National franchisor and provider of therapeutic massage and skincare services, Massage Envy, has launched a first-of its kind programme to enhance the health and wellness of professional therapists and estheticians.

Massage therapy is one of the fastest growing careers in America, estimated to grow 22 per cent by 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.

However, it is estimated that 50 to 88 per cent of massage therapists leave the profession after the first three to five years.

According to a survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), more than half of massage therapists report having aches and pains in their shoulders, neck and back.

Only 16 per cent of therapists surveyed report feeling no fatigue after a day’s work, with 23 per cent reporting feeling very tired or exhausted. Only 38 per cent of therapists say that they warm up before performing services.

Realising that most therapists get relatively little exposure to self-care practices, Massage Envy has introduced a new self-care programme, treating therapists and estheticians like professional wellness athletes to encourage health and wellbeing among staff, and allowing them to respond more quickly to early signs of injury.

Developed with support from the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), an ergonomist and therapists and estheticians around the country, the programme helps manage fatigue, aches and pains and chronic injuries.

It includes new techniques for warming up, recovery and building overall body strength to help therapists and estheticians operate at peak performance, and also covers preventative care, best practices, training and tools so that therapists can be proactive in taking better care of themselves, and franchisees can cultivate an environment where self-care is a priority.

“We’re first in the industry to do this, and we’ve developed an entirely new model to take better care of the therapists and estheticians who care for more than 1.65 million Massage Envy members,” said Joe Magnacca, CEO of Massage Envy.

“We looked carefully at what matters to therapists and created a programme to proactively help them overcome the biggest barriers to their wellness, happiness and career longevity.”

This new focus is an integral part of Massage Envy’s commitment to creating initiatives that support skilled caregivers in building rewarding, long-term careers and of the company’s ongoing efforts to meet the growing market demand for talented massage therapists and estheticians.

Founded in 2002 and based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Massage Envy has more than 1,150 franchise locations in 49 states. The franchise system is, collectively, the largest employer of massage therapists and estheticians, with more than 35,000 wellness professionals.