There is not any specific technique that differentiates medical massage from other types of massage. Certification is really more of an indication of additional post graduate education hours that focused on specific dysfunctions. Medical massage is massage therapy that has been prescribed by a physician and is performed according to the directions of that physician.
I received my Medical Massage Practitioner Certification from LMT Success Group. They are the world’s largest provider of Medical Massage education. Their program consists of over 40 hours of specialized education classes focusing on learning advanced neuromuscular and myofascial techniques that effectively assess and treat many different conditions, such as
- Lumbago
- Post-Op Back Surgery
- Pelvic Tilt
- Sciatica
- Whiplash
- Torticollis
- Cervical Strain
- Frozen Shoulder
- ROM Limitations
- Rotator Cuff Strain
- Tennis Elbow
- Golfers Elbow/Tennis Elbow
- Shin Splints
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Plantar Fasciitis
Additionally, the certification focused on a postural distortion class that concentrated on the types of every day repetitive strain that we have on our bodies that cause misalignments. Muscle imbalances are the most common causes of misalignment; therefore massage therapy should be an important part of any effective treatment plan.