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ANTA Natural Therapies Remedial Massage Therapy

Remedial Massage Therapy

What is Remedial Massage Therapy?

The word massage is most likely to have emerged from the Greek word 'Massein', meaning 'to knead' or the Arabic word 'mas'h' meaning 'to press softly'. Massage is the oldest form of physical medicine known to man and can be traced back to the early Chinese medical manuscripts around 400BC. Massage was advocated by Hippocrates who was born in the fifth century and was known as 'the father of medicine'. It was widely used and written of in Roman times with history recording how Julius Ceaesar received massage to relieve neuralgia!

Very little was recorded about massage in Europe between the Roman times and the early Middle Ages, but by the sixteenth century medicine slowly started to re-learn what had been lost. Between 1776 and 1839, a Swedish professor, Peter Ling, created a scientific system of therapeutic massage known as Swedish massage and established a teaching institute in Stockholm. 

Today, massage therapy is one of the fastest growing forces in the field of health care.

How does it work?

Massage is simply the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body - the muscles, tendons and ligaments. A massage therapist's hands are his most important tool through which he not only treats the patient but also detects physical and emotional problems. The massage therapist palpates the patient's body to determine the condition of the tissues and the likely source of any pain, and thus the correct form of remedial treatment.

Massage works through the various body systems in one of two ways, a mechanical action and a reflex action. A mechanical action is created by moving the muscles and soft tissues of the body using pressure and stretching movement, thereby cleansing them of acids and deposits. This mechanical action breaks up fibrous tissue and loosens stiff joints.

A reflex is created when treatment of one part of the body affects another part of the body, much like pressing a light switch on a wall to turn on a light in the centre of the room. Just like this electric connection, so too are different parts of the body connected to each other not just by flesh and bone but by nerve pathways, or flows of energy known as 'meridians'. So, by using reflex action, some therapists will treat a patient's stomach complaint by massaging the arms, and will alleviate pain in the legs by massaging the lower back.

 

How to gain ANTA Accreditation in Remedial Massage Therapy?

Here are a few tips to help you gain accreditation with ANTA as a Remedial Massage Therapist.

  1. Review our recognised courses to obtain information on colleges and courses ANTA recognises for accreditation
  2. Download a Membership Application form, fully complete and post into ANTA
  3. Ensure you have certified copies of your qualifications and academic records
  4. Use the applicants checklist within the application to ensure fully completed

 

Special Note: Diploma of Remedial Massage Therapy

To be registered as a provider with Health Funds including Medibank Private and to be accredited in Remedial Massage Therapy by ANTA you must meet the following education requirements:

  • Complete a Diploma Remedial Massage Therapy (HLT50307) or equivalent
  • The foundation/structure of the Diploma of Remedial Massage excluding Certificate IV must in effect be either:
    • 12 month full time course (note - a course that commences in the early part of the year with continuous attendance/study and finishes near the end of the year is deemed to be a 12 month course), or
    • 18 month part time course, or
    • of lesser time than the above as a result of recognition of prior learning or credits which are shown on the academic statement/transcript
  • 20% of the course must contain clinical training to be completed on campus, supervised by a trainer with appropriate qualifications (note - any training completed off campus at a clinic with a practitioner is not acceptable)
  • The following practical course components which require skills based knowledge must also be completed on campus – surface anatomy, palpation, clinical examination, assessment of conditions, treatment plans, tactile therapies, massage techniques and other associated therapeutics and techniques

All associations recognised by Medibank Private are required to ensure graduates meet the above educational requirements before submitting them to Medibank Private to be registered as remedial therapy providers.

 

ANTA Recognised Remedial Massage Therapy Courses

 

» New South Wales

» Northern Territory

» Queensland

» South Australia

» Tasmania

» Victoria

» Western Australia

» New Zealand

ANTA's Scope and Standards of Practice

To view ANTA's commitment to the delivery of quality health care, public safety and promoting informed choices in Remedial Therapy read our Scope and Standards of Practice.

Scope and Standards of Practice - Remedial Therapy

Locate an ANTA accredited Remedial Massage Therapist

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Remedial Massage Therapy book reviews

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Remedial Massage Therapy News

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The Natural Therapist

Issue: 32 No.1 | March 2017

Advertise on ANTA's website today or in the Natural Therapist journal and reach out to Australia's growing Natural Therapies community.

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