Are you looking for some inspirational audio to keep you busy and focused during the latest lockdown? Below we share our list of favourite podcasts for massage therapists which cover a huge range of topics! From specific podcasts for massage therapy business owners to those which cover wider interests like health, the latest developements in science, psychology, business and marketing and much more. So let's dive in!
Nikki Collinson-Phenix set up The Profitable Couch in 2019 to assist complementary therapists in establishing businesses that are both profitable and impactful! With a 20 year background in hands on therapies, Nikki has an impressive knowledge of running massage therapy businesses both in the UK and abroad and shares with honesty the highs and lows that accompany following your passions and setting up the business of your dreams!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
In this podcast from Busy Hive, Krzys Klinowski speaks to some of the biggest names in the massage industry to ask how they got started as massage therapists as well as what they feel are the secrets to their success. The Truth about Massage Therapy really aims to get to the heart of what it takes to have a great career in massage therapy.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Hosted by Dr. Joe Tatta, a global leader in integrative pain care and founder of the Integrative Pain Science Institute, The Healing Pain podcast aims to discuss the latest scientific research and advocate for the safe and effective treatment of chronic pain. Sharing the latest innovations from experts from a range of disciplines from pain science, physical therapy, physiotherapy, pain psychology to nutrition, Dr Tatta leaves no stone unturned with a new episode every week.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Hosted by Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP), a professional association in the United States, this podcast aims to speak with massage and bodywork experts to expand understanding of the profession and elevate practices.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Boasting over 12,000 hours of content PAINWeek shares interviews with leading experts taken from conferences held across the USA and hosts discussions on research published in their quarterly journal.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Focusing on the most recent evidence and practice, The Words Matter podcast delves into the full range of skills needed to be succesful in clinical practice. From looking at how to develop therapeutic relationships to analysing our beliefs and the language we use, this podcast will get you thinking about ways you can improve your client's massage therapy experience in ways you might never have considered before.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
As massage therapists we are all love working hands on, providing relief for our clients and putting our skills to the test! But it's the stuff beyond the massage table that can often make or break a massage therapy business. In this podcast host Candice Eisner discusses the topics we might often like to ignore! From how to market your massage therapy business to what to do when a client is unsatisfied with their treatment to how can we plan for taxes and vacation when our income is unstable?
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Taking a slightly different spin, Game Change: Business of Massage Therapy is a podcast for both the massage industry and the spa industry and asks the question - are you ready to game change your business? With episodes dropping each week it shares discussions on a wide range of topics as well as interviews with successful massage therapy business owners.
Listen on Apple Podcasts.
Allissa Haines and Michael Reynolds talk all things business when it comes to massage therapy in this extensive podcast. Episode include 'Working While Pregnant', 'Going Paperless In Your Massage Practice' to our favourite title 'Ignore The Gurus and Just Give A F***ing Massage'.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Physiotherapists, Physical Therapists and health professionals need look no further for some clinical inspiration! In Physio Edge David Pope interviews leading clinicians and researchers to discuss practical assessment and treatment skills to share knowledge and elevate results across the industry!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
British Journal of Sports Medicine discusses the latest developments in sports therapy in this fascinating series. Acknowledging that all therapists have their own beliefs and ideas, this podcast gives space to air the lastest innovations in teaching as well as up to date research from the field.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Massage Matters aims to bring together manual therapists from all disciplines to consolidate manual therapies with contemporary evidence based practice and spark greater collaboration. Hosted by The Massage Collective the episodes combine hands-on experience with the latest research and interviews with industry leaders.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
With no holds barred the Physio Matters podcast aims to put some of the top experts in the field behind the mic to share their honest advice straight to clinicians. Covering a range of topics this is a must follow for any physiotherapists, sports massage therapists and anyone who is interested in sports rehabilitation.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
A smorgasbord of interviews and conversations around the wonderful world of massage therapy, guests of How's The Pressure include successful bodyworkers, massage therapy business owners and teachers. With the aim of creating a forum for best practices and sharing knowledge and experiences the discussions have ranged from massage table etiquette to the evolution of massage therapy.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
2 Massage Therapists and Microphone are based the other side of the pond but their discussions will resonate with massage therapists in all corners of the globe! Don't miss their Unprofessional Hour episode where guests share some of their funniest stories from working in the world of massage therapy!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Krista Dicks has over a decades experience as an RMT and in her unique podcast she speaks with other massage therapists about their achievements outside their massage practice. From becoming authors to explorers, artists to entrepreneurs this podcast is for anyone who wants to work smarter and create an extraordinary life!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Physical therapist, athletic trainer, and strength and conditioning coach Mike Reinold answers all your questions in this weekly podcast! From business tips to conditioning advice there is lots to learn from Mike and his team of physical therapists who are based in Boston.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Bringing together the wide range of allied professions in our industry, The Thinking Practioner shares engaging discussions for everyone. From massage therapists to chiropractors, yoga practioners to sports massage therapists, orthopedics to osteopathy, experts come together to share knowledge and debate across disclipines.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Esther Perel is fast becoming one of our favourite people! Esther is a psychologist, author and host of the fascinating podcasts Where Should We Begin & How's Work. She believes that the quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives and this has perhaps never been clearer than in 2020! Looking at both romantic relationships (Where Should We Begin) and relationships in the workplace (How's Work) her insights are really groundbreaking.
