WORK WITHIN FRAMEWORK

Massage Therapy is defined as the systemic manual manipulations of the soft tissue of the body by movements such as:

Kneading

Pressing

Rolling

Slapping and

Tapping for therapeutic purposes as promoting circulations of the blood lymph, relaxation of the muscles, relief from pain, restoration of metabolic balance

And other benefits both physical and mental

Massage Therapy Benefits

Reduction of muscle tension and stiffness

Relief of muscle spasms

Greater flexibility and range of motion

Increased of the ease and efficiency of movement

Relief of stress and aide of relaxation

Promotion of deeper and easier breathing

Improvement of the circulation of blood and movement of lymph

Massage Therapy Origins.

Massage Therapy is one of the oldest health care practices known to history. References to massage are found in Chinese medical texts more than 4,000 years old.

Massage has been advocated in Western health care practices at least since the time of Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine” In the fourth century B.C Hippocrates wrote, “The physician must be acquainted with many things and assuredly with rubbing” (the ancient Greek term for massage was rubbing)

The roots of modern, scientific massage therapy go back to Per Henrik Ling (1776-1839), a Swede, who developed an integrated system consisting of massage and active and passive exercises. Ling established the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute in Sweden in 1813 to teach his methods.

Although Ling was usually credited as the father of Sweden massage, it was not a part of Ling’s Gymnastic Movements nor the curriculum of the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute founded by Ling in 1813.

The known “Swedish massage” techniques:

Effleurage (long, gliding strokes)

Petrissage (lifting and kneading the muscles)

Friction (firm, deep, circular rubbing movements)

Tapotement (brisk tapping or percussive movements)

Vibration (rapidly shaking or vibrating specific muscles)

These Swedish massage techniques are mainly due to Johann Georg Mezger (1838-1909.

Massage Therapy Definitions.

Massage Therapy is manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons and ligaments) to enhance a person’s health and well-being.

Effective massage therapists ascertain each person’s needs and then use the techniques that will meet those needs best.

Swedish massage uses a system of long gliding strokes, kneading, and friction techniques on the more superficial layers of muscles, generally in the direction of blood flow toward the heart, and sometimes combined with active and passive movements of the joints.

It is used to promote general relaxation, improve circulation and range of motion, and relieve muscle tension. Swedish massage is the most commonly used form of massage.

Ø Deep tissue massage is used to release chronic patterns of muscular tension using slow strokes, direct pressure, or friction directed across the grain of the muscles. It is applied with greater pressure and to deeper layers of muscle than Swedish, which is why it is called deep tissue and is effective for chronic muscular tension.

Ø Sports massage uses techniques that are similar to Swedish and deep tissue, but are specially adapted to deal with the effects of athletic performance on the body and the needs of athletes regarding training, performing, and recovery from injury.

Ø Neuromuscular massage is a form deep massage that is applied to individual muscles. It is used primarily to release trigger points (intense knots of muscle tension that refer pain to other parts of the body), and also to increase blood flow. It is often used to reduce pain. Trigger point massage and myotherapy are similar forms.

Ø Acupressure therapy applies finger or thumb pressure to specific points located on the acupuncture meridians (channels of energy flow identified in Asian concepts of anatomy) in order to release blocked energy along these meridians that causes physical discomforts, and re-balance the energy flow. Shiatsu is a Japanese form of acupressure.

Allopathic medicine.

Is an expression commonly used by homeopaths and supporters of other forms of alternative medicine to refer to mainstream medical use of pharmacologically active agents or physical interventions to treat or suppress symptoms or pathophysiologic processes of diseases or conditions.

The expression was coined in 1810 by the creator of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann (1755-184). Never accepted as a mainstream scientific term, it was adopted by alternative medicine advocates to refer pejoratively to mainstream medicine. In such circles, the expression “allopathic medicine” is still used to refer to “the broad category of medical practice that is sometimes called Western medicine, biomedicine, evidence-based medicine, or modern medicine”.

Types of Allopathic medicines.

Allopathic medicines are available in different forms on the basis of their mode of administration, their biochemical properties, and the effect desired on that particular tissue, organ, or system that lies within the sphere of action of a specific drug substance. Following are the various modes of administration:

Oral: These preparations are prepared to be absorbed by the gastro-intestinal system and are most commonly used.

They are available in the form of:

Tablets

Capsules

Lozenges

Powders

Suspensions

Syrups

Parenteral

Administration of a medicine via routes other than the alimentary canal is called parenteral. This can be done in the following ways:

Inhalation (i.e. Asthma pump)

Injection (i.e. Local injection)

Transcutaneous (i.e. Creams and ointments)

Transmucosal (i.e. Suppositories)

Naturopathic medicine

Natuopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative based on a belief in vitalism, which posits that a special energy called vital energy or vital force guides bodily processes such as metabolism, reproduction, growth, and adaptation.

