Massage Therapist License Renewal

In the state of Florida all Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs) must renew their license every 2 years. This has to be completed by August 31, in uneven years. This being 2015, we all have to renew by this date to keep our license active.

Keep in mind that it is not just a matter of filling out a form and paying the renewal fee. Each massage therapist must complete 24 or less Continuing Education Units (CEUs) depending on if it will be their first renewal and from what date the initial license was issued. Some of the CEUs are mandatory that every massage therapist has to complete and some we get to pick and choose from programs that interest us or usually something that can better aid our massage therapy skills or enhance our scope of practice and/or business. 

Some of the courses I took were Understanding Sciatica, Massage for Anxiety & Depression, Breaking Into Sports Massage and Analysis of Shoulder Complex Mechanics. I chose these because I felt I could apply this knowledge immediately to my practice and begin helping my clients. Check back for specific blog articles as I plan to go into more detail for each course listed and specifically how massage can help.  

Lower back pain is very common and is second only to the common cold as a reason for going to see a doctor. Sometimes pain is felt only in the lower back, but often time symptoms go beyond the lower back down through the leg and as far down as the foot. These symptoms are usually felt in only one leg. The most common symptom is pain that is described as shooting and burning as far down as the toes. Alternately, there can be numbness or loss of sensation. There may even be muscle weakness. When this occurs, the client may be presenting with a condition known as sciatica or a related pain syndrome.

Sports massage is generally work done on athletes who have specific problem areas that need to be addressed and are looking for immediate results. Detailed knowledge of anatomy and body mechanics are required to be able to perform a good sports massage.

Analysis of Shoulder Complex Mechanics shows that it is mostly supported by muscles which allow the shoulder to move in the proper manner. The rotator cuff muscles and their tendons are the most important ones for controlling the shoulder and are often the ones that become injured. Frozen shoulder complex is also something that can cause serious mobility issues and can last for long periods of time.

Massage for Anxiety & Depression is usually done with a lighter touch as it is best to only stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which curbs cortisol and other stress hormones. Furthermore, it encourages the release of serotonin and other "feel good" hormones. It is very important to not use deep pressure when working with a client suffering from depression, anxiety, or both.