Listen to Where Should We Begin on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Listen to How's Work on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Listen Online or on Apple Podcasts.
The Like Mind, Like Body podcasts analyses the impact of our emotions and thoughts on our physical health. Speaking with researchers and best selling authors, each episode dives into the astonishing effects the mind can have on our body.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Brene Brown is the author of not one but five New York Times bestselling books and has spent over 20 years researching empathy courage, shame and vulnerability. Perhaps best known for her Ted Talks, in her fantastic podcast she shares some fascinating insights into emotional health and wellbeing and how finding our authentic voices can make us great leaders, entrepreneurs and most importantly happier and healthier.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
You are what you eat and no where is this clearer than in this excellent podcast. Discussing a range of issues, Dr Rupy Aujla and his panel of nutrition experts share the latest scientific research and boil it down to handy actionable steps to help listeners supercharge their health!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Dr Chatterjee has over 16 years' experience working as a GP and is known from his appearances in BBC 1's Doctor in the House series. For Dr Chatterjee "Health has become overcomplicated." and in his weekly podcast he speaks with leaders in the field of health from across the globe to debunk myths and share life hacks all with the aim to give people the tools to live healthier and happier lives!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
A regular feature on television, Dr Alex George steps off the ward to talk to healthcare professionals who have gone above and beyond for this inspiring podcast. With a unique insight into life in sometimes dangerous and difficult situations the series aims to celebrate the humanity in our healthcare.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
The Peter Attia Drive podcast is a weekly deep dive into a wide range of topics around health and longevity - both physical and mental. Hosted by Dr. Peter Attia, a Stanford and Johns Hopkins trained physician, episodes have focused on topics such as ketosis, Alzheimer’s disease, mental health and more.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Functional F1RST dives into important topics with leaders in the field of functional health which spans all elements of healthcare with the aim of helping paitents reach their optimal capacity.
Listen on Apple Podcasts.
Danielle Ratliff is a licensed massage therapist based in the United States and an advocate for mental health awareness after experiencing her own challenges with PTSD. In her podcast, Serenity Now, she shares her practical tips for combating the stress and overwhelm that is so common in our modern-day society.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Brendan Mouatt, Luke Postlethwaite, and Daniel Arbilla conduct a casual conversation with key characters in the world of health and fitness to pick brains and exchange knowledge with a few beers along the way in this charming podcast.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Science and storytelling come together in this fantastic podcast from Shankar Vedantam that delves into our deepest unconscious patterns, the ones that shape our decisions and craft the relationships that we have through life. If you have ever wondered why that nightmare client behaves the way they do, the answer might just lie in an episode of Hidden Brain!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Gimlet are known for their excellent content and Science Vs is no exception! A podcast that sets out to separate fact from fiction and sometimes what lies mysteriously between. They sift through the science on the hottest topics right now so you can always be in the know!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Renowned for their dedication to Ideas Worth Spreading, non-profit TED has thankfully seperated out some of their fantastic talks into a dedicated Science and Medicine channel! In each episode hear from some of the world's greatest scientists, doctors and researchers who come together at TED conferences to share their latest discoveries and visions for the future in front of a live audience.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
The main idea behind You Are Not So Smart is that we are all unaware of how unaware we are! With a growing body of research, there are many scientific disciplines that are presenting findings that suggest we have little idea why we act or even think the way that we do. A deep dive into the human experience, this podcast is a fun look at some of this research and our behaviours and motivations as people!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Every Monday TED shares one of its fascinating talks designed to answer every business question you have! Hosted by Modupe Akinola of Columbia Business School previous episodes have focused on how to bag that promotion, set yourself smart goals or innovate your business. As well as being super interesting and informative at the end Modupe shares a mini session on how to apply the ideas to your own life!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Best known for his book 'The 4 Hour Work Week' Tim Ferriss calls himself a "human guinea pig" and tests out tools, tricks and tips for personal development for his highly respected blog. In his podcast he continues this work and combines it with speaking to impressive thought leaders on a huge range of topics.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Psychologist Adam Grant claims you will never see your job in the same light again after listening to his podcast! Adam shines a light on some of the most unusual professionals to explore the key to a healthier work life.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
From the Harvard Business Review this weekly podcast shares interviews with leaders in business and management. Covering a wide range of topics from the subtle art of saying no to mastering the art of persuasion, listeners can benefit from picking the brains of some of the top brains in business!
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
The Secret to Boosting Your Massage Therapy Business That Nobody Talks About! Don't miss these great tips that will help increase satisfaction and success in your business!
Massage tables comes in many different shapes and size. It can be confusing for you, the customer, to choose the right one but we are here to help!
A lot of customers call us up after they have bought the wrong size massage table elsewhere and we would like to help you avoid this mistake. It normally goes something like this; they like the look of a picture of a massage table on a website, they like the low price and then they check the carrying weight is ok. If the carrying weight fits their needs they click add to cart and the new massage table turns up at their doorstep in a few days. They unfortunately assume all massage tables are pretty much the same width and size.
