective about how many gift massages you provide friends and family members in the future, or you may have decided a brief break over the holidays next year is in order. It's certainly worth reflecting on and considering for the future.  

Recently I have been on some massage-oriented Linked In groups and was appalled at some of the posts I found on those forums, where MTs were discussing gifts to clients, and many mentioned giving gift certificates for two sessions to clients for the holidays. It is generally considered inappropriate to receive gifts from clients that are valued at more than $30; how appropriate is it, then, to give clients gift certificates valued at (hopefully!) $60+ apiece?  Other responders mentioned  giving pirated copies of music CDs, which the musicians who follow the discussions appropriately objected to. I like to give my regular clients a small container of the massage lubricant they prefer for their sessions with a card and a bow, for use at home after baths and showers. Some massage therapists give calendars and other similar items with their contact information printed on the item.   

While I have no desire to be stingy in my gifts to clients, I feel that we, as a group, give wholeheartedly and unreservedly of our time, skills, intent and effort every time we give a massage. Of course there is an exchange of energy in the form of their payment for massage, but from the responses we receive from the clients we serve it seems clear that they appreciate our efforts and generally feel they receive very good value for their expenditure on massage therapy.  
I am thankful every day for the opportunity to serve and to give in this way; I cannot begin to put a value on the gift of being able to provide massage therapy on a regular basis to my clients for the past twenty-two years. It has enhanced my life, my personal growth, spiritual development, and overall happiness. I have developed and maintained lasting relationships with clients and what a gift it has been to know them for five, ten, even twenty years, as they move through their lives. And I am deeply appreciative of the gift that is their trust in me and my work. 


Being able to continue to learn through ongoing continuing education classes has been a gift in that it has allowed me to take more satisfaction in the quality of my work and its results for my clients. Attending to my own self-care through receiving massage therapy from students and peers has given me the gift of enhanced well-being, stress reduction, injury prevention and rehabilitation and has continually given me a greater appreciation for the individuality and creativity all who have given me massage bring to their work, and for the profound effects our work has on body, mind, and spirit.  
And lastly I have great appreciation for being able to have been honored to participate in the education of so many open-minded, dedicated and talented students of massage therapy over the past fifteen years; they have taught me more and more effective ways to reach them with the material, and have, like my clients, helped me to growand become over time more who I wish to be. I value the lessons every single student has brought me, and feel very gratified to have been a part of the process that has led them to  successful careers in the field, or work with family and friends.  
The gifts of massage truly are gifts that keep on giving. Best wishes to all as we move into a new year of possibilities for giving, and receiving the gifts of massage.

 

Sacred Sound, Sacred Movement -Tune to the Divine with Ashtanga Vinyasa Krama Yoga, Dances of Universal Peace, chanting and stillness. Leaders Jeffrey Tiebout and Rachel Theo-Maurelli guide a joyful exploration of sound and movement practices for remembering and enhancing your connection to the Divine within.

Sacred Sound, Sacred Movement -Tune to the Divine with Ashtanga Vinyasa Krama Yoga, Dances of Universal Peace, chanting and stillness. Leaders Jeffrey Tiebout and Rachel Theo-Maurelli guide a joyful exploration of sound and movement practices for remembering and enhancing your connection to the Divine within.

January 27-29, 2012
Nirvana Temple,
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Friday, January 27th, 7-9pm Dances of Universal Peace
Dances of Universal Peace, also known as Sufi Dancing, combine sacred phrases, song and simple circle dances to create an experience of the Divine. The Dances were originated by Murshid Samuel Lewis to create a spiritual practice that transcends creed. Everyone is welcome. All Dances and songs taught.
Donation: $10-30 (or what you can)

Saturday, January 28th, 9am-12pm
Ashtanga Vinyasa Krama Yoga
Jeffrey Tiebout, founder of Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga, will offer a talk about Ashtanga Vinyasa Krama Yoga followed by an asana practice and meditation. Donation: $50 (or what you can)

Saturday, January 28th, 2-4pm
Talk, Chanting and Meditation
Talk will explore components of chant practice.
Practice chants and mantra from various traditions followed by meditation.
Donation: $40 (or what you can)

