Massage Therapist Job Description

Perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints. May assist in the assessment of range of motion and muscle strength, or propose client therapy plans.
Sample of reported job titles: Massage Therapist, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Massage Therapist (CMT), Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP), Registered Massage Therapist, Bodywork Therapist, Clinical Massage Therapist, Hospice Massage Therapist, Integrated Deep Tissue Massage Therapist, Medical Massage Therapist

Tasks:

• Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
• Confer with clients about their medical histories and problems with stress or pain to determine how massage will be most helpful.
• Maintain treatment records.
• Develop and propose client treatment plans that specify which types of massage are to be used.
• Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.
• Assess clients' soft tissue condition, joint quality and function, muscle strength, and range of motion.
• Provide clients with guidance and information about techniques for postural improvement and stretching, strengthening, relaxation, and rehabilitative exercises.
• Treat clients in professional settings or travel to clients' offices and homes.
• Refer clients to other types of therapists when necessary.
• Consult with other health care professionals, such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, physicians, and psychologists, to develop treatment plans for clients.

Tools & Technology:

Balance beams or boards or bolsters or rockers for rehabilitation or therapy — Bolsters

Full body immersion hydrotherapy baths or tanks — Hydrotherapy equipment

Mats or platforms for rehabilitation or therapy — Massage chairs; Massage stools; Portable massage tables; Treatment tables

Medical heat lamps or accessories — Heat lamps

Notebook computers

Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs — Cold packs; Hot packs; Massage stone sets

Technology used in this occupation:

Calendar and scheduling software — AppointmentQuest Online Appointment Manager; Scheduling software
Medical software
Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
Word processing software — Microsoft Word

 Knowledge:

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Biology — Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Medicine and Dentistry — Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Skills:

Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Dynamic Strength — The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Stamina — The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath. Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Source: http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-9011.00