Massage Therapy Classes: Meeting the Expectations of Spa Guests

Today’s spas are a combination of science and serenity, education and relaxation. Whether it is a luxury spa in a five-star resort, a chain spa in your local strip mall, or independently-owned-and-operated, spas are expected to meet their guests’ demands for the best quality and variety of treatments. Some of current spa trends reflect consumers’ desire to not just to feel better, but to be better.

Preventative Health Versus Pampering

In recent years, there has been a major shift away from treatments that simply pamper the body and relax the mind in favor of treatments geared toward preventing health problems and encouraging general wellness. As our population ages, Baby Boomers continue to seek out spa treatments, such as massage, not only for their indulgent and stress-relieving qualities, but also to relieve chronic pain, improve circulation, help to speed up the healing of injuries, and to reduce dangerous levels of chronic inflammation.

In addition, a whole new group of spa-goers have begun to influence massage and treatment offerings at spas. Gen X (1965-1980) and Gen Y (1981-1995) customers have influenced an uptick in preventative health treatments at spas. These groups tend to want to prevent being ill or injured, and view spa visits as a necessary part of that equation.

Making Pain Relief a Priority

Millions of people live with chronic pain every day, with 25% of adults age 20-44 reporting that they have chronic or recurring pain. Living with pain affects the quality of life in many ways, from job performance to family and social life. Pain medications will relieve most pain, but some of these are controlled substances and can be detrimental when taken long-term, so many people have taken a greater interest in alternative pain relief paths, massage being one of them.

Spas are focusing on this trend, adding a greater variety of massage therapy treatments to their spa menus, providing their customers with options for pain relief that are non-invasive and drug-free. Massage therapy classes at vocational schools such as Southern California health Institute (SOCHi) provide the hands-on training that massage therapists need to provide the best quality, pain relief massage in a spa environment. Focusing on pain relief for aging joints and muscles, as well as a special eye toward sports and other athletic injuries, a quality massage therapy program like SOCHi’s keeps up with the latest trend to prepare its massage therapists to work in this evolving industry.

Science Behind the Spa

Another major spa trend is the importance of having a thorough knowledge of the science behind the treatments offered by the spa. More and more massage clients and spa customers are asking serious questions about the scientific basis for massage therapy and other spa treatments. This comes in part from the increase in preventive care usage by young and old alike. The need to understand in more detail how treatments work and why they are beneficial has pushed spas to require more educated and experienced massage therapists and estheticians. Certified massage therapists and estheticians are in great demand, since their education and experience arm them to answer these questions for the customer accurately.

A successful day at the spa leaves you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and healthier. For more and more people, the demand for treatments, including massage therapy, that help them to stay healthy has never been higher. Spas are anticipating this trend, placing more emphasis on preventative health, offering more options for holistic treatment, including pain relief, and backing all of it up with science.

To learn more about massage therapy trends, as well as other news related to health and wellness careers, please visit our SOCHi blog.