Cortiva Institute

US News & World Report, the leading national newsmagazine devoted largely to reporting and analyzing business, health, science, technology, and social trends, released its highly anticipated Rankings Report for 2011 on Tuesday. Among the categories researched and ranked, their Career Advice and Guide named Massage Therapy as one of their Best Jobs in Healthcare for 2011. …read more

While some states do not have official licensing for massage therapists, professional massage therapists can become nationally certified in order to assure employers and clients of their qualifications and professionalism. Certification is available by taking the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) written exam which requires strict educational standards.

According to the NCBTMB, certification “establishes you as a dedicated professional with the knowledge and skills to uphold high standards of excellence.”

Membership in a professional massage therapy organization such as the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) or Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP) will provide additional professional credibility. Enrolling in an accredited massage therapy school like Cortiva is a first step in becoming a certified massage therapist.

The massage therapy profession is a uniquely flexible and portable career that offers considerable advantages in today’s challenging work environment. Massage therapists who obtain a diploma in Professional Massage Therapy enjoy self-determined work hours, a wide range of practice locations and other lifestyle options, including freedom to work part-time hours while raising children, going back to school or travel.

And as the need for professional massage therapists rises, so will the degree of independence and self-determination they can enjoy. Hospitals are just one employer that has increased by 30 percent in the past two years the number of massage therapy programs offered.1 Rehabilitation programs, older adult communities, colleges and universities also offer massage therapy programs.

For those of you interested in a flexible and burgeoning career as a professional massage therapist, here’s a helpful statistic to keep in mind. According to the U.S. Department of Labor employment for massage therapists is expected to increase 20 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than average for all occupations.

1AMTA 2009 Massage Therapy Industry Fact Sheet

WOODRIDGE, Illinois – June 10, 2009 – To fulfill an increasing demand for massage therapy education in the Chicago area, Cortiva Institute will open a new branch location in the Prologis Business Park in Woodridge, Ill.

Cortiva Institute offers a diploma in professional massage therapy. The program is 750 hours in length (56 quarter credits) and includes hands-on courses in Practical Massage Therapy technique as well as Science and Research, Ethics, Communications and Business. Cortiva prepares students to take the National Certification Exam, and upon passing the exam, enter the massage therapy profession. The new location is currently enrolling for classes beginning in July 2009.

Employment for massage therapists is expected to increase 20 percent through 2016, faster than average for all occupations, according to the 2009-2010 U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook.

The facility is a modern, one-story brick building with 15,000 square feet designed and built specifically for massage therapy education. Located near the intersection of I-55 and I-355 at the hub of the Southwest suburbs, free parking is available only steps away from the entrance.

“Due to the growing western and southwest suburban market, we are adding a third Chicago area location based upon the demand for licensed massage therapists,” said Paul Myer, President of Cortiva Institute – Chicago who will also manage the new location in Woodridge. “Growing health and wellness careers, especially in this tough economy, has caused many individuals to rejuvenate their career and seek out education in fields such as massage therapy.”

For more information or to enroll, interested students should visit the school, located at 1051 Internationale Parkway in Woodridge, phone 630.739.9684 or 312.753.7903 or go to www.Cortiva.com.

1. Listen to your body and respond to symptoms. Don’t hesitate to seek medical treatment if you begin to have symptoms, particularly if they indicate a need for immediate medical attention. Medical treatment received early on in the symptom progression is often simple, consisting of rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medications and sometimes combined with recommendations of activities to avoid. Early treatment is also more effective, less expensive and will allow you to return to work more quickly than if you delay treatment. Some musculoskeletal disorders can require extensive periods of rehabilitation, or even surgery, if they progress too far.
Symptoms that require immediate medical attention include:

• Intense pain
• Any pain that lasts more than five days in a row
• Inflammation that is moderate to severe or lasts more than five days in a row
• Unexplained clumsiness, weakness or loss of function
• Any numbness, tingling or burning sensations
• Pain that radiates down an arm or leg
• Symptoms that wake you up at night or prevent you from falling asleep
• Changes in skin color
• Symptoms that change or worsen rather than improve

2. Avoid fatigue while working. Leave enough time between massage sessions to take a short break, stretch, hydrate and breathe deeply. Avoid scheduling too many massages in one day or week, and avoid scheduling clients needing deep work back-to-back. Build some recovery time from repetitive hand motions into your massage sessions by incorporating such techniques as active and passive stretching or positional release. Try to sit for at least 15 minutes out of each 60-minute session. For example, you can sit when working on the hands, feet, head and neck.

3. Practice good self-care. Exercise regularly, but avoid working the same muscles you use all day while doing massage. Stretch the muscles in the front of your body that may get shortened from your work, and strengthen the muscles in your back that may be stretched and weakened. Include exercises to maintain or increase endurance, such as walking. Don’t smoke, since it impedes circulation and impairs your body’s ability to heal itself. Avoid foods with saturated fats or trans fats, since they can provoke an inflammatory response. Get plenty of sleep, since sleep is the time your body’s repair and self-regulation processes are the most active.

4. Plan for your future. Use continuing education as an opportunity to learn modalities that are less demanding, such as positional-release techniques, or that allow you to use your hands less, such as lomi lomi. Invest in your well-being and peace of mind by getting good health insurance and long-term disability insurance. Think about where you want your massage career to take you 10 or 20 years from now. Will you still want to be doing full-time, hands-on treatment work, or would you rather be managing a clinic or spa? Start working toward your goals now, so that you can continue to work well beyond the eight-year average for massage careers.

Lauriann Greene and Richard W. Goggins