A Hugle

Hands in Motion unravels licensing confusion for Clark County Massage Therapists

2009-05-12T07:41:00.001-07:00

For massage therapists in the Las Vegas/Clark County area, figuring out which license you need to practice massage at a specific location can be really confusing. Do you need a city, county or state license? Do you need a business license too? David over at Hands in Motion has posted a great article to help you figure all this confusing jurisdiction mumbo jumbo.

Habitat ReStores Recycle Building Materials for the Greater Good

2008-08-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Habitat for Humanity has retail stores where you can buy surplus and used building materials for cheap? Its kind of like a Goodwill for home improvement. The proceeds from each sale help fund Habitat's construction projects. So you can save money on your home improvement projects, help decrease the burden on the environment by using stuff that's already out there instead of buying new, and contribute to a good cause all in one transaction.

You can also donate your leftover building materials. That way they won't keep taking up space in your garage and you won't have to get your brother-in-law to help you haul them to the dump.

For my friends here in Las Vegas, there is a Habitat ReStore at 1401 N Decatur Blvd Ste 35. The rest of you can check Habitat's website to find locations near you.

If you don't need any building materials, you could just buy this elephant instead.

How Are You Voting?

2008-08-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

After watching the video, go here.

Pain In The Foot

2008-07-12T01:02:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you know what carpal tunnel syndrome is--that pain in the wrist that affects so many massage therapists, desk jockeys, and grocery store cashiers. But did you know that you can develop a similar problem in your feet?

Ben Crabtree over at Massage San Antonio has a great article on Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome. If you or your clients are experiencing foot pain or numbness, this is worth checking out.

Massage Magazine Looking for Contributors

2008-06-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

A press release from Massage Magazine announces that they are looking for massage therapists and massage therapy experts to contribute articles and maintain blogs for their online community:

***The MASSAGEmag.com Web team is developing a new feature to be launched in 2008: Resource Centers, which will contain articles, news, and other tools to support the massage practice. Are YOU a resource for this information?
Be an expert contributor in our online community.***

MASSAGEmag.com is looking for two kinds of expert contributors and will help promote your work, book, name or Web site in exchange for your participation. The two kinds of experts needed are:
1) Contributors — massage therapy experts who will write articles (500 to 700 words), which will get national exposure.
2) Massage experts available to write a weekly blog and respond to massage therapists’ questions and comments.

Interested in pitching to MASSAGEmag.com?
Send your resume and writing samples to Amy Mitchell (amitchell@MASSAGEmag.com), MASSAGE Magazine’s Online Editor. The magazine’s editorial staff will review the submitted content and reply back as soon as possible.

I see nothing in the press release that states what they will pay for the online content; their website only lists their pay rates for the print mag.

NCBTMB Makes Life Harder for Prospective Therapists (what's new)

2008-06-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

Laura Allen over at Massage Collage writes that the NCBTMB is going to start requiring some prospective therapists who need to retake the National Certification Exam to complete additional hours of study. Fail the test three times and you'll have to complete 100 more hours of education before you can retake the test. Fail five times and you'll have to take 500 more hours of classes.

Now, it would make sense to most of us that if a person can't pass the certification exam then maybe they need more education. But as Laura points out, "The average number of first-time test-takers who pass the National Certification Exam is 70%." That figure seems awfully low. So is the problem with the test-takers, the schools they attended or with the exam itself?

Laura and many others believe that a lot of the blame lies at the feet of the massage schools. Many of these schools seem to promise brilliant massage careers, charge exorbitant tuition and then fail to provide the students with the knowledge not only to pass the certification exam but to survive in a competitive market. Even those who learn the ins and outs of massage competently may not be taught the test taking skills necessary to pass a standardized test like the NCE.

Laura feels that these schools should be held responsible for the pass rates of their students, even be required to publish them so potential students can compare their chances with different schools. This is not a bad idea. In my research I've run across several college websites that publish their graduates' pass rates for various exams often comparing their results with the national average.

