A day in the life of a massage therapist

7 essential duties every massage therapist must master.

As a massage therapist you’re a healthcare professional and a valued part of your client’s medical treatment team. That means you’ll do more than simply massage clients. You’ll also need to assess their current health to develop effective treatment plans, provide follow-up advice and track their health outcomes over time to achieve their desired results.

Here’s what you can expect in a typical day as a busy massage therapist:

• Assess your client: Before starting a massage you’ll need to talk with your client about their medical history, any existing injuries and what they hope to achieve with massage therapy.
• Develop a treatment plan: Once your have a strong understanding of your client’s medical profile and goals, you’ll need to develop a treatment plan that addresses their specific needs.
• Begin the massage therapy: Put the treatment plan into action and use the required massage techniques to help achieve the client’s treatment goals.
• Follow up: After the massage, take the time to talk to your client about their experience and offer advice on stretching or strengthening exercises they can do at home as part of their treatment plan.
• Schedule their next appointment: It’s important to keep your client coming back on schedule if they’re to achieve their treatment goals. But be clear and explain your suggested appointment schedule as it relates to the treatment plan.
• Record their process: It’s vital to record the process of your clients so you can update or change their treatment plan as needed. It will also help you stay focused on achieving their specific treatment goals.
• Business management: If you’re a self-employed massage therapist you’ll need to put some time aside for business management tasks such as account keeping and marketing activities.