How is anatomy important during a massage therapy course?

Answer 1

Massage therapists need to know the different parts of the body because massaging wrong can cause injury. Also Reflexology....like pressure points on certain body parts can release pressure in other areas.

Answer 2

firstly you should enroll in a good massage school to learn the basics. once you have that under control you begin doing specialized courses. if you dont have the time and money to do something profound like Ayurveda, you can do short weekend courses of special treatments such as stone massage, thai, aromatherapy, etc. and this allows you to work somewhere during the week too. ideally while you're still learning you can take a job as an auxliary, junior therapist or even receptionist to start gaining experience in the field. you dont have to be freakishly strong but it is important to have good hands (and by this i mean be able to apply strength when needed but also be capable of being gentle). One of the most important things that you need to learn (and always apply) is how to breath and stand properly during treatments so you wont get tired as the day progresses and your massage becomes weaker. it will also help maintain your posture over the years. another good thing to do is to learn some beauty work as well such as facials, manicures,etc. because not only will this make your employer happy (the more things you can do well, the less staff he/she will need) but it also gives you and your body a break while at work from massaging (you can sit down during facials and most beauty treatments and even if you dont, its still less stressful on the body). finally i would advise that you aim for work in the higher end markets (4 and 5 star hotels or luxury day spas) because they pay better and you can learn a lot. for this its always an advantage over others if you have some knowledge a foreign language or two good luck!

Answer 3

anatomy is very important.

in order to provide a proficient massage the MT must know where a muscle originates and inserts (attaches). since they connect to bones, muscles move bones so we also need to know about the skeletal system. and further, we must learn about innervation (where nerves are and what nerves are associated with which muscles) so we must get a level education of the nervous system as well.

from experience, i may not remember all the specific names but i remember the places and how massage affects them. that is the key.

happy learning!

[there are some really great websites that help with learning about muscle attachments, innervation and functions - do a search using those terms and find the ones you like]

Answer 4

Massage therapy affects every system in the body, some directly, some indirectly. The anatomy is important so you know the muscles, where they are located, their movements, their attachments. Tension in the hamstrings, the glutes, the quads, can contribute to low back pain. Tightness in one muscle, can cause overstretching in another muscle. Knowing your anatomy helps you to put the body in balance. Physiology is as important, (if not more) so you know how the systems in the body work, how imbalance in one system can cause imbalance in others. You need to know how stress affects the WHOLE body and how massage therapy can help.

Answer 5

In order to massage muscles, you need to know where they are.
Would you apply a lot of pressure on the fingers if you knew how small the bones are? Pressure on the side of the neck can cause a person to black out. Would a class in anatomy help? I think so.

Answer 6

You need to know your anatomy when your giving a massage, so 1 you don't hurt anyone and 2 so you can visualize exactly what your doing to them.

Answer 7

You need to know anatomy for two opposing reasons. 1. So that you know where to massage a client to give them maximum benefits and 2. To avoid causing injury to them.

Answer 8

If you read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies, you will see that to talk about which muscle is which and what it does without a name for them makes it difficult to look back at it if you had a question.

The book deals with muscles, pain and referred pain - self teaches what to do.

Answer 9

It is also important if you want to pass state or national boards. The anatomy is at least 40% of the test, so you need to have a firm understanding in order to pass.

Answer 10

There are accupuncture and accupressure points that can hurt people, and they need to know what areas to avoid.