But how do massage students compare to other test takers. Here are a few numbers I've found in just a few minutes on the web:

National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying--October 2007 Fundamentals of Engineering Exam--pass results for first-time test-takers was 75%.
The American Board of Internal Medicine--2007 exam--pass results for first-time test-takers was 94%.
Oregon State Bar--February 2008 exam--pass results for first-time test-takers was 70%.
Nevada State Bar--February 2007 exam--pass results 53%.
Physical Therapy National Licensing Exam--2006 exam--87%. Five year average--80%.
Maryland State Board of Nursing--NCLEX-RN 2007 exam--88.89%. National average--87.61%.

According to my totally unscientific research and calculations (my statistics prof better not see this) that would put the pass rates for first-time NCE takers just about 10% (that's probably not right, but I'll be the first to admit that I suck at math) under the national average for all exam takers.

I'm not saying we can't do better; I'm just saying that maybe all this hand wringing over low pass rates is unwarranted. Maybe standardized tests just suck and should not be used as the sole criterion for licensing and certification--especially in a profession that attracts more Feelers than Thinkers.

Great Reference Site

2008-05-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

I'm reposting the link for this site because the link in the old post goes to a site with a lot of broken links.

My friend K was asking for good reference material on trigger point therapy and therapeutic massage. The old Orthodoc site is one of the best. I wish I knew where this guy was posting now. If anyone knows, please let me know.

BlogThing: Test Your Vocabulary

2008-03-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

Your Vocabulary Score: A

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary!

You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

How Can I Know Unless You Teach Me

2008-02-01T00:34:00.000-08:00

When I was in the eighth grade, my English class was given a chance to enter an essay in a statewide competition. The essay was supposed to be about the first governor of Oklahoma. Most of us headed straight for the encyclopedia and state history books and wrote factually accurate but very boring papers. After reading our efforts, the teacher ranted at us collectively for not knowing that an essay was supposed to contain more than dry facts. There needed to be color, voice, something that made each paper unique.

I felt frustrated; I had worked very hard on my paper, and I thought it was good. Was it my fault that I was a product of the very school system that this teacher worked for? The trouble was this teacher expected us to already have knowledge of things she hadn’t taught us. If she didn’t teach us about essays, where were we supposed to get this knowledge? I guess she expected all of our previous teachers to have covered this topic, but did she bother to check?

This same problem exists in the work world. Over and over, I see young supervisors being lambasted for not managing effectively. But like my junior high colleagues and I, no one has ever taught them how to do their job. Often they are promoted to a supervisory role because they were good at their previous job which had nothing at all to do with supervising. Later, because they have been given no coaching to help them develop managerial skills, they are not able to advance up the next rung of the ladder.

I realize that businesses do not exist solely as management training programs and bosses have more to do than coach those under them. However, if a company has a policy of promoting from within (which it should) then it needs to have the mechanisms in place to ensure that its people are ready for promotion when the time comes. A good leader is also a good teacher, passing down her knowledge and skills to the next generation.

Another area where I see this problem is in customer service. If people are hired into positions where they will interact with the public, they need to be trained in human relations and customer service. They cannot just be given a uniform, sent onto the floor and expected to perform at a five star level. For some people good customer service comes naturally, a lot of it comes down to having good manners and respect for other human beings. However, some aspects of great service need to be taught.

This is where good management comes in. A leader/teacher will instruct new employees how to interact with the guests, how to handle difficult situations and each customer’s expectations are exceeded. A good leader will also teach by example, not only in her interactions with customers, but also in her dealings with colleagues and underlings.

Keep in mind that I am not a manager, nor do I ever aspire to be one. I am one of the peons and I’m perfectly happy to stay that way as long as I have good managers to work with.

rainbow connection

2008-01-31T20:27:00.001-08:00

I have a sore throat/ear infection and I've had a bad day. Kermit always cheers me up. Hope he adds a little joy to your day.

Oregon Adopts MBLEx

2008-01-08T01:55:00.000-08:00

MASSAGE Magazine has announced that Oregon has dropped the National Certification Board's (NCBTMB) exam in favor of the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx).

On Dec. 21 the Oregon Board of Massage Therapy's Executive Director Patty Glenn spoke to MASSAGE Magazine about Oregon's exclusive adoption of the MBLEx, which will go into effect July 1. Glenn is also president of the FSMTB.

