My passion for Massage Therapy started at a young age. My younger sister, Melissa, was born prematurely and has a number of challenges. Our family was told to expect the worst but, fortunately, we saw how physical therapy and massage helped her progress well beyond all expectations. I was amazed to witness how massage relaxed her muscles. It was obvious that without this intervention, she would have remained tight and she would not be able to walk or sit easily.
I want to work to offer the clients that I treat the same opportunity for recovery that Melissa received. During my PTA program, I was worried that I might find working as a PTA too restrictive. I realized physical therapy offered motor retraining, but didn’t offer the benefits of massage. As a result, I enrolled in and completed a Massage Therapy program, as well. Massage Therapy draws on my knowledge of anatomy and physiology and has expanded my skill set. I have a private massage business and, in addition, a PTA job augmenting my income and experience. In massage, I have worked in a variety of settings from a spa to a gym. My massage practice has focused on the competitive athletic community, serving CrossFit athletes and weekend warriors. I am very client and goal-oriented, which complements my talents as a massage therapist.
As a physical therapist assistant, I have incorporated massage into my treatments with my patients. I am ready to work with athletes and individuals who are interested in enhancing their health. I look forward to working out any trigger points that may be limiting range of motion and inhibiting improvement in my client’s fitness. Through a variety of massage techniques, I help to correct muscle imbalances facilitating the trainer’s efforts to incorporate strength and function during their classes. For these reasons, I knew the AMTA/NCBTMB Sports Massage Specialty Certificate Programwas right for me. I am proud to say I am the first person to achieve the specialty, and look forward to putting what I learned to work.
I pursued my Sports Massage Specialty Certificate because I enjoy working with athletes. I love learning about sports. There is always something new to learn about the movements and muscles that are used during each individual sport and for the position of the athlete. I wanted to gain knowledge about massage in different sports setting to help my current clients. I am looking forward to using my certificate to start offering sports massage at a variety of sports events.
Anyone who enjoy sports and working with athletes should consider taking the AMTA/NCBTMB Sports Massage Specialty Certificate Program. The instructors that researched and collaborated to write the online classes and the hands-on lab are well known in professional sports as massage therapists. You would be learning from the best of the sports massage therapists in the country.
Beyond my Specialty Certificate, maintaining my Board Certification is essential. Most important to me, it demonstrates to the community my expertise and commitment to continuing education. Additionally, it has helped me get my name out to the public and has allowed me to attract more clients. Maintaining my certification has encouraged to keep up-to-date on my education, and has helped me to learn new skills that will help my clients. Every day, I seem to find new avenues to further my career in massage. For example, I’m working to arrange an opportunity to start volunteering at sports events to prepare athletes for their sport and help them cool down and heal afterward. My credentials are the foundation I need to help make this a reality.