By Gary Eaton, LMT

It is an exciting time in the massage therapy industry. Massage is slowly gaining more and more acceptance as a legitimate profession that provides a valuable service.

One of the most important ways to bring legitimacy to the massage profession is standardization. Having standardized rules and regulations in the massage industry helps insure that licensed and certified massage practitioners will have the basic training needed to safely and professionally provide massage services for the general public.

One of the more important requirements for certification in most states is the national examination. This is a test massage school students are required to pass before receiving a license to practice.

In the past, the standard test created has been the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB). This is the test I had to pass to meet Oregon’s licensing requirements. This test covers the basic knowledge necessary to safely practice massage therapy. It includes subjects such as anatomy, physiology, ethics, kinesiology and others. In Oregon there is also a hands-on practical exam that you must pass, but in many state the NCBTMB exam is the only testing requirement.

That is slowly changing, as many states are now requiring massage school students to pass the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx) that was developed by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB).

The MBLEx has slowly built steam and is starting to become the standard for the industry. More and more states are changing their laws to require this newer test that many believe is the best option for testing the knowledge of prospective massage practitioners.

Why should it matter which test you take? Well, one of the goals of massage therapy organizations, such as the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), is to provide a nationwide standard for massage licensing. In the past, the AMTA supported the use of the NCBTMB test. Recently, however, the AMTA recognized that the MBLEx test has gained more acceptance by states and has announced that it is now in support of the MBLEx test to become the standard for all licensing requirements.

The acceptance of this test will probably eventually lead to nationwide acceptance of the MBLEx. This will create better portability for licensed massage therapists to practice in different states. As of now, many states have different requirements. This means you may not have the necessary education or testing required to practice in all states. So, if you decide to move to a new state you may have to take more classes or pass new tests in order to practice.

By standardizing state licensing requirements and testing it will make it easier for massage therapists to move their practices to new areas. Right now that isn’t always possible.

States are far from having standard requirements, but the ultimate goal of organizations like the AMTA is to eventually reach that goal. This will make it easier for the therapists and also bring more legitimacy to the massage profession. The acceptance of the MBLEx as the only national exam is a step in the right direction.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.