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Important differences between a physiotherapist and a massage therapist

What are the most important differences between being a physiotherapist or being a massage therapist? In this post we tell you.

Different training

In the collective imagination, both professions are often confused, that of the physiotherapist and that of the masseuse. However, beyond the possible similarities they are totally different and should be taken into account. In the first place, the objective of the profession is very different since the physiotherapist has university higher education, has been trained in the field of health.

For this reason, it has the necessary skills to treat pathologies that require specific treatment based on a diagnosis, always strengthening the optimal resilience of the body in terms of function and movement of each part of the body. For this reason, if you suffer from any type of pathology, you should go to the specialist.

The massage has different purpose

On the contrary, the masseur is a professional whose unique technique is massage. It is evident that a physiotherapist also integrates massage among his competences, however, the massage provided by a physiotherapist is therapeutic. On the contrary, the massage performed by a masseuse has a function that connects more with the plane of the relaxing pleasure of well-being that leaves a good massage at a physical level. However, the physiotherapist is an expert who has knowledge of many other professional techniques.

It is true that massage can be developed by the same professions, however, why and for what of this technique is different in each context. The process that surpasses a professional to be a physiotherapist is much more demanding than the one required to be a masseuse. There are specific courses to achieve this training, while a physiotherapist studies at the university and passes the necessary tests until obtaining the title.

The masseuse sector is also vulnerable to professional intrusiveness, as shown every summer by those who offer massage services on the beaches . Massages applied at a low cost price by non-professionals who do not have the recommended training can harm the person they treat.

Professional physiotherapy school

The profession of physiotherapist is not only accredited with a professional degree but also many graduates also join an official school. A physiotherapist has a much deeper knowledge of the human body from the point of view of anatomy, an expert knowledge that a masseur lacks. This is one of the reasons why a massage therapist can not attend the case of a patient who experiences some type of pain or has a specific pathology since in the absence of expert knowledge , the treatment may be contraindicated.

Massage services are also offered for aesthetic purposes as shown by the offer of beauty centers. The body is relaxed after a good massage, for this reason, its attractiveness also increases at that time. There is a wide field of specialties in physiotherapy. For example,  oncological , respiratory, neurological, rheumatologic or veterinary physiotherapy .

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