Latest Soft Tissue Therapy Poll

Archived Poll Results (sorted oldest to most recent)

1. What is your favorite technique used in soft tissue therapy?

• Frictions - 23.07%
• Tissue Tension - 38.46%
• Functional Fascial Taping ® - 7.69%
• Trigger Point Therapy - 30.77%

2. What do you believe frictions actually do?

• Break up scar tissue - 14.29%
• Mobilise scar tissue and adhesions - 61.90%
• Create an inflammatory response - 14.29%
• Desensitise a hyperirritable focal point - 9.52%

3. What is your preferred name for our industry (primary care rather than relaxation)?

• Remedial Massage - 14.29%
• Myotherapy - 3.57%
• Soft Tissue Therapy - 75%
• Body Worker - 0%
• Masseur - 3.57%
• Musculoskeletal Therapist - 3.57%

4. Our minimum education should go to a degree for what reason?

• Increase educational standards - 18.52%
• Increase professional reputation - 37.04%
• Increase research opportunities - 11.11%
• Shouldn?t go to a degree - 33.33%

5. Where do most of your professional referrals come from?

• General Practitioners - 25.93%
• Sports Physicians/Doctors - 18.52%
• Physiotherapists - 11.11%
• Gymnasiums/Fitness leaders - 22.22%
• Osteopaths - 0%
• Chiropractors - 11.11%
• Rehabilitation Consultants (third party insurance) - 11.11%

6. Should our association be clearly divided into the following three categories: Pain and injury management therapists; Energy workers; Relaxation therapists?

• Yes - 91.43%
• No - 8.57%

7. What should our associations focus on the most?

• Health Insurance Funds - 13.95%
• Medicare Rebates - 6.98%
• Education Standards - 69.77%
• GST Status - 9.30%

8. If registration was to come about (giving a policeable membership, one that you can be deregistered from and deemed unable to work by law, minimum education necessary to be registered), would you sit a practical and theoretical exam to gain entry?

• No, I have been in the industry for years and believe I have the necessary knowledge and skills - 9.30%
• Yes, I would do anything for a professional registration - 81.40%
• A registration isn't necessary - 9.30%

9. Do five day massage courses have any place in our industry?

• Yes. They meet a void for certain prospective therapists - 5.45%
• No. There is no place for therapists with this limited education - 83.64%
• Maybe. Only if they are in the ?relaxation? vocation of our industry - 10.91%

10. Do you believe that so-called third bedroom practices:

• Are a legitimate option for a professional practice and should be promoted - 35.29%
• Decrease our professional image and should be banned - 64.71%

11. What is your perception of the most valuable asset of our associations?

• Health insurance lobbying - 16.1%
• Policy development - 6.5%
• Educational development - 29%
• Vocational development - 16.1%
• I have no idea and just pay the money - 32.3%

12. When you finished your STT education, what do you believe you lacked in the most?

• Anatomy - 0%
• Pathology - 21.5%
• Assessment - 57%
• Technique Indication - 21.5%

13. What type of association would you prefer?

• Remedial and relaxation massage only - 13.6%
• Strictly remedial massage/soft tissue therapy only - 65.9%
• All encompassing (remedial, relaxation, eastern, shiatsu, energy) - 20.5%

14. Are Soft Tissue / Massage Therapists qualified enough to perform Dry Needling?

• No. Not enough baseline education to understand mechanisms, indications and contraindications - 25%
• Yes. They have enough anatomy and pathological knowledge to perform safely and successfully - 12.5%
• Only those with Diploma level education - 62.5%

15. Where does Bowen Therapy fit into our industry?

• It is a stand alone therapy and education process - 60.8%
• It should be a part of our undergrad process - 9.8%
• It should only be a post graduate course - 29.4%

16. Are we falling behind our peers?

• Yes, our education is not evolving to the level of our physical therapy peers - 26.5%
• No, we are advancing at the same speed as other industries - 22.4%
• Yes, we remain a cottage industry with little to no research, without professional growth - 44.9%
• We don't need to advance any further. Our skills and knowledge are adequate - 6.1%

17. Should Soft Tissue Therapists be prescribing foot orthotics?

• Why not. What could it hurt - 0%
• Definitely. We need to broaden our horizons - 6.6%
• Podiatrists do this. Why should we - 44.3%
• Maybe with adequate training 49.2%

