Massage Therapy School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls massage therapists are making their marks. Massage therapy has some presence even in conventional healthcare. It’s also in the public eye. Local news sources profile entrepreneurs in wellness fields.
Statewide, massage therapy has been projected to see 28.6% occupational growth across the 2016 to 2026 decade: a rate greater even than the national average.
Local practices are often relatively small. It’s common for a few practitioners to join together. Some LMTs go solo. They can go far on a combination of technical skill and marketing savvy.
Top Massage Therapy Schools in Sioux Falls
The South Dakota School of Massage Therapy offers a 700-hour program. Massage coursework builds on a foundation of basic human sciences; the South Dakota School touts its ‘anatomy in clay’ class. Students learn Swedish massage and advanced massage techniques. They put in 50 hours at the student clinic or other approved site.
The Sioux Falls Therapeutic Massage & Education Center is listed as a South Dakota Board-approved school. The website currently lists only therapeutic massage training seminars, not comprehensive initial programs. Among the seminars are sports massage and ‘fingers to shoulder’ treatment.
There are additional approved schools elsewhere in the state. Other massage therapy schools may be recognized on the basis of appropriate accreditation or state approval.
Sioux Falls Massage Therapy Practices
Massage practices typically offer massage in 30-minute to two-hour slots. Chair massage may be shorter in a corporate setting or at an event; a massage therapist may be booked to carry out a number of massages back to back over a period of two or more hours. Pricing is variable, but Sioux Falls massage patrons often pay about $40 for a half hour session. High end spas have some of the highest client rates, but the BLS informs career searchers that nationwide, massage therapy wage earners tend to make more in healthcare than in personal services or hospitality (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/massage-therapists.htm#tab-5). Specialty massages may be charged at a different rate. Some practices consider things like hot stones to be an add-on service.
Healing Touch and Tranquility Therapeutic Massage are among the many popular small massage studios.
LMTs as Entrepreneurs
Tru Massage Therapy has at the helm a dedicated healthcare worker who got her massage therapy credentials after working for years as a CNA. She’s been in business as a massage therapist now for a decade. The Tru Massage Therapy website in mid-2019 listed one other massage therapist; she had started part-time and later became full-time. At that time, they were again looking for a massage therapist or two to join the team.
LMT-owned Royal Table Massage Therapy has assembled a relatively large team. In addition to providing massage at the studio, they go onsite to provide chair or table massage at events.
LMT-owned businesses reflect an individual vision that may encompass more than just bodywork. Sometimes the facilities provide other spa/ wellness services. Massage 360, for example, has an infrared sauna.
Business partners may practice complementary disciplines. Main Street Massage and Wellness Center is a mother and son enterprise (https://www.mainstmassage.com). The mother is a massage therapist with special training in oncology massage. The son has training in adjunctive therapies like Reiki and aromatherapy.
Healthcare Systems that Utilize Massage
There are multiple major health systems in the area that offer massage services. Avera Health has an integrative health center. This well-respected institution states that massage can be beneficial for a range of issues, from carpal tunnel syndrome to tension-related headaches; it can even play a role in bringing blood pressure down. Massage, the website notes, growths from the basic human instinct of rubbing the body when it hurts. The Avera Cancer Institute includes massage among its therapeutic services. Sanford Health does as well.
Hospice is another area where the value of therapeutic touch is recognized. A major hospice was among the organizations advertising in Sioux Falls in mid-2019.
Massage Therapists in Pain Management and Rehabilitation
Bowling Green Daily News reported on a former college player — part of a legendary team — who had brought his knowledge of pain and rehabilitation to massage therapy (https://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/wku/hilltopper-great-johnson-now-helping-others-as-massage-therapist/article_d9b9e31a-46af-5bda-84a1-9cad05be1420.html). He had gone on to play pro basketball, with a brief stint in the United States, followed by a long career in Europe. There were half a dozen seasons that he relied heavily on physical therapy to take him from pain-ridden to season-ready. He now operates his own practice in South Dakota. Like many, he gets referrals. He speaks of people who thought they needed back surgery but whose doctors told them to try his services first.
It takes specialized skills to succeed with rehabilitative patients. There are multiple settings where they can be put to use. A Sioux Fall business specializing in physical therapy recently sought an LMT with demonstrable skill in modalities like sports massage and trigger point; the selected candidate would be trained in instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization and in the needs of particular populations like dancers.
Chiropractic offices often utilize massage therapists, whether a single practitioner or a small team. South Ridge Chiropractic and Pascoe Chiropractic both have three massage therapists onboard. Acupuncturists may also share offices with massage therapists.
Fitness centers represent another option. GreatLife Golf and Fitness has a comparatively large LMT team.
Sioux Falls Spas
Spas may provide a very different atmosphere. Spa 2000 is a very popular local spa. The spa menu includes common offerings such as Swedish, prenatal, and stone massage. The business caters to a health crowd, with a flotation tank and infrared sauna onsite, and health supplements available for purchase. It also caters to those seeking luxury. Patrons who opt for the ‘luxury suite’ option get to spend time enjoying a fireplace, soaking tub, and snack tray.
Day of Indulgence is also about a combination of service and atmosphere. Patrons may buy spa packages. Here the focus is on therapeutic massage and beauty services.