Physical Therapy Aide/Massage Therapist

Physical Therapy Aides are non-licensed persons working under the supervision of a licensed Physical Therapist. They help make therapy sessions more productive, by putting on and removing supportive devices, providing routine treatments, such as diathermy, hydrotherapy, applying hot and cold packs and paraffin bath. They also assist patients with the practice of exercises that are to improve patient mobility, relieve pain and prevent or lessen disabilities.

Massage therapists can specialize in more than 80 different types of massage, called modalities, including but not limited to:

• Acupressure
• Deep-tissue massage
• Infant massage
• Neuromuscular massage
• Prenatal massage
• Reflexology
• Sports Massage
• Swedish massage

Most massage therapists specialize in several different modalities, which require different techniques. Some range the length of the body part and use long, exaggerated strokes, while others use fast, short strokes with a cupped or closed hand.

The acceptance of Massage Therapy by mainstream health care organizations and society at large has created a multitude of opportunities for massage therapists. From 2010 to 2020, employment among Massage Therapists has been projected to rise by 20%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. Opportunities are available and growing for those individuals who complete formal training programs and pass a professionally recognized examination.

Additionally, there has been continued growth in the demand for massage services, which will undoubtedly lead to new openings for massage therapists. The number of spas, which employ a large number of therapists, has increased in recent years and is expected to continue to do so. At the same time, the number of massage clinic franchises has been growing in recent years. Many of these offer massages cheaper than at resorts and spas, making Massage Therapy available to a wider range of customers.

Graduates of ACHT’s Massage Therapy program can choose to work in a variety of locations, including (but not limited to):

• Beauty and Hair salons
• Cruise Ships
• Health clubs and fitness centers
• Hospitals and medical centers
• Hotels
• Massage and rehabilitation clinics
• Nursing facilities
• Physician offices
• Spas and Resorts
• Sports organizations

In California, Massage Therapists earn a mean wage of $39,770 to $52,000, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, May 2012.

Massage Therapy licensure requirements differ based on the state in question. In states with Massage Therapy regulations, workers must graduate from a training program and obtain a license prior to practicing a massage. Typically, a Massage Therapist must pass an examination to obtain a license.

There are two types of certification tests offered by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB):

• National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB)
• National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage (NCETM)

Both of the above exams are multiple-choice. In order to sit for either of the exams, a candidate must have received at least 500 hours of supervised instruction and graduated from an accredited school.

Massage therapy licensure boards decide which certifications and tests to accept on a State-by-State basis. In states that use the National Certification Examination (NCE), if a Massage Therapist has passed the appropriate exam in one state, he or she can apply for licensing in another state without having to re-take the test. In states that do not use the NCE, even if a Massage Therapist in another state, he or she is required to either take that state’s test or apply for reciprocity, which is typically granted on a case-by-case basis. Reciprocity refers to the exchange, recognition or enforcement of licenses, privileges or obligations between states of the US or between nations.

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