By Melissa Dunson

mdunson@joplinglobe.com

Less than a year ago, Cliff Olson was spending days of his life motionless in uncomfortable positions as a sniper for the U.S. military.

Olson said the only way he could get relief from his aching back and cramping muscles during his days in the U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper School was massage therapy. He found the treatment not only relaxed him, but could fix muscle pain. After two tours in Iraq and time in Japan and the Philippines, Olson said he still wanted to help other people, but chose massage rather than the military.

After graduating from Orler School of Massage Therapy Technology in Joplin in June, Olson started his own business, Olson Therapeutic Massage, located inside Suzanne’s Natural Foods at 32nd and Connecticut streets.

“When Cliff got into this class, you could tell he was used to being tense,” said Teresa Orler, instructor and director at the Orler School. “When we asked him why he wanted to be a massage therapist, he said he was tired of hurting people, that he wanted to help them now.”

Olson said he chose to stay in the Joplin area because he wanted to change the way massage is viewed and impress the importance of therapeutic and medical massage. Olson said massage can be used to treat back pain, migraines, carpal tunnel syndrome, sprains and strains, knee problems and many other common conditions. Pharmaceutical drugs are often prescribed, but Olson said medications sometimes don’t address the real problem.

Charges range from $15 for a 15-minute chair massage to $50 for a full-body massage.

Olson said he would like to offer sick Joplin residents an alternative to drugs or surgery and wants people to know athletes aren’t the only ones who can benefit from therapeutic massage.

“Everybody can benefit, from infants to 90-year-old grandmas,” Olson said. “If you work as a secretary, it takes its toll on you just as much as if you were out playing a sport.”

Orler said pain is the body’s way of communicating, but that Americans are too used to masking their pain with medications. Orler said she was excited about Olson’s wellness campaign in Joplin and the real battle is one of information.

“He’s trying to get people to realize massage isn’t just for rich people; it’s not just something you splurge on,” Orler said. “Massage should be a part of any personal health regimen. It’s not expensive when you think about how much surgery costs and that massage can prevent some surgery.”

Maureen Moon, past president of the American Massage Therapy Association and practicing Colorado massage therapist of 26 years, says the public perception of massage has been improving since she started practicing, and professionals like Olson, who wears scrubs to work and finished first in his intensive anatomy and physiology massage therapy program, are helping to lend credibility to the profession.

“The industry is changing,” Moon said. “We’re getting more people sent here by their doctors and I regularly massage medical doctors.”

Olson said his professional medical appearance often causes visitors to Suzanne’s Natural Foods to ask why a doctor is on staff. He laughs and makes it clear he’s not a doctor, but is dedicated to changing the perception of massage therapists from hippies to medical professionals.