I have a client coming next week who is requesting work on the inner thigh near the groin area. He’s a new client and I have no weird feelings at all based on his intake form.

What I’m wanting some advice on is how to approach this area. We were always told in school to avoid the femoral triangle because of the femoral artery and the various blood vessels there.

Though I do know that inner thigh work is common in massage therapy. I just don’t really come across it often.

How do you all approach the area safely?

Can someone point me to some good resources to learn about facial messages and specifically using a gua sha on the face?

I would like to start using a gua sha to help release facial tension but I am not sure where to start. There is so much information out there half of which is from influencers who are masking as experts. It’s my understanding that using it incorrectly can have negative effects (like stretching the skin).

Written content is great/useful but I would also really appreciate some reliable video content so that I can visualize things better.

I appreciate the help!

Hey everyone I’m interested in obtaining my NY LMT lic, I am already licensed in Pa, my course was 950 hours (so I’m short 50 hours for NY in my initial schooling but have made up for that and then some with ce) does anyone know the process for attaining my lic in NY? Do I need more educational hours? Thanks!

My favorite massage therapist quit last week so I booked with someone I’d never been with. Week long work trip on hotel bed + running + airplane had my back aching & I was really looking forward to this appointment. When I met him, he asked me the usual ‘is there anywhere not to touch’ and I told him my calves were a no go and I assumed he would realize that can still do my feet and thighs- my last guy did at least. He didn’t touch anything below my glutes though. On top of that, he was chatty from the moment we started. I recognized I fed into it at the beginning but it never stopped and started to really get into personal topics (his poor home life, a friend he had found blackout drunk in his house…etc). I’m not confident enough to ask him to stop so it just went on. Even worse, sometimes when he would be talking he’d stop the massage to talk…I have a really hard time being confrontational and my worst fear is that he would be fired over something like this but I paid almost $200 for this and I don’t feel like I got my moneys worth. How can I approach the manager about this without throwing him under the bus? Should I even? & how can I be more direct next time if I get another chatty masseuse.

I’ve been looking for a podcast or a youtube channel I could put on while driving, cleaning, etc. that would be productive towards my exam prep but feel a little lost on what would be helpful vs. information overload on things I won’t be tested on.. 🫠 Just wondering if anyone had any recommendations! Thank you!

Hi! I got a massage today. I had the stomach flu or food poisoning 4 days ago and had a severe migraine. So I got a massage today to try and help with future migraines. I’m not contagious anymore because I’ve been fever and vomiting free for over 3 days now. Was this a bad idea? 😵‍💫 because I was just reading that a massage can make you feel worse… now I feel stupid for going even though a nurse recommended that I go today.

Hello all,

I’m in my late 40s, located in the Twin Cities, and am considering a career change to become a massage therapist. As you can imagine, I have quite a few decisions to make and many questions. My goal is to eventually work in a solo practice for maximum flexibility.

The first question I have is whether to pursue an AAS degree or a certificate. Given my age and the fact that I already hold a couple of college degrees, I’m inclined to go for a certificate to get started as soon as possible. Would you agree?

There are a few programs in my area: two are offered by dedicated massage therapy schools, while the other three are provided by a health sciences-focused school, a technical college, and the Aveda Institute.

- One of the dedicated massage therapy schools lacks accreditation—could this be a significant issue?

- The other massage therapy school and the health sciences-focused school are accredited by COMTA.

- The technical college doesn’t have COMTA accreditation but offers USDE Professional Licensure. It also provides a more comprehensive MT Diploma and a Clinical Sports Massage Diploma, in addition to their certificate program.

Given my background in combat sports and knowing many chronically injured individuals who could be potential clients, I think sport massage could be a great path for me. Would it be wise to specialize in Sports Massage Therapy right away, or is it better to start with a traditional massage therapy program and specialize later?

I'm sure I'll have more questions down the road.

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

Sometimes if I’m getting a massage and it hits a really good spot that’s been hurting I’m afraid I’ll inadvertently make a groan(?) of relaxation. I don’t mean constant moaning, but just like a one time sound of “holy cow did that really feel good” sound. I always try to maintain just enough awareness so I don’t make a sound accidentally. Has anyone experienced that from a client, and is it normal or is it weird?

I have hypertension and it was recommended I get a massage to help lower it.

The only problem is I have a few splotches in my back (non-contagious) that are believed to be from a thyroid issue.

Would I still be able to get a massage? Or will I need to wait for it to eventually go away?