Naturopathy favors a holistic approach with non-invasive treatment and, similar to conventional medicine, encourages minimal use of surgery and drugs. Naturopathic practitioners are split into two groups:

Traditional naturopaths

Naturopathic physicians.

Traditional naturopathy involves the thorough use of the its basic principles, whereas Naturopathic physicians employ naturopathy within the context of conventional medical practices. Naturopathy comprises many different treatment modalities of varying degrees of acceptance by the conventional medical community; these treatments range from standard evidence-based treatments, to homeopathy and other pseudoscientific practices.

Types of naturopathic treatment:

There is a great variety of naturopathic treatments as mentioning below:

Ayurveda Treatment

Homeopathy Treatment

Nutritional Treatment

Yoga and Meditation

Color Treatment

Acupuncture

Manipulative Therapy

Psychological Counselling

Chinese Herbal Treatment

Reflexology

Heat and cold therapy

Ice therapy

Vasoconstricion

Blood vessel contact

Reduce swelling and bleeding

Lower Temperature

Increases blood viscosity and therefore reduces blood flow and limits leakage of fluid into intramuscular space

Slow the rate of impulses and decreases in the firing rate of nociceptors with resultant reduction in pain muscular spasms

Heat therapy

Vasodilation

                   Increases oxygen and nutrient supply

                   Increases in capillary permeability

                   Increases in venous/lymphatic drainage

                   Decreases nerve conductivity velocity

                   Reduce muscle spasm

                   Increases elasticity of collagen tissue.

Massage therapy practice principles.

Business management in all business and organizational activities is the act of coordinating the efforts of people to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively.

Management operates through various functions, often classified as planning organizing, staffing, leading/directing, controlling/monitoring and motivation.

Planning: Deciding what needs to happen and generating plans to action

Organizing: (Implementation) pattern of relationships among workers, making optimum use of the resources required to enable the successful carrying out of plans.

Staffing: Job analysis, recruitment and hiring for appropriate jobs

Leading/directing: Determining what must be done in a situation and getting people to do it

Controlling/monitoring: Checking progress against plans

Motivation: Motivation is also a kind of basic function of management, because without motivation, employees cannot work effectively.

Formation of the business policy.

The mission of the business is the most obvious purpose – massage therapy practice

The vision of the business reflects its aspirations and specified its intended direction or future destination

The objectives of the business refers to the ends or activity that is the goal of a certain task

The business’s policy is a guide that stipulates rules, regulations and objectives, and may be used in the managers’ decision-making. It must be flexible and easily interpreted and understood by all employees.

The business’s strategy refers to the coordinated plan of acting it takes and resources it uses to realize its vision and long-term objectives. It is a guideline to managers, stipulating how they ought to allocate and use the factors of production to the business’s advantage.

Implementation of policies and strategies

All policies and strategies must be discussed with all managerial personnel and staff. Managers must understand where and how they can implement theirs policies and strategies.

A plan of action must be devised for each department

Policies and strategies must be reviewed regularly

Contingency plans must be devised in case the environment changes

Top-level managers should carry out regular progress assessments

The business requires team spirit and a good environment

The mission, objectives, strengths and weaknesses of each department must be analysed to determine their roles in achieving the business’s mission.

The forecasting method develops a reliable picture of the business’s future environment.

A planning unit must be created to ensure that all plans are consistent and that policies and strategies are aimed at achieving the same mission and objectives.

 Risk management

Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities.

Risks can come from:

·       Uncertainty in financial markets

·       Project failures

·       Legal liabilities

·       Credit risk

·       Accidents

·       Natural causes and disasters.

Risk management method

For the most part, these methods consist of the following elements, performed, more or less, in the following order.

Identify, characterize threats

Access the vulnerability of critical assets to specific threats

Determine the risk (i.e. the expected likelihood and consequences of specific types of attacks on specific assets)

Identify ways to reduce those risks

Prioritize risk reduction measures based on a strategy

Principles of risk management

Risk management should

Create value – resources expended to mitigate risk should be less than the consequence of inaction

Be an integral part of organizational processes

Be part of decision making process

Explicitly address uncertainty and assumptions

Be systematic and structured

Be based on the best available information

Take human factors into account

Be transparent and inclusive

Be dynamic, iterative and responsive to change

Be capable of continual improvement and enhancement

Be continually or periodically re-assessed

Massage Principles.

Code of Ethics is a summary statement of the standards of conduct that define ethical behaviour for the massage therapist. Adherence to the Code is a prerequisite for admission to the Australian Association of massage therapist (AAMT)

Principles of Ethics. The Principles of Ethics form the first part of the Code of Ethics. They are aspiration and inspirational model standards of exemplary professional conduct for all members of the association. These Principles should not be regarded as limitations or restrictions, but as goals for which members should constantly strive.

Rules of Ethics. The Rules of Ethics are mandatory and direct specific standards of minimally-acceptable professional conduct for all members of the association. The Rules of Ethics are enforceable for all association members, and any members who violate this Code shall be subject to disciplinary action. Page 21.