From an aching lower back that makes it hard to even bend over or turn from side to side to a tight upper back that seems to cause shoulder pain and headaches, there is a broad spectrum of back pain that affects a huge portion of the population. With awareness of the prevalence of this problem, professional massage therapists and bodyworkers, as well as athletic trainers and sports therapists, may be wise to beef up their tool box of massage techniques for back pain.

Typically, the hands-on approaches that constitute massage techniques for back pain fall under the umbrella of deep tissue massage techniques. In other words, these tend to be techniques that hone in on specific areas of the body that are linked to the back pain and may use a greater amount of pressure to create the desired result of long-term pain relief. Of course, the focus and pressure of the various massage techniques for back pain will differ depending on the modality you are learning or practicing, as well as the individual pain pattern that is being addressed.

Based on where you attended massage therapy or bodywork school, or where you received your education as an athletic trainer, there is a good chance you already possess a nice collection of basic massage techniques for back pain. However, given the fact that back pain plagues so many people, from amateur and professional athletes to the desk jockey and common couch potato, making an effort to learn more advanced and diverse massage techniques for back pain can be a great way to not only enhance your skill set, but also boost your business and bulk up your bottom line.

For massage therapists and bodyworkers, the main method of gaining such skills would be to enroll in the right massage therapy continuing education classes. Depending on the licensing requirements in your state or region, this may mean finding an NCBTMB approved provider, so that the CE credits you earn through the class will count toward the renewal and maintenance of your massage license. Along these same lines, professional athletic trainers may need to search out a BOC approved provider. For both massage therapists and athletic trainers, it will be important to find an educator who has a solid track record of both teaching and practicing the modality at hand—a modality that contains plenty of massage techniques for back pain.

This is where Erik Dalton’s Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques (MAT) often come into the picture, as manual therapists seek out a well-researched and thorough modality that can be used in the more clinical realms of practice, such as orthopedic massage, medical massage and massage for sports therapy. Dalton is a pioneer in the field of noninvasive pain management, founder of the Freedom From Pain Institute and a seasoned veteran when it comes to hands-on practice and top-notch teaching. Best of all, his signature modality can give practitioners the key to unlocking persistent pain patterns among clients of all kinds.

Along with a wide array of deep tissue massage techniques, including massage techniques for back pain, MAT also comprises simple yet illuminating evaluation and assessment protocols, so that practitioners can pinpoint the actual root of the pain conditions their clients present. Dalton developed MAT based on his education and early work as a Certified Rolfer® coupled with his deep insight into osteopathic approaches to pain management. MAT brings together the benefits of deep tissue massage techniques, joint mobilization and the postural insights of Dr. Vladimir Janda, a neurologist and key figure in the field of manual medicine and rehabilitation.

Maintaining a manual therapy practice for more than three decades, Dalton has had the opportunity to put his MAT techniques to use for a huge list of client issues and conditions. Today, continuing education students can benefit from his in-depth experience as they learn how to address pain patterns that range from carpal tunnel syndrome and sciatica to rib dysfunction and rotator cuff injuries. Of course, MAT also involves assessment protocols and manual therapy techniques for a full spectrum of issues that could cause a client to come in complaining of back pain.

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