I have been working at a massage envy owned by PCRK for years. I started working for the ones owned by other businesses but I had to move to be near family that was not doing well. I have been working at a Massage Envy owned by PCRK. It is.a freaking mess in the time I've worked there, at least 10 people have quit in just 8 months, one person offed themselves and apparently it was the 5th employee who took their life in the past 10 years at the same location. From what I understand, the massage envy I worked at used to be owned by another company and the pay was higher and they had more benefits, but once PCRK took over, it became a disaster. What did PCRK do? almost nothing, just sent out an email but barely seemed to care.

Managers are always quitting because they are stretched too thin working between sometimes 2 or 3 locations so the manager is barely ever in 1 location which many customers are upset about. They purposefully understaff all the locations so 1 person will work by themselves for 9 hours doing the work of 2-3 people which is not only costing the business money but is also hard on the therapists because sometimes I go out and there is a line of people with the poor front desk receptionist putting multiple calls on hold and a line of people trying to check in and check out.

I have also had customers notice the front desk staff looks super stressed out and they feel they are a burden if they need help with their account or setting up another appointment. I can't believe PCRK doesn't realize how much money it's costing them by understaffing these places and barely having a manager in. Even Mcdonalds always has a manager..but these places? The manager is maybe in only once or twice a week for a few hours.

Some of the most popular therapists quit recently because they were fed up with the low pay, few benefits, and front desk staff also feel as if they pay is low and they are overworked by being understaffed. We also had a "therapist appreciation week" recently and it was insulting. We got cheap, cheap food and then customers were encouraged to write compliments on a cut out heard. No additional pay, gift cards, etc, just crafts you would do in elementary school is what PCRK I guess thinks adults want instead of additional pay.

There are systems such as "sell this amount, get compensation or get a free meal" but they just don't feel like enough. I've met other therapists at Massage envy's owned by other places and they make way more money and don't have such a high turnover rate.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure other massage envy's are better to work for, but DO NOT work at a massage envy owned by PCRK.

heylo

as title states, having alot of tension in scaleni/SCM on one side of body, ear tension, ear pins dizziness and visual disturbances

What do?
Only discovery i can share is that my front fascia line seems very tight.

Advice please!

Howdy folks! I have Raynaud's Syndrome. I always have cold hands,and they don't retain heat even after running under hot water right after washing my hands. Few clients are bothered because I rob heat from a person very quickly. I adapt with compressions and myofascial stuff with my forearms, and those that are sensitive for the first few minutes are totally understanding. Any raynaud's peeps care to check in?

Is anyone familiar with the brand Massage Blocks that made trigger point tools, and knows what became of them? They have been on the market for the last 10 years or so, the last time I bought one of their products was in 2020, and now the company seems to have disappeared. If I had known they were closing shop I would have picked up a few more of their pieces I intended to buy. I'm quite disappointed I didn't complete my Massage Block kit, they are incredible trigger point release tools for self massage.

Their website is offline and no trace of their products on the internet either, even ebay :(

Hey guys so I got a 90 minute deep tissue massage yesterday and one of my feet is hurting so much I can barely walk. The therapist really dug in my feet and it hurts now and I’m worried it won’t go away. I waited it out but it’s already been over 24 hours so should I go see a doctor or will it get better? I do have some aches and pains my back too so I think the therapist was just going really deep. Let me know thank you.

So I am in school rn getting my license and I need to know the process of transferring my license to Spain (when I do get it) does anyone here know my school is hard to navigate who to ask. Someone is always telling me to talk to someone else

I moved to a rural area for my wife's job and there's lots of competing therapist for a small population. I've been considering working a season at a seasonal resort. I know cruises are awful but has anyone had any experience working seasonal work at a resort?

Have any of you RMT or LMTs taken a ry needing course?

Thoughts? Successes? Losses? Prices? I want all the details!!! I want to do massage with dry needing and red light therapy.

Hello. Male, 28, recreationally active and pretty fit in Ontario, Canada. Considering going into RMT, seems like theres a lot of positions available and pay seems awesome (im seeing like ~80/hr, even if i did 20hrs a week thats ~80k/year).

Was just wondering warnings, things to be wary of, occupational hazards etc as well as any tips, tricks, or words of wisdom i should know prior to entering the field. Is this a good field to get into long term & for primary income? Also any school/program recommendations?

Hello,

At 49 years old, I (M) am exploring a career change into massage therapy. There are a few programs in my area, inlcuding one called which isn’t accredited. How important is accreditation in this field?

Additionally, if anyone here is in the Twin Cities and has feedback or recommendations on local MT programs, I’d appreciate your insights!

Thanks in advance!

For obvious reasons I'm scouting options on immigration as a LMT to other countries.

I'm aware the schooling and requirements in the US are more extensive than our northern neighbors but was wondering if anyone has some experience going through the process and if it changes based on job experience, years practiced, etc.