Saturday, January 28th, 7-9pm
Dances of Universal Peace
Donation: $10-30 (or what you can)

Sunday, January 29th, 9am-12pm
Ashtanga Vinyasa Krama Yoga Practice and Meditation
Donation: $50 (or what you can)

About the leaders and why they practice

Jeffrey Tiebout
The deep love of these practices: asana, pranayama, chanting, dances, singing the praises of the one, grows from the deep and joyful experience they show us. They illuminate the path that leads us home to our hearts. Jeff has been a student of yoga practice since 1978. He's the founder of the Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga.

Rachel Theo-Maurelli
Rachel is a passionate lover and leader of the Dances of Universal Peace and chant aficionado. Her love of these practices grows from the deep experience they offer. Join her as we open our hearts and experience the Divine as peace, love, joy, gratitude, compassion and more!

Continuing Education: On-site or Online?

Continuing Education: On-site or Online?

Victoria Jordan Stone, MA, NCMT

In the past two years the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) has granted approval for an ever-increasing smorgasbord of online continuing education (CE) classes to satisfy the requirements for ongoing national, and in some states, state massage therapy certification. The major massage therapy organizations through which members can obtain professional liability insurance have lines up to require the same number of hours (48 every four years) for professional level membership.

Most of us have become so dependent on computers, and savvy in their use, that it seems like a logical extension of our day to day life to sit down at our computer, at our convenience any time of the day or night, and register for a "certification" in a bodywork modality or meet our specific ethics requirements for re-certification. In times of economic downturn it can seem appealing to pay only $35 for 15 hours of approved continuing education that does not require travel or lodging costs, and which requires no special scheduling, no break in our routine of seeing clients.

But is it really the bargain it appears to be? Is it a good idea at all?

Most on-site continuing education costs $10 - 15 per credit hour, which represents a considerably larger monetary investment in professional development and enhancement of skills, but as in so many things  - you often get what you pay for.

In a traditional on-site  "graduate level" CE one or more instructors provide lecture, discussion, demonstration,  and supervised bodywork practice time for learning, similar to the process used in "undergraduate" massage programs. This system has proved effective over a long educational history, and is particularly well-suited to the kind of learners who are drawn to massage therapy as a career. Questions can be addressed in this educational format, and the discussions that ensue among those engaged in the profession are often thought-provoking and applicable to the daily practices of everyone  in the class. Practicing colleagues will bring their own "flavor" to the in-class practice time, and there is considerable "cross-fertilization"  of specialized skills and different styles of working among the participants that adds value beyond the techniques and information the instructor provides.

Let's face it - most of us work in a vacuum with few, if any, professional peers we can use as sounding boards for problems we encounter with clients' conditions, ethical quandaries, or our own self-care. Getting together with a group of active massage professionals sparks lively, varied discussion, fosters the sharing of ideas and techniques, and reduces isolation with the fellowship of  like-minded individuals, some old friends, others new acquaintances, and all with much in common.  On-site CEs can also provide much needed time off and a beneficial, tax-deductible vacation to those of us who work busy schedules, whether to a nearby town or a tropical retreat.

There are many reasons good massage therapy programs are undertaken with students and instructors in the same location, working together.  Massage therapy is a hand's on, high touch profession, and while we can absolutely glean useful information sitting at our computers, there is no substitute, n learning bodywork modalities, for actual physical participation.  It has been my observation as a CE instructor  that even those who I personally know who had developed good body mechanics by the time they graduated from school have often developed potentially harmful postural habits and ways of working after spending many hours working unobserved with clients: we all need good mirrors from time to time to make sure we don't compromise our bodies in the good work we perform.

Even the obvious choices for online CEs - ethics and business practices - are more rewarding and beneficial in a group setting, where the insights and experiences of professional peers can be freely shared.  It's always a delight to me to see how animated and interested participants in any form of continuing education class are in each others' presence - who, after all, can understand us like other in our chosen profession can? I have never regretted any of the financial cost or time and money spent in travel to attend workshops and trainings for continuing education, and I have taken over 1000 hours over the past twenty years.  It has kept me current in my skills, breathed new life  into my practice, introduced me to some excellent instructors and acquainted me with a lot of professional peers as interested in the work as I am, and who have been great folks to get to know.

