Media Contact: Molly Ring or Julie Mulzoff Public Communications Inc. 312/558-1770
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: October 17, 1997
AMERICANS INCREASINGLY SEEK OUT BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE NATIONAL SURVEY REPORTS
Evanston, Ill. - Americans are increasingly recognizing the value of therapeutic massage. According to a national survey released today by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), people are seeking it more often to help them cope with stressful lifestyles, as well as for relief of muscle aches and pains.
According to the survey of 1007 American adults by Opinion Research Corporation and commissioned by AMTA, nearly half (45 percent) of those surveyed said they would turn to massage for therapeutic reasons, while 23 percent said it just makes people feel good, and 22 percent said massage accomplishes both.
Among those who had a massage in the past 5 years, respondents reported having three times as many massages in the past 12 months as they did in the previous year. Some 17 percent of those surveyed reported getting a massage since 1992.
"As research continues to validate the health and medical benefits of therapeutic massage, consumers are seeing it as more than just 'alternative' healthcare," said Scott Lamp, president of AMTA. "Physicians are increasingly prescribing massage therapy, more insurers are covering therapeutic massage and our members are being sought out by more employers to give massages to employees right there in the office."
The survey found that massage therapy is equally popular among men and women and in all parts of the country. More than one in five adults (22 percent) aged 18 to 34 use massage therapy. At the same time, 18 percent of people aged 35 to 44 said they get massages, as did 16 percent of people 45 to 54 and 17 percent of people 55 to 64. Only 8 percent of people over age 65 said they used massage therapy.
Respondents overwhelmingly noted it is important for a massage therapist to be a member of a professional association that has a code of ethics and sets professional standards, with 87 percent responding yes. A total of 83 percent want massage therapists to be licensed by a city or state and 81 percent say therapists should be graduates of an accredited school.
"We couldn't agree more with the public's demand for professionalism," said Lamp. "AMTA has set standards for its professional members, while some of our chapters are working with state legislators to license massage therapists. Today, more than half the states have some sort of legislation in place and another 11 states are pursuing it. Consumers should expect a massage therapist to have training from a credentialed program and hold a professional membership in an organization like AMTA."
AMTA is a professional organization of more than 28,000 members. AMTA professional members have demonstrated a certain level of skill and knowledge through education and testing.New Professional Active members must be graduates of training programs accredited or approved by the Commission on Massage Training Accreditation/Approval (COMTAA) and have a current AMTA-accepted city, state or provincial license, or be Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.
AMTA provides free informational brochures for consumers and will help consumers or professionals locate qualified massage therapists in their area. To obtain a free brochure and/or to locate a qualified massage therapist, consumers should send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the request to AMTA, 820 Davis St., Suite 100, Evanston, IL 60201-4444. AMTA also can be contacted by telephone (847) 864-0123; fax (847) 864-1178, or via the Web at www.amtamassage.org.
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