For reference I've been an LMT for 11 years and as a bonus spent 4 of those working in the NHL so I've technically worked in most of the major Canadian cities (RIP Nordiques)

Thanks all

I went for a deep tissue massage 2 weeks ago and the masseuse found a lot of knots and tension in my lower back and spine. They worked on these heavily and I felt a bit under the weather that evening. I went to bed early and woke up with stabbing pains in the lower left and right of my back (Around roughly where the kidneys are). The right side faded over the coming days but the left has continued and is still causing me constant stabbing pains throughout the day.

I've had my kidneys fully checked by doctors (bloods, urine and ultrasound) as they thought it might be kidney stones.

Has anyone here had this before (either from a massage or seen it in a client)? Just looking for some ideas of how to treat it as ibuprofen (tablets and gel) and heat pads haven't made any difference.

Hey all- genuinely wanting to know what my options would be as a WA state LMT. What countries would I be able to practice in without additional schooling requirements? And/or countries that have a demand for LMTs.

Any help to point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated by me and my family 🙏

New therapist... I got my license last month and unfortunately went straight into H&S. My school didn't cover stones at all, it was advised during the interview and brushed off because they would provide training. Of course very little training happened. The entire training was for me and one other therapist in 6 hours which was supposed to include the hands on training for both types of hot stones, the cold stone face massage and hand/foot treatments. We didn't have nearly enough time in the 6 hours, I got about 45 minutes of rushed choppy hot stones and the other therapist got no hands on time. We had to request another 3 hours the next day for the other therapist to practice on me and I got about another half hour of trying (of course not a full body/50 minute routine). I don't feel confident using the hot stones and I really just don't want to, I'm fine with chalking it up to not being a good fit and moving on. The trainer offered to meet up with me for a final one on one session to do the full body as I would on a client, I agreed because I wouldn't mind doing it if I was actually ready to do it. The manager of course doesn't want me to quit after only 2 weeks (and she says all the clients I've had really loved me) but she can't risk putting more money into training me if I might not stay, I told her I didn't expect to get paid and she said she also doesn't want me to come in to practice without getting paid. I told her it's her that needs to make up her mind. It might just not be a good fit, not all therapists use hot stones... But also it can take time to master a new modality, the bare minimum training provided is a bit of a joke for someone who works with integrity. I'm young and fresh, I don't fake it till I make it to get the quick commission. There's several other little factors that make it feel like it's not worth the struggle like turnaround time for the rooms, the basalt stone heaters are pretty beat up/rusted, each room has different stones because the other therapists hand pick what they want from each room and it would be likely I would have to buy my own stones to bring in to be really comfortable and have enough, even getting an empty room to practice in right now is a struggle as therapists are doing hectic room switches throughout the day... It does feel like a silly little hill to die on but this is a place where I've done couples massages where the other therapist who has been there 5 years stops for water breaks in every massage she does (crinkly plastic bottles) and another who has been there awhile refuses to wear scrubs, she wears black biker shorts and Birkenstocks with socks... Should I try to get through the stones or get a non massage job for a few months to save up for a salon suite?

Is anyone familiar with the brand Massage Blocks that made trigger point tools, and knows what became of them? They have been on the market for the last 10 years or so, the last time I bought one of their products was in 2020, and now the company seems to have disappeared. If I had known they were closing shop I would have picked up a few more of their pieces I intended to buy. I'm quite disappointed I didn't complete my Massage Block kit, they are incredible trigger point release tools for self massage.

Their website is offline and no trace of their products on the internet either, even ebay :(

I want to be able to balance both starting and family and my massage practice- I am curious how others have done it.

I am on the cusp of a new life stage. I am two years into my massage practice, offering shiatsu on a floor mat. I am trying to get pregnant. I'm wondering how your practice adjusted to pregnancy.

As a shiatsu practitioner, my work is very dynamic and physical- I'm often on my hands and knees, sitting, in a lunge, moving limbs. I have finally started to feel more comfortable in my work, after a year of getting into it and having to balance what I learned in school and what works for me. I'm getting better at being comfortable and making sure I am feeling good while working (not hunched in a weird position or working too hard at lifting limbs and such). I have not done much table work though I am planning to buy a table so I can move off the ground if and when I need, especially since pregnancy is on the horizon.

For anyone who did massage and bodywork through pregnancy, please share any advice or stories as to how you were able to take care of your self as well as keep working and caring for others. Or if you couldn't practice anymore, or how you had to adjust your practice for your growing body. Recover, postpartum, returning to work, etc.

Thank you!

My right ear has been “clogged” for a few years, and I hear constant crackling in it from either external sounds or when I speak. I also hear it if I'm rubbing/massing the rear right hand side of my next or right behind my ear.

