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December 8, 2009

Self-Massage

As a massage therapist reading this, you may be outraged by a massage therapy blog discussing the concept of self-massage. It may sound as though I'm encouraging massage therapists to discourage their clients from booking repeat visits. Self-massage is popular among athletes and as a massage therapist I consider teaching self-massage to clients as a value added service and a way to engender client loyalty.

For all its advantages, self-massage has its limitations. Cassidy Phillips, founder of Trigger Point Performance Therapy, considers it the equivalent of oral hygiene. “You brush away some plaque yourself,” he said, “but you still go to the dentist for a thorough cleaning.” His company, based in Austin, Tex., sells self-massage tools for athletes.

Sports massage is a niche that, I'm sure, interests many therapists and it is helpful to know your athletic client's drive to perform. That mindset to push themselves to the edge of their limits may bring the athlete to your office during training season. Multiple sessions of massage can become costly in a hurry and it's not reasonable or recommended that an athlete get a massage everyday even though they may be training every day.

Teaching an athlete self-massage can keep them performing between visits and help with triage out of the training field. The sale of self-massage tools designed for use by athletes could be another revenue source. Know the products you sell, be selective about quality, and how to use them correctly and safely. Your belief in your product line will translate to your clients making it seem as if the products sell themselves.

Some items that seem to be popular:
Foam rollers
Therapy balls; also golf balls, tennis balls, baseballs and lacrosse balls
Thera Canes
Knobbles
Self-Massage for Athletes by Rich Poley
Acupressure's Potent Points: a Guide to Self-Care for Common Ailments by Michael Reed Gach
Trigger Point Therapy for Headaches & Migraines: Your Self-Treatment Workbook for Pain Relief by Valerie Delaune
Chinese Self-Massage Therapy: The Easy Way to Health by Ya-li Fan

tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health

Posted by linda at December 8, 2009 4:29 PM