Theory and Practice of Therapeutic Massage (Softcover)

Description

The Theory and Practice of Therapeutic Massage (5th edition) is the classic text in the massage industry including the essential knowledge and skills needed to become a successful, professional massage therapist, plus the essentials of anatomy and physiology. Essential topics to the industry such as ethics, hygiene, communication skills, and body mechanics are discussed. Full-color illustrations and photographs clearly illustrate techniques and procedures. Classical massage is expanded with clinical techniques including neuromuscular and myofascial techniques, and lymph massage, combined to better serve the client by following therapeutic procedures. Numerous career tracts are explored including massage in a spa environment and athletic massage. A new chapter discusses massage for special populations including pre-natal, infant, elder, critically ill, people with cancer, and hospice. The final chapter has been revised to cover business practices for finding employment or successful self-employment.

New to this Edition

• New chapter on massage for special populations including hospice, pre-natal, infant, elder, critically ill, and people with cancer plus lymph massage and clinical skills such as trigger point therapy, neuromuscular techniques and myofascial techniques.
• Now features all full-color Illustrations and photographs, including techniques and procedures.
• Maintains the comprehensive coverage of Swedish massage techniques and repositions clinical massage techniques to the heart of the text.
• Revised final chapter, covering business practices for finding employment or successful self-employment.
• End-of-chapter questions for discussion and review revised to include additional higher-level critical thinking exercises.
• Additional key terms and definitions incorporated throughout.
• Contents at a Glance page, in addition to keeping the extended Table of Contents.
• Covers all pertinent topics in the NCETM, NCETMB and FSMTB exams.

Features

* Written in a style that is easily understood by the nontraditional reader.
* Includes full-color photos of techniques.
* Includes essential anatomy and physiology.
* Accompanying workbook has exercises in multiple formats to enhance learning.
* Contains topics to prepare the reader for the National Certification Exam or the State Massage Board exam.

About the Author

Mark F. Beck has been a massage therapist since 1975 and a massage educator for over 20 years. He has served as a school director and was active in the National Massage School Association (AMTA Council of Schools). He has held several offices in state and national professional associations. Mr. Beck was the owner/director/instructor of Magic Valley Massotherapy Institute from 1980 to 1990 and is currently the owner/director of Cooperative Training Systems (1996 – present). He is recognized as one of the original "thought leaders" in massage education and is the creator/author of Structural Muscular Balancing.