NCBTMB is proud to partner with the Academy of Clinical Massage (“Academy”) to empower new and veteran massage therapists with the opportunity to achieve a Specialty Certificate in Clinical Rehabilitative Massage—an exclusive certificate available to therapists who complete the Academy’s Clinical Rehabilitative Massage Program.

This continuing education program has been evolving and growing for over 12 years into its current format. Created and led by Whitney Lowe, this specialty program is the first of its kind to focus key components of clinical rehabilitation science. It provides in-depth study of a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions, their assessment and treatment, and reviews of core clinical practice skills. The new program is backed by Whitney Lowe’s revolutionary online program and hands-on training and a Specialty Certificate Exam administered by NCBTMB.

The Specialty Program has three key components:

  1. The Clinical Orthopedic Massage online courses (approximately 130 hours)
  2. The classroom/hands-on massage training (approximately 32 hours)
  3. The NCBTMB Specialty Exam (online; 140 questions)

Applicants may take online coursework or hands-on classes in any order. The online component focuses on key facets of rehabilitation science: anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, pathology, kinesiology, clinical reasoning, and treatment planning. Putting this key information in the online format gives the opportunity to make this program available to busy working professionals regardless of their geographic or time limitations.

Note: Participants may take the exam after completing the online course work and prior to taking the classroom/hands-on.  All components must be complete and submitted to NCBTMB prior to receiving the Specialty Certificate.

The hands-on training courses are designed to give additional advanced massage skills, but not be focused on a specific technique or modality. Participating instructors in this program have been selected because of their many years of contributing to advanced massage training in assessment and treatment of pain and injury conditions. Current instructors include Whitney Lowe, Judith Delany, James Waslaski, and Douglas Nelson.

Recently complete an Academy course? Any portion of the Academy’s Orthopedic Massage Online Program can be used to meet the qualifications for the online component if it was taken within the past 3 years. If you took your online Orthopedic/Clinical Massage Course more than 3 years ago, contact the Academy directly to determine potential eligibility.

Click here for more information on the NCBTMB/ACM Clinical Rehabilitative Massage Specialty Certificate Program.

To register for the Academy’s online courses, click here.

To register for the Academy’s hands-on training, click here.

Once you are ready to apply for your Specialty Exam, contact the Academy to submit a Verification Letter to NCBTMB on your behalf. This Verification Letter will be referenced to grant Specialty Exam eligibility.