I saw an ENT, and he put tubes in which haven't helped. I've also tried steroid nasal spray with no help. He said my hearing is fine but I probably have Eustachian tube dysfunction and there's nothing else he can do to help.... Wondering if there is any massage treatment I could request to address this specifically? I feel like seeing as I can make the sounds happen when I massage the back right hand side of my neck it may be something that is causing the issue and an avenue for possible treatment?

Hello, I am a new RMT from Ontario, Canada. I've been working for around 7 months and I am currently doing 19-20 treatments a week. I work out of a chain clinic. Each pay I have been putting 20% away for taxes but ive been seeing that 30% may be better. Would love to get some opinions or advice. Thanks everyone! :)

Hi everyone I got my first massage a week ago and it was amazing. I have cerebral palsy and am confined to a chair so my hamstrings hips glutes and neck are tight but my therapist worked on everything which was great. Being a broke college student i definitely can’t afford any more massages for awhile as with a discount and without tip (my MT said that was ok) the massage came out to 130 dollars. This is totally fair and in my mind should actually be more as you guys do incredible work. However i can’t afford this so i was wondering are there any organizations that pay for massages? Im still on my parents insurance which won’t even pay for my home health aide so i doubt they’ll pay for massages. Even if they did my parents don’t believe in massage no matter what i tell them so putting it through insurance is not an option. My first thought was to go to a massage school but I need a lot of assistance in terms of getting on the table and disrobing so they can’t accommodate me. Any ideas on what i can do? I’m in Indiana if that helps

Update: per your guys suggestion I’ve looked at schools in my area and their are only two ): one said they couldn’t accommodate me because I need to be lifted on to the table so that sucks but is understandable. I’m waiting on the other school to call me back. As far as bartering goes I don’t really have any good skills besides I know how to build computers and I’ll be getting a 3d printer soon. If they are any therapists who happen to be in Indiana or Michigan and would be willing to work something out please let me know! If not no worries I knew this was a long shot!

Hello. I am not sure if this is the right spot to post, but definetly looking for some advice / direction. If this isn't it, please delete. I had a very uncomfortable experience on the table while receiving a massage this weekend. It's been over a year since my last one, and almost 10 years since I was myself a LMT. So I am unsure just how inappropriate this was with current licensing and training / schooling.

This last weekend for my birthday my husband scheduled me a massage at a known chain that we occasionally book massages for each other at (anniversaries, birthdays, etc).

First and foremost check-in was a total disaster and I didn't receive the extra services my husband had booked for me (I did not know these services were added until I met up with my husband after the massage ended). Check-in staff was less than friendly and I felt somewhat uncomfortable from that moment.

Once on the table with my massage therapist, she asked me where my pain was primarily located. If the pain was constant or temporary, aching or stabbing.

As I explained I sit at a desk for work 12+ hours per day and that typically it's my shoulders, she scoffed (sort of snorted / laughed or giggled), and said -

"(Scoff) Well to be honest with you, you're the smallest person I've ever massaged. And being underweight is probably actually the cause of your pain. You should focus on gaining weight".

I had been naked on the table for maybe five minutes.

As a person who has struggled with weight gain her entire life, and been made fun of for it, I wanted to simply disappear into the table. I considered stopping the session due to being uncomfortable, but did not want to cause a scene. The entire hour was spend with me laying naked on a table absolutely hating my body, wanting to cry, and run out of the room.

I simply responded with, "I requested a silent massage". (Which I did).

After the session, my husband picked a crying me up on my birthday and when I explained all of this to him, he called the shop livid.

Management of the shop called me back yesterday and offered their apology, along with a free massage, along with the extra services I didn't recieve that my husband had added on. I told her I would think about it, and call back.

Truly I don't want anything for free. And I don't know that I ever want to be naked on a massage table at this establishment ever again (or maybe simply ever on a massage table again).

I just don't want this LMT to ever make anyone feel ashamed of their body again, or uncomfortable to be on a table, or hesitant to ever get on a table again. Or anyone to be stuck in a room naked with this person judging their physical appreciate right infront of them.

Am I blowing this way out of proportion? How would you proceed?

Just curious how other LMTs deal with this. I'd say maybe only 5% or less of my bookings end up not happening for the above reasons, but it still really pisses me off that selfish people can waste my time and impact my financial wellbeing.

I'm curious about switching to a model where I ask for people to pay upon the time of booking the massage, but I'm also a bit worried that this might make more people hesitant to book with me. If this pay-upfront model dips my bookings by greater than 5%, it's not financially worth it for me to implement, and I guess I should just eat the frustration I have when people flake.