"When the board compared the NCB exams and the MBLEx, they looked at every piece of it," Glenn said, including: avenues of communication; cost; and the ability of the board to have direct insight and input into the exam process on a regular basis. "They had confidence in the fact that it [the MBLEx] was an appropriate tool," she added.

Several other states have already adopted the new test. It will be interesting to see how many more will follow.

Read the article here: Oregon Adopts Exclusive Use of New Exam

The Magic Three: What it Means for Massage Therapists

2008-01-06T00:40:00.000-08:00

Brian over at copyblogger has a neat little article on using the "Rule of Three" to create great online content. He explains that the human mind is geared to discern patterns and "three is the smallest number of elements required to create a pattern." The Rule of Three shows up in children's stories, comedy routines, and famous quotes. Readers' comments on the post also point out that Three is an important number in other areas as well: Three primary colors, Three sides of a triangle, Three branches of power.

This got me thinking: In massage school, we were told over and over (and over) again to start and finish each body part with Three long effleurage (gliding) strokes. Throughout the massage we were also told to perform various strokes, stretches and movements in Threes. One instructor explained that Three was a magical number (if she told us what made it magical, I don't remember).

I was skeptical but the pattern stuck. Now I understand why. Grouping the movements into Threes made it easier for me as a beginning therapist to establish a flow or routine. Even if I deviated from the routine to concentrate on a specific problem area, I could pick it back up and continue on with the massage, making sure I worked every part of the client's body.

The Rule of Three makes for a better massage. The person on the table unconsciously grasps and responds to the rhythms and patterns established by this Rule of Three. For them it is comfortingly familiar, maybe even a bit hypnotic, allowing them to relax into the flow of the massage. The client doesn't realize you've used the Magic of Three on them, she just knows that you gave her a truly magical massage.

How to Use the “Rule of Three” to Create Engaging Content | Copyblogger

Legal Sites Provide Answers to Work Related Questions

2007-12-23T00:49:00.000-08:00

Change happens. When it happens at work, change can bring many benefits, but it can also cause major disruptions in both our job environments and our home lives. When management makes major changes at work the first thing people often ask is, "Can they really do that?"

Well, chances are that the bosses have already researched their rights and responsibilities regarding their relationships with their employees. If you work for a large company, there is probably a Human Resources department and a legal team that make sure that every policy change is within the company's legal rights. Even small business owners hate being sued, so they are usually pretty diligent about playing by the rules.

Okay, but what if the slave driver you work for really doesn't seem to care about the Geneva Convention much less the state labor commission? What if the tightwad in the big office has suddenly decided that bathroom breaks are a waste of company time? What is the difference between a pain in the rear and a violation of your rights under state and federal law?

NOLO is a great resource for finding out this sort of information. They have a whole section dedicated to employee rights on their website with FAQ's and links to state and federal information. The office of the state Labor Commissioner also has information regarding state laws. The Office of the Nevada Labor Commissioner's website has FAQ's, state statutes and regulations, and forms for filing complaints.

Of course, these resources are also helpful to business owners and managers. NOLO also has sections regarding human resources and other legal issues that may come up in the course of business.

Visualizing A Masage on a Sunny Tropical Beach

2007-12-12T18:54:00.000-08:00

It's freaking cold. Yes, even here in the desert we're shivering. Though not as much as my dear friends and family in the mid-west. Bless you all. To take your mind off the nasty weather outside, close your eyes and picture yourself here:

The recently opened Paradise Bay Resort and Spa in Grenada has a Beach Massage Gazebo on a secluded, separated section of one of their 2 beaches. The Gazebo is constructed from local hardwood and bamboo and at high tide the seawater flows under the guests, who describe this as an amazing experience.

If visualization isn't enough you could always book a trip to this eco-friendly resort. Who needs a white Christmas anyways?