18. Where do you work from?

• Home - 29.8%
• Remedial Massage Clinic (STT, Myo, Etc) - 46.8%
• Mobile - 8.5%
• Multidisciplinary Clinic (With Physio, Osteo, Chiro, Doctor, Other) -14.9%

19. Do you think a degree would enhance or hamper our industry?

• Enhance - 78.6%
• Hamper - 21.4%

20. Do the modalities of Kahuna, Thai and Lomi Lomi massage belong in our membership?

• Yes - 15.7%
• No - 84.3%

21. Are Australian Education Institutions producing competent Remedial Massage Therapists?

• They are doing a great job of meeting the competency standards and producing excellent students - 4.7%
• Only very few schools produce employable graduates - 39.1%
• The difference between schools teaching levels is vast and students differ immensely - 53.1%
• I don't know any school that produces a RMT that I would employ with confidence - 1.6%
• I don't know what a competent RMT is anyway - 1.6%

22. Are Australian associations adequately promoting massage therapy versus remedial massage therapy?

• No, they all ignore the difference - 50.0%
• Some try but are lost in the crowd of associations - 27.6%
• They wouldn?t know the difference - 15.5%
• They are doing a good job of promoting the difference - 6.9%

23. Should we regulate our advertising?

• No, it's a free market to advertise what you like - 11.1%
• No, but there should be some basic rules on what you can define yourself as - 44.4%
• Yes, all should advertise to Cert IV and Diploma only with no advertising of add on techniques - 5.6%
• Yes, there should be regulation on how you define yourself (via under grad and post grad education) and what you offer as a service (Association approval only) - 38.9%

24. How much of your STT work is injury management (in comparison to general massage)?

• 0-25% - 14.3%
• 25-50% - 15.9%
• 50-75% - 28.6%
• 75-100% - 41.3%

25. How much of your STT work is injury management (in comparison to general massage)?

• 0-25% - 14.3%
• 25-50% - 15.9%
• 50-75% - 28.6%
• 75-100% - 41.3%

26. Should AAMT, AMT, IRMA, ARM, ATMS and ANTA (remedial massage sections), and the other associations amalgamate?

• Yes, this would provide one national board, president and CEO, with one message and a powerful lobby group - 60.9%
• Yes, I don't see the point of having numerous associations - 1.7%
• No, I like to have a choice of associations and different philosophies - 35.6%
• No, it's fine the way it is - 1.7%

27. Does the remedial massage industry need to be registered and regulated?

• No. It will be expensive and won't change anything. Regulation/registration will reduce our work opportunities - 3.2%
• Yes. Other physical health industries are regulated/registered which lends them to greater work opportunities, plus it will increase our professional perception - 35.1%
• No. We should remain self regulated so we can define our own future. Our current system gives us autonomy - 17%
• Yes. It will provide us with a means to maintain quality and reduce uneducated, none qualified therapists and protect us and the community - 43.6%
• I have no idea what registered and regulated means - 1.1%

28. Should Remedial Massage Therapists be able to order X-rays the same way Osteopaths, Chiropractors and Physiotherapists, without a GP referral?

• Yes, If those professions can order an X-ray without a GP referral then so should we - 11.4%
• No, we should refer to a GP for a referral if we believe it necessary - 54.5%
• Yes, RMT's have a better understanding than a GP for when an X-ray is necessary - 18.2%
• No, none of those professions, nor RMT's should be able to order X-Rays without a GP referral - 15.9%

29. Dry Needling. Should it be a part of our undergraduate study?

• Yes. RMIT has been teaching for many years and now numerous other schools in Victoria. Other states should teach it - (15.6%)
• No. Dry Needling should be left to the acupuncturists - (4.2%)
• Yes. Make it a part of the national competency to keep the standard high - (68.8%)
• No. It is not a part of our skill set and should not be taught - (11.5%)

30. Do you believe Australian associations adequately differentiate between Massage Therapy and Remedial Massage Therapy?

