Massage Therapy School in Salt Lake City, Utah
It’s not just the population of Utah that’s growing: It’s also the concept of wellness. Some fields that have a positive impact on the state’s wellness and livability are growing at a very high rate. Utah’s massage therapy occupation has been projected to see 42.5% growth over the 2016 to 2026 decade.
In an area with a younger than average population, one will find this demographic reflected in practitioner specialties, with maternal massage and pediatric massage both maintaining a high profile. There are businesses that cater to busy young professionals. One will also find massage therapists catering to special populations. Licensed Massage Therapists are playing a significant role in injury recovery and pain management. Massage is making its way into senior living. The Tenth East Senior Center, for example, notes massage therapy on its calendar of events.
Among those hiring LMTs in the greater Salt Lake City in mid-2019 are franchises, spas, resorts, and small healthcare offices. Often healthcare offices have one or more chiropractors front and center. Cameron Wellness Center and Spa provides naturopathic services.
There are plenty of LMTs in the area who have their own massage studios. Some have other massage therapists working for their studio in some capacity. The Anatomy of Wellness is LMT-owned. The website currently lists three other massage therapists. Pride Massage, meanwhile, represents a joint venture of several LMTs.
Top Massage Schools in Salt Lake City
Healing Mountain School of Massage offers a 900-hour program. Each term is a blend of experiences. Students receive four terms of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology coursework. Massage coursework progresses from Swedish massage and seated massage to advanced modalities like lymph drainage and Thai yoga massage. The practicum experience begins in the second term. Related modalities include energy healing and even Chakra balancing. Courses like ethics of touch and business and professionalism round out the program. Students have the option of completing an additional 300 hours and earning holistic health certification. The additional program includes advanced bodywork as well as coursework in subjects such as nutrition, sound healing, and geriatric health.
The Myotherapy College of Utah provides breadth and depth of curriculum. The American Massage Therapy Association lists program hours at 780. Students earn 39 credits. Included are five credits of electives. There are a wide variety of courses that may be offered: spinal touch, Feldenkrais, Tui Na, medical massage, Russian massage, even auriculotherapy and Brain Gym.
The Intermountain Massage Therapy College in Bountiful is another comprehensive schooling option. The program here includes two courses in Swedish massage. Additional modalities include Shiatsu and spinal touch therapy, among others. Nutrition is among the related modalities that receives coverage. The American Massage Therapy Association lists program hours as 841.
Therapeutic Massage in Sports Performance and Pain Management
Sports stars count massage among the tools that keep them in condition and help them recover from injury. Deseret News reported that Dax Raymond spent an intensive two months preparing for the NFL combine and draft (https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900067303/doug-robinson-after-months-of-preparation-utah-states-dax-raymond-ready-for-nfl-draft.html). He did speed training and drills and had both massage therapy and physical therapy.
The same services that pro athletes (and hopefuls) utilize can help others; potential beneficiaries both ‘weekend warriors’ and people who suffer from chronic pain that limits their ability to carry out normal activities. Medical professionals in Salt Lake City (as elsewhere) are turning their attention to pain management. ABC4 News characterized massage therapy as part of the Intermountain Healthcare strategy for easing chronic pain and for preventing prescription drug addiction (https://www.abc4.com/news/4pm-sponsored/opioid-series-intermountain-healthcare-works-with-community-to-be-part-of-solution/1602533282). The article notes that patients are, to an increasing degree, asking their providers for prescriptions for integrative treatments. A patient is quoted as saying that medical massage helps; a massage therapist is quoted as saying insurance providers are “warming up”.
Research for Wellness lists three integrative health centers in Salt Lake City. Providers at the Madsen Health Center at the University of Utah give integrative medicine consultations, letting patients know what types of complementary and integrative service may benefit them. The L.S. Skaggs Patient Wellness Center, also housed at the University of Utah, includes medical massage among its clinical services. Both chair and table massages are available. Massage therapists can go onsite to businesses to provide chair massage.
The Linda B. and Robert B. Wiggins Wellness & Integrative Health Center provides integrative services for people with cancer; included is massage.
Even small practices may have a sports or pain focus. Blue Water Bodywork, for example, offers myofascial cupping, passive stretching, and medical massage.
The Anatomy of Wellness lists their services as muscle therapy and holistic health. The blog provides information about a range of specialized topics, including how massage could help individuals with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Maternal Massage Specialty
There are multiple businesses in Salt Lake City that specialize in maternal massage.
Salt Lake City Prenatal Massage offers a number of massage styles for mothers and mothers-to-be. Included are pre- and postnatal, two methods of fertility massage, infant/ pediatric massage, and a massage performed at or beyond 39 weeks that may offer preparation for birth. Other styles, including spine massage and foot massage, are available. SLC Prenatal Massage offers onsite infant and toddler care as a convenience for a small additional charge.
Maternal Massage includes family-oriented massage from the prenatal stage through the infant and pediatric stage. Also available is couples massage.
Employment at Spas, Franchises, and Mobile Massage Services
Spas cater to a general relaxation-and-wellness crowd. Massage practices in the Salt Lake City area entice men as well as women. Matrix Spa and Massage , for example, offers a men’s deluxe package which combines massage with other services like time in the meditation cave and time in a private steam room.
Franchises, too, can build a loyal clientele. Elements Massage-South Jordan is very popular with the massage-going public, boasting a 4.9 Google average; this is based on well over 300 ratings.
There are multiple options for on-site and mobile massage.
Massage Therapist Wages in Salt Lake City and Career Outlook
The average wage for a massage therapist in the Salt Lake City area was $19.80 in 2018. The median was $17.88, with those at the 10th percentile making $8.81 and those at the 90th percentile making $30.92.
The Salt Lake City area has a higher than average massage therapy location quotient, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.