For anyone interested in a career that is here to stay, consider becoming a massage therapist. The BLS, or Bureau of Labor Statistics, projects that this field will continue to outpace growth in other areas of work for the next five to ten years at least. This is because there simply are not enough of these therapists available to meet both present and rising demands for them in the near to medium term.

How Massage Therapists Perform Their Jobs

A professional massage therapist uses their hands and arms to reduce excess tension in the muscles of a client’s body. By performing skillful and highly-trained bodywork, they are able to alleviate pain, enhance a person’s blood circulation, assist in rehabilitating injuries, improve natural relaxation, relieve body stress, and increase the overall well-being of their patients and customers.

What is the Massage Therapy Work Environment Like?

Massage therapist practice their arts in a wide variety of environments. These could be spas, offices, fitness centers, and hospitals. Other massage therapists go directly to the offices or houses of their customers to perform their massage.

How Do You Train to Work In Massage Therapy?

While each state has its own requirements and regulations to work in this particular health care field, the requirement for massage therapists in places like Portland is to finish an educational program in a college that is 625 hours of experience and study. The majority of states regulate the practice of this therapy and insist on such therapists possessing a massage license.

The Future Looks Bright for Massage Therapists

As per the BLS report in 2012, the ten year outlook for this field in general and Portland massage in particular is very favorable. Work in massage therapy is anticipated to rise an impressive 23% during the ten year period between 2012 and 2022. This growth rate is significantly faster than many jobs and careers. This anticipated growth will support the rising employment demands of additional massage therapy professionals added to the workforce.

As suggested by this growth forecast, a bright future awaits those that pick massage therapy as their career choice. Learn to become a successful massage therapist by taking classes from accredited institutions in Portland like East West College.

Sources:

Massage Therapists, Bureau of Labor Statistics