• I didn't realise there was a difference - (2.4%)
• Yes they promote the difference well - (7.3%)
• No they don't promote the difference - (90.2%)

31. Does our industry standard suffer due to having no educational entry limits?

• No. It enhances our industry standard by encouraging people who WANT to become therapists - (13.1%)
• Yes. Having people who struggled or even dropped out of high school diminishes our industry potential - (3.3%)
• No. The ability to heal is within. It's inherited rather than learnt - (1.6%)
• Yes. The fundamentals of pathology and assessment demand a baseline academic capability - 82%

32. Would you as a member of a professional Remedial Massage Association, pay extra fees to ensure differentiation between Remedial Therapists and Relaxation Therapists?

• Yes, as Remedial Massage administration demands more time and funds from associations (health funds, etc) - (32.9%)
• No, the two should remain bound together and fees the same - (3.7%)
• No, we pay enough already - (13.4%)
• Yes, our fees are extremely low in comparison to other health professionals and the extra money would increase awareness of Remedial versus Relaxation massage - (50%)

33. If the Remedial Massage industry was to upgrade the basic qualification to a degree, would you return to part time study to bridge to that qualification?

• Yes, but only if the cost was reasonable and time frame was adequate - (28.0%)
• No, I am happy with where I am with regard to education - (11.2%)
• Yes, anything to upgrade the professionalism of the industry and my educational background - (52%)
• No, the industry doesn't need it - (8.8%)

34. Should our associations amalgamate?

• No, it is good to have a choice - (10.0%)
• Yes, it makes sense to combine the money, effort, opinions and lobby to insurance and government - (40.0%)
• Only if each state has a board to reflect the interests of each state - (18%)
• Yes, the profession needs to be united to create strength internally and externally - (32%)

35. What should our associations be concentrating on?

• Equal status with other physical therapies with regard to Chronic Care Rebates (medicare rebates), DVA (defence force) and health insurance rebates - (13.5%)
• Removal of GST to bring RMT in line with the other physical therapies - (8.1%)
• Consolidating our education and Brand. That is, standard minimum education and definitions across the country and standardising our name (RMT, STT, Myo or MST) - (37.8%)
• Amalgamating to make the above processes a reality - (40.5%)

36. What type of work makes up your weekly totals?

• Relaxation massage - (2%)
• General aches and pains - (44%)
• Acute injury assessment and treatment - (6%)
• Chronic injury assessment and treatment - (48%)

36. Which profession do you get most referrals from?

• Physiotherapy - (16.1%)
• General Practitioners - (37.5%)
• Sports Doctors/Physicians - (14.3%)
• Osteopaths - (3.5%)
• Chiropractors - (25%)
• Podiatrists - (3.6%)

37. Membership renewal for physio, chiro and osteo ranges from $650 to $1000 per year. RMT membership ranges from $70 to $250. If our associations were to utilise the extra money to lobby the government, insurance companies, DVA, design policies and tighten up education standards (similar to what the other professions currently do), would you be prepared to pay more? If so, how much?

• No, it is fine how it is - (17.1%)
• Yes, $250-$40 - (34.3%)
• Yes, $400-$550 - (17.1%)
• Yes, $550-$700 - (14.3%)
• If my association increased the price I would go to another association - (17.1%)

38. If our profession was to announce research grants for phd students, what area of study would you believe to be of benefit to the profession?

• No initial original research but a review of current literature to be distributed to members and placed on national website - (25%)
• Pathology based research. That is, select subjects with a particular injury/condition and apply a protocol of techniques over a certain time frame with quantitative assessments pre and post - (25%)
• Technique based research. That is, select a technique and develop methods of quantifying their outcomes - (25%)
• Perception of RMT in the community, amongst GP's, amongst other manual therapists and use this to direct our future - (16.7%)
• Collaborative research with already established manual therapy researchers (rather than RMT specific protocols) - (8.3%)
• I don't see the benefit in any research - (0.0%)

39. Is soft tissue therapy at a disadvantage by having to charge GST when physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy don't?

