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The Risks Of Being A Massage Therapist
By Elizabeth Penning

The massage therapist is one who knows all about giving massages and usually uses liberal amounts of medicated creams in order to moisturize the foot as well as to provide much needed lubrication and he or she will use his or her knuckles to provide a hard as well as smooth implement for giving the massage. The job of the massage therapist is not without its own risks and the rub is that they are at risk of backaches, knotted muscles and carpal tunnel syndrome. Even the most ambitious and keen massage therapist is at risk and sore thumbs may well derail their careers. This may not always hold true of all massage therapists but hand, wrist and other musculoskeletal injuries are a hazard many of them have to contend with. Also, since this form of work is very intimate it may release powerful feelings in the client and so a massage therapist is also at risk of emotional burnout.

Wrists Are Most At Risk

Since the thumb and wrists are most often used and if the technique applied is not correct there is a big chance that the massage therapist would cause injuries to the wrist and thumbs and the massage therapist has to use gravity as well as their body weight correctly in order to perform their work efficiently. Forcing too much pressure on the wrist may cause carpal tunnel syndrome since pressing down too hard may cause the thumbs to flex upwards which is not good for the joints and the tension goes through the wrist and forearm and even into the shoulders. The problem may arise because most clients wish to have deep tissue massages even when the technique is not correct and therapists who try to oblige will be at risk of sustaining injuries.

Also the massage therapist should keep the proper posture in order to prevent being injured and this may be learnt from experience as well as from other disciplines such as tai chi that is thought to be useful in developing good techniques. Tai chi can help the massage therapist to learn to work with their torso upright and those who bend over instead of flexing their knees are liable to hurt their backs. Also, the massage therapist who incorrectly hunches his or her shoulders or keeps them raised or rounded forward may eventually become a victim of extremely painful pinching of the brachial plexus.

Author Details:
Elizabeth Penning, copywriter for various websites about aluminium free deodorant and micro-dermabrasion with her main interests being holistic medicine and all things natural.

Article Source: Top Health Articles

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