You do not have to experience burn out. You do not have to retire in four to five years due to low back pain, carpal tunnel, or some other repetitive stress injury. You do not have to struggle financially, working a full-time day job while moonlighting as a massage therapist. The truth is, with the right preparation and planning you can have a long and prosperous career in massage therapy.

The first step is to start off with a firm foundation. Picking the right massage therapy school is critical because your initial education determines your philosophy and attitude towards bodywork. Understanding the fundamentals of Swedish massage, body mechanics, draping, anatomy and physiology, pathology, and business is important to your long-term success.

Once you graduate and begin working, either independently or for someone else, self-care is extremely important. Using proper body mechanics during every session will protect your body from injury and allow for longevity in the field. Making sure to keep your body in great shape by eating right and exercising is a must. A personal yoga practice is a perfect way to keep your body flexible and strong while renewing your spirit.

Remember as a therapist you need to be nurtured as well. Regular massage is extremely beneficial. If a trip to the local spa is too costly find a fellow therapist and trade off. The extra benefit of this is that you can receive feedback on your work from an experienced colleague. You will improve your skills while "paying" for your much needed massage.

Although massage therapy techniques do not change frequently clients' needs and preferences do. Where at one point, clients preferred Swedish or relaxation massages the trend today is more therapeutically focus. Deep tissue, Sports, Trigger Point Work, and Neuromuscular Therapy are the more popular types of requested massages. Asian modalities, such as Thai-yoga, Shiatsu, and Acupressure are becoming increasingly popular. No matter your focus, as a professional therapist, you will want to make sure you are always learning and building new skills. Take at least one continuing education course each year. Most massage schools offer National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork approved Continuing Education courses. Check with your local school or on NCBTMB'swebsite for a current listing of available classes.

Lastly, look to diversify your skills and offer complimentary services to your clients. Many massage therapist combine other areas of expertise such as personal training, group exercise, yoga, skin care, life coaching, energy work, and aromatherapy to their practice. Clients that are interested in the benefits of massage therapy are often interested in natural healing, as well as other personal care services. What better way to ensure a long and prosperous career than to offer the full spectrum of services that your clients desire?

Partner with other professionals. Create a referral system so that you can adequately meet the needs of your clients while keeping them in your network. Because it's more than twice as hard to get a new client than to maintain a current one you should place a high focus on client satisfaction. Keeping your clients happy is the ultimate secret to a long career. Happy clients equal returning clients and referring clients: the two ingredients needed for a professional prosperity.