Self-Care for Massage Therapists: Preventing Burnout and Injury

Self-care is a principle that massage therapists constantly preach to clients. Unfortunately, not all therapists listen to their own advice. Focusing on your career is important. If you don’t balance it with some focus on yourself, however, you can risk some serious consequences.

Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes offers a Massage Therapy training program in Denver, CO; Provo, UT, and the metropolitan area of Phoenix, AZ. Here, we explore some massage therapist self-care tips to prevent burnout and injury and explain why they’re important.

Key Takeaways

• Though highly rewarding, massage therapist careers can also be physically challenging and emotionally draining with demanding schedules.
• Self-care is important to maintain emotional well-being, stay passionate about your job, set a positive example for clients, and prevent injury.
• Self-care techniques include morning warmups, evening cooldowns, taking time to recharge, and cultivating a positive relationship with stress.
• Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes teaches self-care techniques as part of our Massage Therapy programs in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona.

Why Self-Care Matters in Massage Therapy

Self-care isn’t just about feeling good. It’s also a vital career strategy that helps you stay in the game longer while providing a higher level of service to your clients. These are just a few ways that prioritizing self-care can help your career:

Setting an Example

Massage therapists are regarded as experts in health and wellness. As a result, clients will often look to you as a positive example. If they notice that you are tired, unwell, or emotionally drained, they may have concerns about the quality of your service. Proper self-care sets a good example for your clients while establishing you as a knowledgeable professional in your field.

Avoiding Injury

Massage therapy is a physically demanding career. Many techniques require large amounts of force, putting stress on your muscles and joints. Over time, this leads to aches, pains, and even overuse injuries. Fatigue is another menace. The more tired you feel, the more likely you are to overextend your body to the point of injury. By prioritizing self-care, you can help prevent these aches and pains.

Maintaining Emotional Well-Being

Your body isn’t the only thing to take care of. The importance of emotional well-being is easy to underestimate. Neglecting it, however, can be just as impactful on your work performance and quality of life. Emotional issues may lead to reduced physical health as well. Self-care is a necessary strategy to relieve stress, decompress, and stay positive about your work and everyday life.

Staying Passionate

You likely entered this career field out of love for the work you do. It can be sad to watch a job you once enjoyed turn into a chore. If you aren’t careful to avoid emotional burnout, that is just what might happen. Self-care helps you stay passionate about your career, invigorating you to provide a higher level of service and to chase the next exciting opportunity.

Tips to Avoid Massage Therapist Burnout

Self-care is important, but where do you start? Showing yourself some love looks different for everyone. The following advice, however, is tailored for massage therapists avoiding burnout:

Do Morning Exercises

More physical activity might seem counterintuitive. Some light exercises in the morning, however, help to warm up your body in preparation for a day of massage. You’ll start the day invigorated and end it feeling less fatigued. You’ll also face less risk of injury.

Perform Evening Stretches

When you get home from a tough day of work, you probably never want to move again. However, don’t neglect your stretches. Some stretches or light yoga can help your body recharge and support good muscle recovery for fewer aches and stiffness.

Take Time to Recharge

It can be tough to balance your full-time work schedule with family duties and other responsibilities. Amid your busy lifestyle, don’t forget to set aside time to rest and recharge. Sip some tea, paint, or escape into nature – what this looks like is up to you.

Reassess Stress

It is tempting to treat stress like the enemy, but not all forms of stress are bad. Cultivating a positive attitude toward stress can be valuable for relieving it. Start to see stress as an opportunity to adapt and become stronger, helping you tackle future challenges.

Launch a Massage Therapy Career at a Campus Near You

Massage therapist self-care is an ongoing process that must follow you through every day and phase of your career. To start learning more massage therapist techniques, enroll at a location near you in Denver, CO; Provo, UT; Tucson, AZ; Phoenix, AZ; and Avondale, AZ. To learn more about massage therapist careers or self-care tips, contact Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes.

FAQ About Massage Therapist Self-Care

Why is self-care important for massage therapists?

Burnout and injuries can end a massage therapy career. Self-care is important to avoid these common problems, stay physically and emotionally invigorated, and deliver the highest level of service.

What self-care techniques can I use in my massage therapy career?

Morning warmups, evening cooldowns, and moments to recharge are all healthy ways to avoid injury and burnout. You can also cultivate a healthy relationship with stress while finding ways to stay curious and excited about your career.

What makes Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes different?

Students at Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes train under experienced instructors to learn massage with in-demand products and techniques. We stay on top of the trends and are active in the beauty industry. Students also get hands-on training at our Student Aalon and Spa.