Massage Therapy School in Louisville
In Louisville, massage therapy is entering the healthcare mainstream. Professionals in different disciplines are looking to massage as part of the solution to what ails people, from chronic pain to side effects of medical treatments. Many people, of course, also turn to massage for good old-fashioned relaxation!
Popular Louisville Massage Therapy Schools
The Louisville School of Massage has been in the massage therapy business more than 40 years. LSM is a school member of the American Massage Therapy Association. AMTA states that the program is 750 hours. One of the highlights is the student clinic, which LSM notes is designed to mirror professional practice. Some students have had the opportunity to do practicum work with oncology patients at Floyd Memorial Hospital (https://www.louisville.com/content/hands-ten-years-massage-therapy-floyd-memorial-hospital-and-cancer-center-indiana).
Advanced Massage Therapeutics is also an AMTA member. The program is 600 hours. Practitioner competencies will include Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, injury assessment and orthopedic massage. Advanced Massage Therapeutics touts its high examination pass rates.
Healthcare Facilities Incorporating Massage
Some Louisville massage therapists provide services to special populations such as cancer patients or hospice patients.
Some healthcare organizations, in fact, have decided that a cancer patient shouldn’t have to pay extra for the relief a massage brings. Baptist Health-Louisville uses its oncology fund to provide oncology patients free massage therapy (https://www.baptisthealth.com/madisonville/services/cancer-care/patient-resources/massage-and-music-therapy).
Norton Cancer Resource Center provides access to several integrative therapies, including massage. The organization sought a massage therapist to join its team in early 2019.
Kentucky-based palliative care and hospice service provider Hospara Health counts massage therapy among the services it uses to bring comfort to people nearing the end of life (https://hosparushealth.org/locations/hosparus-health-inpatient-care-center/).
Among those Humana is targeting for wellness are its own employees. The organization boasts a new state of the art gym, designed in part to make it easier for employees to be proactive about their health. Fee-based memberships are also available to the public. Massage services are available for a fee. Available modalities include Swedish, deep tissue, and sports injury.
Massage therapists are bringing services to older adults with varying levels of ability and disability. Stephen Foster Senior Living, an economic option for seniors, lists massage therapy among its “unique features” (https://www.apartments.com/stephen-foster-senior-living-louisville-ky/r2klg20/)
Other Niche Practices for Massage Therapists
WHAS11 Elizabethtown profiled a massage therapist who had the opportunity to work with Olympic athletes (https://www.whas11.com/article/news/local/etown-sports-therapist-heading-to-olympics/294459904). The honor came to her after more than a decade in the sports therapy industry. However, athletes at all levels turn to massage therapy, and this is an area where massage therapists can seek out special training.
Independent practitioners often develop their own niche areas. The proprietor of Everyday Shiatsu has pursued multiple trainings, but the focus of the practice is just what the name implies: the Japanese art of Shiatsu.
Top Louisville Massage Practices
Many, but not, of the highly rated massage studios in the Louisville area are very small. Some have grown their teams.
Soluna Massage boasts 10 LMTs; the organization notes it’s expanded several times. The organization boasts several signature massages. “Whole Enchilada” incorporates both hot stones and cupping and throws in a foot bath; “Head-to-Toe Self Care” is a very complete full body massage that also includes a few extras (e.g. cold stones and foot care). Soluna approaches sports massage from both ends: pre-event and post-sports recovery.
Apex Massage also has 10 massage therapists onboard. Services include Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, sports massage, and Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy.
One will find more than one Elements Massage here – they do a lot of business! Both the Middletown and Westport Village establishments have 4.9 star Google ratings as of early 2019 — and both are based on more than 85 ratings. In short, this is not your average franchise.
Middletown Elements was among the businesses advertising for new talent in March of 2019. The hire(s) would receive a benefit package as well as experience-based base pay and gratuities. Specialized skills such as prenatal massage and Himalayan salt stone, it was noted, could increase earnings.
Massage Therapy Wages in Louisville
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that the Louisville-Jefferson County area has a massage therapist concentration lower than the national average but that massage therapists here enjoy higher average wages. The median was $24.50 in 2017 with those at the 10th percentile earning $11.20 and those at the 90th percentile earning $35.24.
The Massage Therapy Job Market in Louisville
Among those advertising for massage therapists in the Louisville area in early 2019, one finds spas, massage franchises, chiropractic and physical therapy offices. Zeel sought massage therapists who could travel. The job would include providing in-home services to screened clients and also taking spa appointments. Zeel massage therapists may also do corporate wellness events.
Building Expertise in Massage Therapy
Continuing education helps massage therapists develop expertise in specialty areas. Advanced Therapeutics has the following courses (among others) on its 2019 schedule: manual lymphatic drainage, Tui Na medical massage, trigger point therapy, and kinesio taping. This is in addition to complementary practices like Yoga.
The American Massage Therapy Association-Kentucky hosts a conference each spring. This can be a great opportunity to develop one’s skills and even add a certification or two.