AboutDr. Kevin D. Kanz Expertise Careers in Chiropractic Health Care.
Chiropractic Education, preparation and requirements.
Chiropractic licensing and governmental regulation.
Chiropractic research and multidisciplinary management.
Complementory and Alternative Health Career Options.
Experience
Past/Present clients Texas Chiropractic Association.
Texas Chiropractic College.
Parker College of Chiropractic.
Research & Oversight Council on Workers' Compensation.
Texas Association of School Boards.
Texas Worker's Compensation Insurance Fund.
Question My daughter wants to become a massage therapist. Will it be a vialbe profession? Are massage therapist recognized by doctors or are they looked down upon as are ciropractors? It concerned me that they don't accept credit for classes taken at the local community college. Will she be considered a college graduate after completing their course? Are there jobs for massage therapist, or will she have to start her own business? Thank you for your help.
Answer Dear Debbie,
I didn't realize that "ciropractors" were looked down upon, as you say. However, perhaps some of the old professional bias' of the past century does persist. The chiropractic profession has essentially been at the forefront of developing manual medicine and manual therapy in the US for the past 125 years. Osteopathy, Chiropody (podiatry) and other manual arts have received the same or similar criticism without any true or scientific foundation. The massage therapy profession is in it's infancy concerning recognized therapeutic benefit, regulation and educational development just as chiropractic was 100 years ago. Now, most states license and regulate massage therapists just as they do the other recognized healing arts. There is a growing demand for qualified and well trained massage and myotherapists. Some states even require college credit and some institutions have even awarded accredited bachelors and masters degrees in this form of health care. All states require a minimal number of recognized training hours for licensure and registration.
Most physicians in the field of physical medicine, orthopedics, chiropractic, neurology, neurosurgery and osteopathy do recognize and recommend the services of skilled massage professionals. They are now found in doctor's offices, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, fitness facilities and even corporate health facilities. I employ three full-time massage therapists in my own facility. It is a valuable and noble health profession, and is now far removed from the previous perception of parlor or sex trade implications...