Victoria Jordan Stone, MA, NCMT is a director of Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga in Blacksburg , Virginia. She has taught CE classes in Pregnancy Massage; Hot Stone Therapy; Integrated Deep Tissue Techniques for various regions of the body; Ethics, Self-care: and Thai Yoga Massage. She has an upcoming Yoga, Self-care and Integrated Deep Tissue Techniques for Prevention and Treatment of Repetitive Strain Conditions of the Arms, Hands & Shoulders in Costa Rica, for the second year at Ylang Ylang Beach Resort  from January 31 - February 7, 2012. Further information is available at http://www.blueridgemassage.org

She is author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Massage Illustrated  and  The World's Best Massage Techniques, and is currently in the process of writing a text on yoga, wellness, and body mechanics for massage therapists, to be introduced in 2012.

Green Living and Energy Expo!

Come out and see us this Friday and Saturday at the Green Living Expo in Roanoke!
For more information about this cool event and FREE admission information go here!

http://www.facebook.com/EnergyExpo

Injury prevention for massage therapists (blog response)

It’s great that therapists are trying new ways to do massage.  In online forums and social media, we see therapists talking about, for example, how using the knuckles instead of the fingertips is the most risk-free way to do massage.  Another swears by the forearms, and yet another by avoiding the upper extremity altogether and using the feet to do massage.

The reality is that each “tool” we use to do massage, be it hands, thumbs, knuckles, forearms, etc., has its own set of risk factors. Some have fewer risks than others.  Thumbs and fingertips are inherently unstable and therefore carry the most risk for most people: first, because their structures are inherently unstable, and their delicate ligaments, tendons and cartilage can be easily damaged; second, because the instability forces you to contract the forearm flexors and extensors quite a bit to keep them from buckling, and this increases pressure in the carpal tunnel (which can lead to CTS) and can cause tendonosis in the forearm muscles.

But there are risks associated with use of any part of the body to apply pressure. To use the knuckles (which aren’t all that stable, either, if you use only 2-3 of them), you have to stabilize with the forearm flexors and extensors, too, and if you’re not stabilizing your scapulae at the same time and using the larger muscles of the shoulders and back to create the force, your shoulders can be at risk for injury. In our 2006 study of injury among massage therapists, shoulders were the body part most often injured. Same goes for use of the forearms – the shoulders are still vulnerable, although certainly the large, flat surface of the forearm offers much more stability than the fingers, thumbs or knuckles.  No matter what body part you use, transferring pressure through the bones of that body part causes wear and tear to the joints which can lead to osteoarthritis over time.

And as for using the feet: not only do they also have small bones and other soft tissues that can get injured, but you have to hang on with your hands and arms to overhead bars as you massage.  We recently had a CIPI candidate tell us that she was starting to have shoulder symptoms from hanging on to the bars, and I have heard of another therapist who  injured her feet by massaging with them.

So am I saying that it’s not good to look for alternatives to using the hands to do massage? No, it’s actually a really good idea to do that.  Just bear in mind that there is no one part of the body that is magically free of risk factors for injury. Being aware of the risks of using a particular body part to do massage is very important.  For choosing which body parts to use for your massage techniques, the approach that seems to work best involves frequently changing the part of the hand or arm (or even feet) you use to do massage, so that no one part becomes overused. Using real tools (IndexKnobber, Massage Star, etc.) when possible can also be very helpful. Do you use a certain part of the body to do massage more than another? Share your experiences with us here.
 
Lauriann Greene post “Knuckles, Forearms...Which Body Part is Best to Use to Do Massage?    Thanks to Lauriann for her thought on this issue.  I'd like to add some thoughts here. Having had an active massage practice for 21 years  and having taught massage therapy for 14 years with  my own pre-existing conditions and risk factors, I am unrelenting in making sure our students use their bodies in ways that minimize their risk of injury over time. I aim to make sure that they develop sound and habitual optimal patterns of body use from the very beginning of their programs. It's absolutely true that use of any part of the body can result in injury if used to long, too hard and with less than optimal body mechanics.   