It's So Nice to Know Someone Really Cares

2007-12-11T23:25:00.000-08:00

I get a little grumpy sometimes. And nothing sets my grumpiness off faster than the knowledge that there are people in this world abusing or mistreating animals, or kids, or women, or really anyone weaker than themselves--I just don't like bullies in general, okay? Another thing that chaps my hide is someone (or some corporation) trashing this beautiful planet I live on or destroying some precious ecosystem just for the sake of big profits.

Someone Who Cares is a great little blog dedicated to educating the public about various social and political topics. The blog is an off-shoot of the website. Faith Autumn Reign is the founder of the site and blog, but she encourages user participation through a MySpace group. Members of the group post stories and testimonials on the group bulletin board and Reign adds them to the site and/or blog.

If you are interested in getting involved in a cause but don't know where to begin, or if you just want to connect with others who support the same causes as you, this is a site you should check out.

Give the Gift of Massage to Those Who Take Care of Others

2007-12-11T18:28:00.000-08:00

Alzheimer's - A Great Holiday Gift for Caregivers - A Massage!

People who spend most of their time caring for aging or ailing loved ones often neglect to take care of themselves. The physical and mental stress of acting as caregiver can take a toll on one's body. Regular massage therapy can go a long way towards alleviating some of this stress.

However, many caregivers are strapped financially and are not able to "splurge" on this sort of relief. For this reason, Dorian Martin over at Healthcentral.com recommends giving gift certificates for massage therapy to any caregivers that you know. This would surely be more useful to them than another collection of candles or bath gels.

Another Dangerous Toy Warning from The Pump Handle

2007-11-30T01:22:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Christmas, The Pump Handle has a warning about another dangerous toy:

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, a group created by asbestos victims and their families, bought products from national retailers and had them tested at independent labs. One of the most disturbing findings was high levels of asbestos in powder from a toy CSI fingerprint kit. The powder is intended to be sprinkled on surfaces and brushed with a soft-bristle brush – creating conditions ripe for inhalation.

Read the rest of the article here:
Latest Toy Hazard: Asbestos « The Pump Handle

When That Pain in Your Neck Really Gets on Your Nerves

2007-11-28T23:55:00.000-08:00

I am not the world's most graceful person. Slips, trips and bodily injuries are such a common occurrence with me that the local EMT's know me by name. So does the staff at the urgent care close to the house. And the one by work. You get my point? Accident prone does not even begin to describe me. At the spa where I work, I am the only person who has ever gotten away with calling in sick on New Years Day (busiest day in Las Vegas) because I did it from the emergency room--and I hadn't even been drinking!

So I should have known better than to walk down our carpeted stairs in just my socks. I mean, a klutz like me should know the benefits of traction, right? But there I was, prancing down the stairs in my sweats and socks, paying absolutely no attention to what I was doing. Whewsh! My sock-clad foot slid on the rug and out from under me. I tried to catch myself on the banister, but bounced down several steps on my behind, back and elbows before stopping near the bottom. The breath was knocked out of me and I knew my shoulders were gonna hurt from trying to catch myself, but at least I hadn't hit the hard tile at the bottom of the stairs. I didn't think it was that bad.

Until the next day. A busy Saturday at the Spa and I was fully booked with massages. At first it wasn't too bad, my back and shoulders were a little stiff; but as the day wore on, I started getting a lot of pain in my right wrist. I must have injured it in the fall and not realized it.

Now, a bum wrist is one of the scariest things in the world to a massage therapist. After all, our hands are our tools; without them we can't work. Two or three weeks off to allow a sprained wrist to heal is two or three weeks with no money coming in. But working with an injury only leads to more damage and a longer recovery time, if it recovers at all.

So I went to the urgent care as soon as I got off work to get things checked out. I explained my fall to the doctor and he checked out my wrist. But everything seemed to be fine there. So then he checked out my neck and shoulders. Turns out that the muscles in my neck and shoulders had tightened up so much that they were putting pressure on the nerve that went down my arm into my wrist.

Ben Crabtree over at Massage San Antonio has a great article on Nerve Entrapment Syndromes. These painful conditions occur when the various tissues surrounding the nerve constrict and place pressure on the nerve and/or its root creating either localized or referred pain. Some of you may call this a "pinched nerve."

