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IN THIS ISSUE |
Dear e-touch reader,Yes, this is still your e-touch! We've refreshed its look and changed the way it's linked to make it easier to read and to use. We hope you like the new design. You can let us know at by taking our Click n' Pick survey, below, or writing us at etouch@amtamassage.org. Enjoy the issue! Study Shows Massage Most Popular Spa Treatment
The results are in and the message is clear: massage is the most requested spa treatment. The International Spa Association® (ISPA) has given AMTA results from its 2006 Spa-goer Study. This study provides information on the consumer spa experience, including how many consumers visit spas, what services are most popular and what services are in the most demand. This year's results show that the most popular spa service in the United States is massage, with 27.1 million adult Americans experiencing massage at a spa in the past year.1 The share of U.S. spa-goers who purchased massage treatments also has increased, from 58 percent in 2003 to 85 percent in 2005. Massage is First Spa Treatment for MostIn fact, massage is usually the first spa treatment that a spa-goer ever experiences. Lynne Walker McNees, president of ISPA, says, "According to our research, the basic massage is still the Number 1 requested treatment among both male and female spa-goers. Massage is a gateway service into the spa industry which leaves spa-goers feeling more comfortable about trying different services, and encourages them to continue incorporating spa visits into their way of life." Spa-goers Seek Variety, Trained PersonnelThe ISPA study also shows the variety of spas consumers are visiting when they get massage. In the past 12 months, 77 percent of adult Americans polled visited a day spa, followed by resort/hotel spa (64 percent), cruise ship spa (21 percent), club spa (21 percent), destination spa (15 percent), mineral springs spa (13 percent) and medical spa (12 percent). Spa consumers also report that spa staff credentials and experience are very important to them. In the United States 59 percent of day spa consumers, 63 percent of resort/hotel spa consumers and 65 percent of other spa consumers feel staff credentials and experience are essential to their enjoyment of a spa experience. All results indicate that massage is an important service to spa-goers, and may be their first contact in a long relationship with the spa industry. Spa workers who are competent, credentialed and respectful of consumers' needs are the ones who will keep them coming back. Sources: ISPA 2006 Spa-goer Study; Find Massage Wherever You AreAre you interested in trying a massage? There are resources available online to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Whether you’d like to try massage in a spa or in some other setting, it’s easy to find a massage therapist in your area using AMTA’s Find a Massage Therapist® national locator service. This service helps you find an AMTA Professional member based on the location information you enter. Therapists participating in the service usually list practice locations, practice hours, types of massage they offer and other information to help you make the right choice. Visit the locator service online today at www.findamassagetherapist.org, or call toll-free at 888-THE-AMTA [843-2682]. For more information on spas, try the International Spa Association’s® “Search for a Spa” service. With this service you can search on location, type of spa and type of massage and other spa treatments offered. All you need do to is start looking for the right spa for you! And when you’re there, ask your spa if their massage therapists are AMTA members. You can be sure AMTA members meet our membership requirements, even in states that don’t regulate the profession. Experience massage the way you want to, with the help of these online resources. AMTA members listed in AMTA’s locator service must meet any and all local or state licensing requirements for massage therapists. All information included in the locator service is provided by individual members, and AMTA presumes all information to be true and correct. AMTA assumes no liability for incorrect information provided to AMTA for inclusion in this locator service, nor does AMTA represent these practitioners as competent. Read mtj for the Best on Massage
Proper pre-massage medical history, safety of equipment and good sanitation practices are always important factors of a good massage. “Spa Safety: What You and Your Clients Need to Know,” explores the topic of risk management in the high-client-volume environment of a spa. Learn what safety issues a massage therapist working in a spa or anywhere else may face. You can also look to the Fall issue for other fun features, such as the story of a unique spa that offers nothing but services for the feet. “Pampering Afoot” shares the success of Barefoot Sage, a spa based in Portland, Oregon, where patrons can lounge on sofas and sip tea while their feet are bathed and massaged by professional massage therapists. The issue also has tips on how to care for your health with the help of good food, green tea and the relaxing effects of laughter, in JoAnn Milivojevic’s “Living Well” column. Look to mtj to keep you in touch with the most pertinent information on the practice of massage. The Fall 2006 issue is available now in select bookstores, or for order directly from AMTA. Table TipsDo you sit all day? Do you suffer from a sore lower back or buttocks?
While keeping your body relaxed and feet and ankles on the ball, use your legs to roll the ball side to side, back and forth and around. Soon the motion will carry up into your hips; you’ll then begin to feel a massage motion in your hips, buttocks and low back area. If the beach ball is too large, try a smaller version or a child's play ball. Nothing that is too hard—a ball with some give is best. Wendy Stevens For a different massage tip each week, visit AMTA's Massage Room. Click n' PickWhat do you think of e-touch's new design? Let us know by taking our survey. It's quick and it's easy! See the results in next month's e-touch. Legal NoticeArticles submitted by individual authors are copyrighted by those authors and reprinted with their permission. Views expressed in these articles are not necessarily the views of the American Massage Therapy Association®, and should in no way be construed as an endorsement. They are for informational purposes only. AMTA MissionTo serve AMTA members while advancing the art, science and practice of massage therapy. |
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When you go to enjoy a massage, safety issues may be the last thing on your mind. But there are
several risk factors that your massage therapist needs to be aware
of.
If you want to know more about this, be sure to pick up the
Then try this simple exercise to relieve some of that tension. Take a beach ball and place
it at your feet. Lie on your back on the floor and place your feet and ankles on the ball.