From assembly lines to corporate headquarters, Americans are discovering the magical benefits of massage. At corporations such as Boeing and Reebok, headaches, back strain and fatigue have all fallen since the companies started bringing in massage therapists for seated workplace massage. Ballerina Julie Kent, a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, in New York, calls her weekly sessions "as essential as stage makeup or pointe shoes." Some doctors are now prescribing massage to help patients manage stress and pain, and a few HMOs have begun sharing in the cost.

Recent results from the 16th annual consumer survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) reveal that more consumers are incorporating massage therapy into their regular health and wellness regimens to assist with medical conditions. In fact, 75 percent of individuals claim the primary reason for receiving a massage in the past 12 months was medical (43 percent) and stress-related (32 percent). Medical reasons include pain relief, soreness, stiffness or spasms, injury recovery, migraines, prevention and general well-being.

“The findings from this year’s survey display a growing sense of awareness among consumers about massage being an effective tool for a variety of health conditions,” says Cynthia Ribeiro, AMTA president. “Physicians are recommending massage therapy to their patients for stress-related tension, pain relief and injuries, as well as to help maintain overall health and wellness.”

Released in conjunction with National Massage Therapy Awareness Week, the survey results indicate that 87 percent of individuals view massage as being beneficial to overall health and wellness.

Resource: Julie McGee, licensed occupational therapist, JLM Therapy, 239-207-4301.