Ben explains why these entrapments happen and how various types of massage can help alleviate the pain. Check out Ben's article and the rest of his blog. He has lots of great information posted over there. And if you're in San Antonio, go get a massage from him.

Massage San Antonio: Nerve Entrapment Syndromes And Massage Therapy

MASSAGE Magazine Launches Blogs by Industry Experts

2007-11-17T22:16:00.000-08:00

MASSAGE Magazine is adding blogs to its site, www.massagemag.com. Check out the list of experts who will be writing for them:

The well-known experts who are now blogging for MASSAGE Magazine include: Erik Dalton, developer of Myoskeletal Alignment Technique; John Barnes, P.T., developer of Myofascial Release; Laura Allen, business consultant and author of Plain & Simple Guide to Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Certification and One Year to a Successful Massage Therapy Practice; Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, an educator with The Upledger Institute and a self-care expert; Steven Schenkman, a massage-education consultant; and George P. Kousaleos, founder of the CORE Institute School of Massage Therapy and Structural Bodywork. More industry experts will be added to the roster in the future.

Very cool!

MASSAGE Magazine Launches Blogs by Industry Experts

Recommend a Massage Therapist

2007-11-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

Since I work in a resort area, most of my clients are out-of-towners. These people often ask me if I can recommend a massage therapist in their hometown area that they can visit for regular treatments. Since I haven't gotten a massage in every part of the world, I'm putting the call out: If you've gotten a great massage, rave about it here.

What kind of massage did you get and what was it that you loved about it? Do you know someone who gives a great deep tissue? Does the therapist you go to do the best energy work? Did that guy in Austin really help your lower back?

If you can provide location details or even a link to the therapist's homepage, that would be great.

Another Reason to Love Your Hips

2007-11-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

Psychology Today: Beauty Beat: Sharp Curves

Turns out that having ample curves means you'll have smarter kids. According to Psychology Today, omega-3 fatty acids are stored in a woman's hips and thighs then released during the third trimester of pregnancy. Then these essential fatty acids are used to build baby's brain into a super computer. So go ahead, eat that brownie--you're doing it for the children.

National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Awards Certification Contract to Pearson VUE

2007-10-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Awards Certification Contract to Pearson VUE

"By testing in our Pearson Professional Centers, practitioners who are seeking certification will benefit from a maximum level of consistency, quality and security in the testing process, as well as excellent customer service," said Robert Whelan, president of Pearson VUE. "At the same time, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork will have better access to testing data and a test delivery partner that is committed to the success of their program."

These Hips

2007-10-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

Why do women always seem to have so much muscle tightness and pain in their hips? Sure, there are many physiological explanations: wearing high heels, carrying children, etc. But maybe there is another possible factor involved: we don't show them enough love. In fact, from the time we are barely teenagers, most of us have learned to loathe or at least dislike these parts of our bodies. How many times have you said, “God, I hate my butt!” or “I wish my hips would just go away.”? You know what they say about chocolate: once on the lips, forever on the hips. Maybe the same applies to our words. Every time we say something nasty about a body part, some of that hate gets transferred into the cells of that part in the form of tension, knots and chronic pain.

How do we rectify the situation? By learning to love all of our parts lumps, bumps and cellulite.

Check out this wonderful, empowering poem by Lucille Clifton. Embrace it. Listen to the story of your own hips and let them sing. They are feminine, they are powerful, they are beautiful.

Scoliosis and Postural Therapy

2007-10-25T23:10:00.000-07:00

James Clay has written a wealth of valuable information for anyone who is interested in using massage therapy to help alleviate postural problems in children and adolescents. Here is a link to some of the websites I've found so far.

Posture Therapy for Children and Adolescents.

Important information about Scoliosis.

Unfortunately, this is an old site and many links are broken.

What Color is Your Personality?

2007-10-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

Dr. Ragan over at Psychology of Clutter has posted a link to this quiz. Dr. Ragan is skeptical of the results and asks her readers to try it at compare notes. Are the results accurate? Or are the descriptions so broad that they could fit just about anybody? Here are my results. You decide.

A+Hugle took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!

"Needs a peaceful environment. Wants release from s..."

Click here to read the rest of the results.