I’m new to blogging and am at a loss for topics, so I googled “top massage blog topics”. Apparently this is one of them. Maybe you’re curious about my career path or maybe you’re up at 1am with a stabbing pain in your back, googling “Atlanta massage therapists” and you happened on this blog. Whatever the reason, thank you for reading.
Why did I become a massage therapist? Life experiences and circumstances lead me to this career. My amazing stepmother was born with scoliosis and suffered from severe back pain. In an effort to experience a slight relief from the pain, she asked her children to massage her back. As a small child, my meager weight and lack of strength barely made a difference on her tight muscles. Standing on her back was the only method that slightly decreased her pain. I grew older, stronger, and more adept with my massage skills. My stepmother showed me where to massage and the correct amount of pressure. I learned to feel her muscular tension and I became proficient in massage techniques that helped release her tight muscles.
Fast forward 10 years, I was a company member in a professional modern dance company. To enhance my training and skills, I learned the major muscles in my body. I learned their attachments and actions, so I knew which muscles to consider when balancing or jumping or spinning. Adding to my fitness regime, I also trained for 1/2 marathons and triathlons. My muscles were constantly under stress and I had occasional, severe muscular pain. My dad introduced me to the idea of trigger points, commonly called "knots". I studied trigger points and their referral patterns, applying my knowledge whenever I felt trigger point symptoms in my own body. I shared these techniques with my fellow dance company members and they were amazed. One friend’s calf hurt so much that she could not rise on her toes. The pain was originating from trigger points in her calf. Another friend hadn’t been able to sleep because of a stabbing pain in her hip caused by a trigger point in side of her hip. I was soon offering trigger point releases for the entire dance company. We were all surprised by the significant decrease in pain when a trigger point was released.
Since being a modern dancer isn’t a lucrative career, I worked a desk job while performing with the dance company. I enjoyed the career path (event planning and meeting management) and the stability, but I always knew I wanted to return to massage...this time I wanted to do it professionally. I’m so happy that I was able to achieve my dream career.
