Gloversville, NY — As part of full-service rehabilitative approach, Nathan Littauer Hospital’s Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Department has added massage therapy to its list of services. “This new service offering allows us to provide a complete array of services to the patient who is experiencing pain.” said William Oates, Registered Physical Therapist and director of the department. He added, “The massage therapists we have secured are the best in their field and share our passion for improving our patients’ health and fitness levels.”

The two therapists Jamie Page and Roberta Thomas will start taking appointments at the hospital’s Out-Patient Physical Therapy Department starting June 1, 2012. “The two types of therapy – physical and massage are closely related. They both concentrate on kinesiology, muscle movement and relaxation.” explained Mr. Oates. He went on to say, “Now, a patient can finish a physical therapy appointment, which can be physically demanding at times and immediately follow it with a massage in the same center.” One hour session cost $60. At this time, most insurances do not cover massage therapy.

According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), massage therapists have an average of 619 hours of initial training and vast majorities of massage therapists (91 percent) have taken continuing education classes. The organization also notes, “Forty-four (44) percent of adult Americans who had a massage between July 2010 and July 2011 received it for medical or health reasons compared to 35 percent the previous year.”

In a survey conducted in 2010 Ninety (90) percent of those questioned agree that massage can be effective in reducing pain, up from 86 percent in the 2010 survey.

Many health care providers strongly recommend massage therapy.

The AMTA reports that recent research has shown the effectiveness of massage for the following conditions:

• Cancer-related fatigue

• Back pain

• Osteoarthritis

• Reducing post-operative pain

• Carpal tunnel syndrome

• Lowering blood pressure

• Reducing headache frequency

• Stress and anxiety

• Migraine control

People wishing to make an appointment with the Nathan Littauer Massage Team are encouraged to call: 773-5541.