A massage therapist or bodyworker is a person who engages in the science and healing art that uses manual actions to palpate and manipulate the soft tissue of the human body and includes determining whether massage therapy or bodywork is appropriate or contraindicated, or whether referral to another health care practitioner is appropriate. Massage therapy or bodywork does not include making a medical diagnosis or instructing in or prescribing rehabilitative strengthening or conditioning exercises that are within the practice of physical therapy. An individual may practice massage therapy or bodywork without obtaining certification, but may not use certain titles without obtaining certification.