We start all classes with yoga and other movement arts activities to establish increased strength, aerobic fitness, and strong muscles of scapular stabilization.  Even with this students come in with all manner of hand, arm and shoulder anomalies that could result in injury; so far we have a pretty good record of finding ways to accommodate those so they can have long, fulfilling and comfortable careers. 

That said, I dislike the use of "knuckles," which many students are inclined toward, and which has a feel that is aggressive and unpleasant for many clients. "Soft fist" is a little better, but "dorsal fingers" or "backs of the fingers" both expresses and describes what I believe is a softer and more reasoned approach. With knuckles or dorsal fingers many students want to lead with the knuckles, and for those with weak extensors the metacarpal-phalangeal joint "folds" way too much, a serious risk to wrist and hand health. Making sure not to exceed a 90 degree angle at that joint and leading with the radial  (ie: indicis) side of the fingers while maintaining the body in a position that facilitates neutrality of the wrist and elbow seems to be a good solution.  

Massaging from the whole body, for instance, in a wide lunge with weight in the back heel grounded for stability, with a lifted sternum helps eliminate some of the hazards of forearm use.  Not all use of feet on the client's body requires supporting one's weight with bars. There are numerous ways of working on clients on the table or on the mat that require little or no use of the hands, and are especially suitable for work on large, dense, tight-muscled clients in particular. 

In the past I thought that tools were artificial and hindered sensitivity. I've come to believe that certain tools used in ways that facilitate sensitivity can be a great boon to the busy massage therapist. I personally dislike any tool made of plastic, but have enjoyed (as my clients have!) the use of hot stones as hand-held tools and placed stones. Holding the stones can still create some strain on the hands, but when balanced with other techniques, creates a balanced repertoire of upper extremity actions. More recently I have begun using rosewood and bamboo tools  (Mu-Xing therapy) and they create yet another set of "holds" that helps balance the musculature. So, part of the key to healthy massage practice is variety, and clients appreciate it. 

Another key element in injury prevention is avoiding overuse. I know it can be difficult in uncertain times to limit the number of massages one gives in a week, all MTs should find a limit that their bodies tell them is reasonable and stick to it. We should never be so hungry for clients that we work on people who demand intense pressure (not the same at all as intense depth, which may not require  undue pressure) or who are simply too large, dense, and athletic for our own frames. Maintaining a regular yoga or other movement art practice that keeps the therapist in touch with her body and it's conversation with her is a key element to assessing the body parts, tools and techniques that will allow her to have a long and healthy career. 

Victoria Jordan Stone, MA, NCMT

Author - The World's Best Massage Techniques (2010) Fairwinds Press Partner -
Blue Ridge School of Massage & Yoga, Blacksburg, VA 

From Massage Magazine Blog  http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/injury-prevention-ergonomics-manual-therapists/2011/10/24/knuckles-forearms-which-body-part-is-best-to-use-to-do-massage/

Upcoming Continuing Education at BRSMY

Hot Stones

Instructor: Victoria Stone, CMT

Sunday, November 6, 10am-6pm

7 CE Credits

Cost: $165 (or $150 if registered and paid in full by October 6)

You will also receive a list of supplies that need to be purchased before attending. These will allow you to continue practicing what you have learned. 

call 540.552.2177 to register. 

Hot Stones: This course includes explanation of the use of hot stones, cautions, benefits and care of the stones.  During the workshop you will give and receive a full-body sequence.  You will be able to incorporate hot stones safely, effectively, and therapeutically in any massage session, or use it as a stand-alone spa technique.  Prerequisite: at least 120 hrs. Swedish massage training. 

Victoria Stone, CMT is director and co-owner of Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga. She has been in practice for 20 years.  She has 13 years of teaching experience in various massage modalities, massage theory and practice, anatomy and medical massage, as well as certifications in Pregnancy massage, Hot Stone Therapy, Basic Cranial Therapy, and Thai Yoga Massage, Watsu, and is a registered Yoga Instructor.