MBLEX Exam: Preparing For Guidelines for Professional Practice

Safety Measures

To prevent contagious infections, massage therapists should adhere to strict guidelines that require a specific hygiene regimen. Washing hands using an anti-bacterial soap is mandatory as well as putting on latex gloves. You should also use antiseptics to clean your equipment.

Implement strict sanitation laws to contain the spread of disease or pathogens. Failure to comply with basic sanitation laws will result in disastrous consequences for the clients and for the therapist.

Massage therapists should make a special note of pathogens and how easily can they transmit through beverages or food. Viruses, such as fungus, pneumonia, typhoid fever, TB, and syphilis, can take over the host without proper guidance to avoid bacteria.

And a professional massage therapist also takes into account the statistical probability of being contagious from a common fungal infection.

Maintenance of Safe Facilities

Contrary to common belief, the safety and security of the service facility are equally as important as the well-being of the massage therapist and their clients. And extra lighting installation and emergency exit guidelines are necessary to avoid any possible fire breakout.

For the sake of the clients’ health and as a professional courtesy, provide all the information on possible health hazards to the clients. Moreover, also inform them beforehand of any change in the position that involves pain. And a first-aid kit should always be available in the facility of service.

It’s not just the client’s safety that the massage therapist has to keep in mind. How a professional massage therapist handles himself or herself will determine the quality of the service itself. The massage therapist should refrain from attempting to perform any therapies that are out of his or her league.

Physical Health of Massage Therapist

The profession of a massage therapist requires an intense amount of physical stress on the body. Without regular hand exercises to maintain body mechanics, any massage therapist would succumb as a practitioner. A professional massage therapist is constantly aware of his body posture, balance, stamina, and coordination to keep up with the clients’ needs.

Also, it matters more than most massage therapists realize how their emotional stability equates with their physical well-being.

Learning body dynamics and leverage is the key to becoming a professional massage therapist. Sometimes it takes the massage therapist years to learn the flexibility of inducing the correct level of pressure on the client with the least possible work mechanics.

A professional massage therapist understands the cause-and-effect of repetitive stress, associated with excessive massage therapy. So, a massage therapist adopts symmetric and asymmetric stances to avoid these incidents. And therapists should only resort to a symmetric stance when in direct contact with the client. An asymmetric pose, however, should only be applicable when the therapist exerts more leverage on the client’s body.

The use of repetitive techniques by a massage therapist could seriously injure their hands, wrists, and elbows. Taking into account the right size and height of the table can help save a lot of trouble.

Business Structure and Dynamics

It’s entirely up to you once you’re a certified massage therapist to either go into business or work as an employee. If your choice of interests happens to be in setting up a business, you could register the company as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or as a limited liability corporation (LLC).

Business Expenditures

Just like starting any other business, a massage therapist service requires specific office equipment, work location, utilities, furniture, office supplies, direct and indirect advertising expenses, and cost of required insurance licenses.

Ethics & Hiring Practices

To run an ethically conscious service that abides by the rules and regulations of massage therapist practices is the secret behind any successful service.

And as a business owner, you could either hire a massage therapist on an independent contractor as a full-time employee.

Marketing Goal

Choosing the right marketing strategy for your business will set parameters of the quality of service you offer and your reputation in the market.

Draping

Massage therapists commonly use two-sheet draping to ensure the client’s privacy during a session. Draping essentially translates into covering the client’s body using linen.

Also considered as an art form by massage therapists, this draping has more to do with analyzing the body language of the client as opposed to his or her body structure.

Necessary Equipment

You could set up a typical architectural structure, including a music system, lighting, and massage table, depending on the available funds and the scope of your business plan.