MTST 108 - Massage Therapy Foundations
| Hours:30:0:0 |
Credits:2 |
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Students acquire fundamental knowledge about the massage therapy profession including history, standards of practice, regulatory requirements, complementary therapies, as well as current and future trends. Students explore the roles and responsibilities of a massage therapist and the importance of inter-professional collaboration. Medical terminology used in the study of anatomy, physiology, massage theory and techniques is also examined. |
| Prerequisites: N/A |
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MTST 109 - Palpation Lab
| Hours:5:10:0 |
Credits:1 |
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Developing well-refined tactile abilities is an essential skill for a massage therapist. Palpation lab is a kinesthetic course focusing on locating important anatomical landmarks including muscle, bone, joints, nerves, arteries and ligaments. Reinforcing musculoskeletal knowledge, this course develops skills to accurately palpate and identify common anatomical structures of the human body as well as differentiate between normal and abnormal findings. |
| Co-requisites: MTST 120. |
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MTST 115 - Functional Survey for Massage Therapists
| Hours:15:15:0 |
Credits:1 |
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The theory and techniques to obtain a comprehensive health history and assess the wellness status of patients seeking massage therapy are presented. Students are introduced to postural and gait analysis, interviewing skills, vital sign assessment, and professional practice documentation. Students learn/practice interpreting objective and subjective data and differentiating between normal and abnormal findings. Hygiene, infection control and safety considerations are also addressed. |
| Prerequisites: N/A |
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MTST 120 - Human Anatomy I
| Hours:45:15:0 |
Credits:3 |
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This course is an in-depth study of the anatomical structures of the head, neck, trunk, abdomen, upper and lower extremities. The components of the musculoskeletal system and arthrology are examined in detail. Palpation skills are developed through surface anatomy labs which involve exploration of major bony and soft tissue landmarks. |
| Prerequisites: N/A |
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MTST 125 - Physiology I
| Hours:45:0:0 |
Credits:3 |
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An introduction to the physiology of the body is provided. The nervous, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and protective systems are emphasized to explain the relationships between body fluid distribution, sensory stimulation, and the modulation of pain perception. |
| Prerequisites: N/A |
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MTST 131 - Techniques I
| Hours:30:30:30 |
Credits:3 |
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This course examines the principles, procedures and techniques involved in providing a wellness massage therapy treatment. Introductory massage techniques, patient positioning, draping, therapist self-care and the correct use of posture and body mechanics are presented. Students are introduced to SOAP notes, communication, informed consent, hygiene, infection control precautions, indications/contraindications, treatment modification and the principles of massage therapy treatments. Furthermore, students develop and utilize palpation skills in identifying bony landmarks and soft tissues structures. |
| Prerequisites: N/A |
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MTST 122 - Human Anatomy II
| Hours:45:0:0 |
Credits:3 |
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Students develop an understanding of the subcategories of anatomy including structural organization, body cavities, the cell, and tissues of muscle, nerve and bone. Students explore the structure and function of the major systems of the body including: cardiovascular, lymphatic and immune, respiratory, nervous, endocrine, gastrointestinal, urinary, reproductive and integumentary systems. Students are introduced to the special senses. |
| Prerequisites: N/A |
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MTST 126 - Physiology II
| Hours:45:0:0 |
Credits:3 |
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The physiology of the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune systems and how these systems co-regulate the functioning of the body is discussed in detail. Hormonal and autonomic control of the respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems are emphasized along with an examination of the special senses. |
| Prerequisites: MTST 125. |
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MTST 137 - Developing Therapeutic Relationships
| Hours:30:15:0 |
Credits:2 |
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Fundamental knowledge of ethical values and the skills to develop effective therapeutic relationships are examined. The application of active listening, verbal and non-verbal communication techniques and patient-therapist responses to massage therapy are explored. Through discussion and experiential learning, the following topics are studied: professional boundaries, establishing trust, interpersonal conflict, interview skills, cultural diversity, self-care, body image, transference and counter-transference, power differential, sexual abuse prevention, and the management of personal values in a patient-therapist relationship. |
| Prerequisites: N/A |
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MTST 142 - Techniques II
| Hours:30:30:30 |
Credits:3 |
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This course introduces massage therapy treatment principles and soft tissue/postural assessment skills. An in-depth study and practice of myofascial release, skin rolling, friction massage and muscle stripping techniques are developed in the context of a comprehensive massage therapy treatment. Students learn to work with greater tissue sensitivity and treat with increased depth. Prescribing appropriate patient self-care, introductory thermal therapy and principles of therapist injury prevention are emphasized. Contraindications, patient positioning, draping, fundamentals of health history analysis and professional documentation are reinforced. |
| Prerequisites: MTST 115, MTST 120, MTST 125 and MTST 131. |
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MTST 146 - Body Movements
| Hours:35:10:0 |
Credits:3 |
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An in-depth analysis of the structure and muscle function of human movement and gait is explored. Anatomy of upper and lower extremity joints is reviewed. The physical basis of movement and muscle function is examined. Basic movements and sport activities are analyzed. |
| Prerequisites: MTST 120. |
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MTST 161 - Clinical Practice I
| Hours:0:0:45 |
Credits:1 |
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This course introduces students to the practice of massage therapy in a supervised clinical setting. Working with the public, students have the opportunity to practice introductory massage therapy techniques and develop skills such as body mechanics, draping, communication, informed consent, assessment, practice records, recognizing modifications/contraindications and provide basic home-care recommendations. |
| Prerequisites: MTST 108, MTST 131, MTST 115, and Standard First Aid and Health Care Provider Level C CPR. |
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MTST 143 - Techniques III
| Hours:30:30:30 |
Credits:3 |
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An in-depth study and practice of thermal therapy, trigger point therapy, golgi tendon organ, muscle approximation, and origin-insertion techniques are presented in this course. Students learn to recognize contraindications, indications and when to modify these treatment modalities as they relate to common pathological conditions. Through experiential learning, students further refine palpation and assessment skills required for effective application of these techniques. |
| Prerequisites: MTST 142, MTST 146.
Prerequisites or Co-requisites: MTST 122. |
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MTST 155 - Assessment for Massage Therapists I
| Hours:25:20:0 |
Credits:2 |
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The basic theory of assessment related to the practice of massage therapy is presented. Assessment of the cervical spine, thoracic spine and upper body including posture and gait analysis, palpation, range-of-motion, muscle testing, joint play, special tests and neurological testing are examined in detail. Students learn how to take a comprehensive case history, incorporate assessment findings from other health care practitioners and utilize assessment data to inform treatment planning decisions. Documentation and interpretation of assessment findings are integral components of the course. |
| Prerequisites: MTST 120, MTST 146. |
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MTST 162 - Clinical Practice II
| Hours:0:0:45 |
Credits:1 |
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This course builds on the practical experience gained in MTST 161. In a supervised setting, students provide massage therapy assessment and treatment to a variety of patients. This course offers an opportunity to practice time management, advanced techniques, alternate positioning and sequencing, introductory assessment procedures, charting skills, treatment plan development and prescribe basic self-care. Chair massage is also introduced. |
| Prerequisites: MTST 161, MTST 146 and MTST 142. |
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