Profession massage therapist

Massage therapists provide therapeutic massage treatments to improve the well-being of their clients. They perform a variety of massage types such as shiatsu and swedish massage, according to their client's needs and preferences.

Personality Type

• Social / Realistic

Knowledge

• Human anatomy

  The dynamic relationship of human structure and function and the muscosceletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary, reproductive, integumentary and nervous systems; normal and altered anatomy and physiology throughout the human lifespan.

• Contraindications

  The condition under which a normally beneficial treatment can be harmful and have a counterproductive effect on a person's health.

• Massage types

  Techniques used and types of massage therapies such as shiatsu, deep tissue massage, Swedish, hot stone and Thai massage.

• Massage theory

  Principles of holistic therapeutic body massage, the application of massage techniques and the appropriate body posture, massage sequences and different mediums, massage benefits and contraindications.

• Skin types

  The different skin types, such as dry, normal, oily, and sensitive.

• Musculoskeletal anatomy

  The human musculoskeletal system, comprising of the skeleton, muscles, cartilage, tendons, joints and other connective tissue that supports and binds tissues and organs together. The human musculoskeletal system's primary functions, such as supporting the body, allowing motion, and protecting vital organs.

Skills

• Maintain work area cleanliness

  Keep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.

• Maintain customer service

  Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.

• Empathise with the healthcare user

  Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.

• Discuss the medical history of the healthcare user

  Ask the healthcare user about his medical condition and physical well-being and the desired results to be achieved through the suggested therapy and follow the prescribed treatment.

• Apply massage therapy

  Apply massage therapy to relieve patient's pain by using various specialised techniques.

• Give massages

  Provide clients with head, hand, neck, facial or full body massages.

• Accept own accountability

  Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.

• Identify customer's needs

  Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.

• Communicate with customers

  Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.

• Maintain personal hygiene standards

  Preserve impeccable personal hygiene standards and have a tidy appearance.

• Manage healthcare users' data

  Keep accurate client records which also satisfy legal and professional standards and ethical obligations in order to facilitate client management, ensuring that all clients' data (including verbal, written and electronic) are treated confidentially.

• Maintain privacy of service users

  Respect and maintain the dignity and privacy of the client, protecting his or her confidential information and clearly explaining policies about confidentiality to the client and other parties involved.

• Work ergonomically

  Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.

• Provide health education

  Provide evidence based strategies to promote healthy living, disease prevention and management.

• Develop personalised massage plan

  Determine the massage treatment to be applied based on the medical diagnosis, the prescription plan, and according to the condition of the patient.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB