Principles of Massage Therapy

This course is designed to provide the student with entry level information about the history and theory of massage therapy. Material covered includes principles of professional touch, history of massage including pertinent people who helped develop massage into what it is today, therapy room set up, hygiene and sanitation, proper record keeping procedure including intake procedures, postural assessment, SOAP charting and devising a treatment plan, endangerment sites and contraindications, and the physiological effects of massage therapy on the body’s systems including the autonomic nervous system. The student will learn how to determine if a client is a candidate for therapeutic change, condition management or palliative care. Students will be exposed to recent articles and studies on the effects of massage on the body. Prerequisites: Permission of the Massage Therapy Program Coordinator and placement into college level reading. Co-requisites: MASS150G and MASS171G (or BIOL110G). Fall semester