Chair Massage on the Rise
Friday, October 8, 2010
A study done by the American Institute of Stress has shown that
job-related stress and economical anxiety are costing companies an
estimated $300 billion or more, roughly $7,500 per worker per year.
Stress has been named the number one cause of disability in and out
of the workplace, and many employers are spending money covering
the lost productivity and health care fees.
Luckily, most companies, big and small, are becoming more receptive
to the problems that work-related stress creates. Tension in the
workplace is almost unavoidable due to a rise in workplace
expectations, which is a direct result of an unstable economy.
Physical stress in most business environments is also an issue.
Sitting at a computer all day long is often harder on the body than
physical labor. Being planted in one position that is not conducive
to our natural postural alignment causes havoc on our bodies,
namely our upper back and neck.
Employees in today's economy are holding on to their jobs for dear
life and are willing to do almost anything to stay ahead of the
game, including sacrificing their own wellness. Sadly, the
more stress employees consume by overextending themselves, the more
likely their professional efficiency will plunge. Fortunately, most
employers who are concerned about the quality of work their staff
is doing are increasingly open to the benefits of stress reduction
techniques during work hours.
The most popular form of stress reduction making its way into the
workplace is on-site chair massage. Chair massage in general has
become a fast, inexpensive remedy for a world on the go. Many
companies such as law firms, car dealerships, realty firms,
insurance companies, hospitals, and many other businesses are
hiring contractors to perform chair massages as an incentive to
their employees. Here in Chicago, businesses such as United
Airlines, Federal Reserve Bank and Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Illinois have hired one company in particular called "Hired Hands,"
on-site massage specialists, to provide chair massage services to
their staffs.
On-site massage specialists provide their own training to
contractors working for them. A co-owner of "Hired Hands,"
Christine Ramsey says, "Most massage schools do not spend enough
time on chair massage." Since the main focus of chair massage is on
the back, neck and head, it is important to be completely
proficient in those areas. Although therapists working through
"Hired Hands" are considered independent contractors, they enjoy
the luxury of consistent schedules and a guaranteed hourly pay. The
good news for aspiring massage therapists is that the need for this
type of massage work is increasing and companies such as this one
are almost always hiring licensed and insured massage
therapists.
Chair massage as a methodic technique has been around for quite a
while. Although David Palmer created and designed the first massage
chair in the 1980s, the technique has been traced all the way back
to ancient Japan. Block prints showed people being massaged while
seated on what appeared to be stools.
David Palmer is really the driving force behind contemporary chair
massage, however, and received that title rightfully after bringing
chair massage into the public eye when he began massaging Apple
computer employees in 1984.
In 1998, Palmer wrote in Positive Health magazine how he believed
chair massage would eventually become more popular than table
massage. He thought that in order to bring massage therapy into the
mainstream, it would need to be completely accessible at all times
to anyone and everyone. The idea that a person can experience the
positive effects of massage in a matter of minutes, sitting in a
chair and fully clothed is a very attractive and practical
idea.
"Touch is the orphan sense in our culture," Palmer says. "It's the
one sense we've disowned most, and it's time for us to reclaim it.
It's the first sense we have in the womb and likely the last sense
we experience when we die. Yet, we live in a culture that numbs us
from the neck down. When we reclaim that, it will be revolutionary.
If we got all the touch we wanted (or needed), 75% of mental health
problems would go away tomorrow," he says. "It would change the
individual, it would change their relationships, and it would
change the institutions in which they live, work and play."
Palmer explained chair massage best when he wrote, "The beauty of
chair massage is its simple message - that massage can make you
feel better, whatever that means to you, any time you want. You
don't have to be sick or enlightened or wealthy to appreciate its
benefits. It's truly massage for the masses."
Being skilled in chair massage can open up many employment doors
for you as a massage therapist. Since the massage chair is portable
and not as heavy as a table, you have increased mobility with your
business and a better chance at marketing yourself. As a chair
massage practitioner, you also have the choice of working
completely for yourself or working with companies like "Hired
Hands."
At National University of Health Sciences, chair massage is a
required part of the curriculum, and you will also spend intern
hours and outcall hours practicing your chair massage skills. For
more information on training in chair massage, call
1-800-826-6285.