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Massage therapy is one of the fastest growing alternative health care industries in the United States today. And for good reason. A good massage can reduce stress, boost your immune system, reduce pack pain, and help arthritis and carpal tunnel; among many other things. (To learn about research on the beneficial effects of massage therapy, check out The Touch Research Institute: www.miami.edu/touch-research )

With all that massage can do, it's good that it's a growing field, because that means more therapists to take care of all of us, right? Unfortunately, not so much. You see, aside from being a highly growing industry, massage is also a highly unregulated industry. According the website of the American Massage Therapist Association (http://www.amtamassage.org/pd f/2006_StateLaws.pdf last updated Sept 6, 2007), less then 40 states have any laws governing the practice of massage. And many of those states make certification to practice massage optional. What this means is that in more then a quarter of the United States, anyone who wants to can start advertising himself as a therapist, with no prior training, no experience, and no way to be sure they know what they are doing. Admittedly, this is far less of a concern than having a surgeon or electrician with no training running around. However, high blood pressure, heart conditions and osteoporosis are only a few of the disorders that a therapist needs to know about in order to safely offer a massage.

So how do you find a therapist you can trust?

Well, there are a couple of things that can tell you a lot about a therapist. First off, it's a good idea to find a therapist with either National (NCTMB) or state certification.

National certification is not a legal standing, as there are no national laws regarding massage. It is a private certification that is overseen by National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Nationally certified therapists have provided proof of training and experience, and passed an exam covering anatomy and physiology, massage therapy practices, knowledge of other therapies, knowledge of illnesses and disorders, and business ethics. They are required to continue training in massage, and other relevant areas.

State certifications vary a great deal from state to state. However, all states that offer certification have a minimum requirement of 500 hours training in a school for massage.

The National Certification Board keeps a database up at their website of therapists holding National Certification,

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