The standard size of a massage table is 28 inches wide (71cms) and 73 inches (185cms) long. One of the reasons many "lightweight" budget massage tables are so cheap is because
Make sure the massage table is the right size for you and your clients as the narrow massage tables at 61cms can be very uncomfortable for anyone who isn't petite and many clients cannot relax with their shoulders and arms unsupported.
Almost all therapists choose the standard 28 inch wide massage table. All our massage tables are the same length so it is only the width and shape our customers need to decide on.
Your massage table should be wide enough to cater for the wide variety of shapes and sizes of your clients. It needs to be wide enough to comfortably accommodate your treatment style, while being narrow enough to ensure you don’t have to strain your own back during treatments.
Each therapist's postural training and ability is different, so only you will know what massage table width you can handle. We have spoken to therapists who are five feet tall and get the wider 30 inch massage tables, and we speak to six foot therapists who have back problems and go for a 25 inch wide massage table. Everyone is different.
Generally speaking, if you are of smaller stature, you may do better with one of the narrower 25-inch massage tables. If you're quite tall, or are particularly keen to offer your clients a very spacious experience, a 30-inch massage table might be more suitable.
If you are in doubt, see if you can go into your local training college and see whether the massage tables there suit you. However, there is another way to get a feel for what will work of you don’t have access to a couch when you are deciding:
Cut out a piece of cardboard to the dimensions of both sizes you are deciding between. Put it on top of the kitchen table and lean over it. Visualise a client lying there, and see which width will suit you and your client best.
Make sure you can get close enough to the table that you can pivot at the waist and have your shoulders squared to the clients hips, with your hands parallel to the clients' spine. Working in this position will ensure an injury-free career, so it's an important factor in your decision.
The most popular massage table widths are 28 and 30 inches. We sell 25-inch massage tables but you should really only choose this width if you are shorter in height and having a wider massage table might put your own back at risk over the course of your career.
You can also choose the 25-inch if you want to have the lightest massage table possible. By reducing the width of the massage table, the weight is also reduced. Now, this can mean a trade-off of some client comfort, but this trade is often worthwhile if you are a fully mobile therapist and use public transport frequently, where saving a kilogram or two will make a difference to you over time.
Nowadays, almost all portable massage tables come with height adjustable legs. Whichever massage table you choose should come with a large height range to accommodate you, and to cater for a broad range of therapies.
A common height range of massage tables is between 60 to 80cm, and this height range should cater for everyone. To check which height you need your massage table to be at follow this rule of thumb:
1. Stand up straight with your hands by your sides. Clench your fists.
2. Measure the distance between the floor and your knuckles
3. This distance should equal the height of your massage table.
4. Add a few inches in height to allow for the body of the patient on the massage table.
The height of a massage table is usually only adjusted when different therapists are using the same massage table, or if you have a client that is outside the average size you normally treat. So for example, if someone with a lot of body depth comes for a treatment after an average size person, you may need to adjust the height a notch or two.
You should be able to adjust the height of a massage table in just 2-3 minutes. Even though you mightn't adjust the height very often, the faster the better when you do have to!
There are 2 types of height adjustment mechanisms found on modern massage tables.
1) Twisting knobs (found only on wooden massage tables):
If you are working with a wooden massage table, it is better to have two knobs on each of the four legs for greater strength and reliability. When buying online, make sure to check how many knobs are on the legs. Cheap massage tables often only have one knob, and when you raise the legs to the highest heights they are less stable and have been known to snap.
2) Telescopic push-buttons (found only on aluminium massage tables):
The mechanism to adjust the height of an aluminium massage table is much the same as the push-button method on aluminium crutches. It only takes a few seconds to adjust each leg, and the mechanism is very reliable. Check out the video to see how it’s done.
The following are the different shapes of massage tables on the market.
1. Rectangle shaped with square corners
This is the traditional shape of a massage table and the one you are probably familiar with seeing. Our Combi-lite 3 in 1 and Affinity Portaflex are shaped like this.
2. Rectangle shaped with rounded corners
Same as no 1 above in every way except the corners are rounded. Does not affect function in any way, just a different design/look.
3. Hour glass shaped with gradual gradient
A fabulous massage table innovation in recent years, which solves a lot of the problems around choosing the correct width is the hourglass shaped massage table.
This style of massage table is wider at the ends, and tapers somewhat at the middle. This provide a spacious and comfortable experience for your client (as the shoulder and feet area are 30 inches wide) without compromising your own posture and health, as the middle of the couch where you lean over is a much narrower 26 inches wide.Having recently upgraded to one of these hourglass massage tables myself, I can vouch that my working days are much more comfortable, and many of my clients have commented on the extra comfort from the wider shoulder area.
The name says it all! There are no corners on the massage table. Therapists normally choose this for one of two reasons. They simply like the look of this massage table and it is aesthetically more pleasing in their treatment room and/or they find it easier to move around the massage table during the treatment without having to side step the corners. This is particularly handy when space is limited in your treatment room.
Samantha Jenkins
Author