• No, my clients still come in, GST or not - (16.2%)
• Yes, it is not a level playing field and our associations should lobby - (70.3%)
• Yes, but the amount of administration necessary to change it is too much - (8.1%)
• Yes, because GST is likely to rise in the future and we should act now to reduce the impact - (5.4%)

40. There are multiple new Advanced Diplomas being taught around the country (Myotherapy, Clinical Myotherapy, Soft Tissue Therapy, Musculoskeletal Therapy, etc). Should the profession:

• Promote their development as it adds diversity to our profession - (6.7%)
• Standardise our Diploma to an Advanced Diploma (with the components from the above) as the diploma is now inadequate - (22.2%)
• Alter the growing Advanced Diplomas to further education modules as 'special interest groups' like other professions (ex Sports Physiotherapy) - (24.4%)
• Call for a review of current education standards to avoid the dilution of the decade old competency standards and education confusion - (46.7%)

41. Should Myofascial Dry Needling be a standard part of our competency standard taught at schools?

• No. It is the same as Acupuncture and should remain in that field - (3.4%)
• Yes. It is distinctly different from Acupuncture and our profession is well suited to provide the service - (54.2%)
• No. Our profession does not have the underpinning knowledge necessary to safely administer this service - (20.3%)
• Yes. The current competency is sufficient and should become a standard of every school - (16.9%)
• I don't have enough factual knowledge to provide an objective opinion on this subject - (5.1%)

42. If associations were to announce the formation of special interest groups (palliative care, sports, lymph drainage, etc), would you:

• Be happy to sit the agreed curriculum and pay the necessary fees to complete the discipline area - (13.2%)
• I would prefer to keep the current system of workshops run by presenters around the country - (18.4%)
• Be happy to sit the extra study to ensure a national standard of education for particular areas of the profession - (65.8%)
• I don't like the idea of standardising study or restricting what teachers want to teach - (2.6%)

43. The base standard of Remedial Massage varies markedly from region to region. Which reason do you believe most aptly causes this to occur?

• RTO's (schools) all interpret the competency differently and without consultation with associations or a central body - (12.0%)
• Many schools are run by one or two therapists who don't have skills in all areas of the curriculum - (4.0%)
• Many schools don't teach to the competency (don't know how to, can't be bothered, have their own agendas) at all and get away with it - (18.0%)
• We don't have a standard text for teachers to teach from - (6.0%)
• There are too many schools in Australia which dilutes the teaching quality and therefore the baseline standard of graduate - (8.0%)
• All of the above - (52.0%)

44. Is our profession worthy of inclusion into the medicare system along with other manual therapy professions?

• Yes. We provide a service that has equal outcomes compared to other manual therapies - (35.4%)
• No. The marked discrepancy in our baseline education creates a large percentage of incompetent therapists - (20.8%)
• Yes. Consumers should have the choice to whom they receive service provision from and not determined by the government - (14.6%)
• No. Our lack of association coordination and organisation leaves us politically vulnerable and administratively incompetent - (29.2%)

45. Would you be happy to sit a national exam to see if you reached a minimum educational standard for our profession?

• Yes. I see it as a necessary step to ensure a minimum national standard - (71.4%)
• No. I have already qualified and don't see any need to pass any more exams - (14.3%)
• Yes. It is a great way to see where I need to improve according to a national standard - (11.2%)
• No. Failing would inevitably reduce my ability to gain membership and insurance cover - (3.1%)

46. Do you believe your education is adequate to competently assess and treat common injuries?

• Yes. I am confident that my school gave me the tools I need to competently provide service for COMMON injuries - (36.7%)
• No. I am confident in assessing general aches and pains but not traumatic injuries - (10%)
• Yes. My orthopaedic testing is competent at providing assessment and treatment options/referral for ANY injury - (26.7%)
• No. My schooling was poor and I have little idea of general or orthopaedic testing - (26.7%)

47. What do you believe is our professions greatest risk?

• The inability of our associations to unite or work collaboratively - 45.1%
• Lack of registration minimalizing our ability to reduce the risk of rogue schools and therapists - 16.9%
• Poor education standards/delivery leading to a 'dumbing down' of our profession - 23.9%
• Authorities other than ourselves defining our future - 14.1%

48. Has the Medibank Private issue caused you or your business any disturbance?

• No. I work for myself and was not affected in any way - 45.5%
• Yes. I work for myself and had issues with some of my clients - 21.2%
• No. I run a clinic and this issue had little affect - 12.1%
• Yes. I run a clinic and this had major issues with employment and clients - 21.2%