UNAIR NEWS – The Traditional Medicine Vocational Program of Universitas Airlangga opened a massage service for the public. The program provides students with practical experience of the procedures and mechanisms of a therapist.
The program was held on Tuesday and Thursday, January 2 and 4, 2024, at the Practice Hall 2.14 of the Traditional Medicine, Campus B, UNAIR.
Practicing the theories
Edith Frederika Puruhito, SKM MSc (MedSci), told UNAIR NEWS that the annual program has been conducted for the past three years. The lecturers want to give students practical learning experiences besides textbooks.
The program allows students to practice their skills with the clients, who consist of 42 volunteers from the UNAIR academic community.
“We want students to have hands-on experience engaging with clients and using things they’ve learned, such as standard operating procedures and basic body massage techniques,” said Edith, the Course Coordinator for Traditional Massage.
Assessing student abilities
Edith stated that traditional massage in Indonesia lacks a theoretical basis. The Traditional Massage study program aims to prepare competent and scientifically grounded traditional healthcare practitioners.
Several techniques tested include essential massage for babies, pregnant women, and adults. The body parts massaged are the legs, arms, abdomen, chest, face, and head.
“We use basic massage techniques such as rubbing, stroking, gliding, kneading, shaking, and tapping. We teach these basic techniques so our students can apply them professionally,” she said.
Besides, students also receive knowledge in oil usage techniques, hand skill development, breathing exercises, and basic anatomy. As a result, students will be well-prepared for the massage procedure. Additionally, the program was also used for the Final Exam assessment.
“Hopefully, the program will consistently provide students with hands-on learning experiences in the field, and clients will also be satisfied with the massage therapy,” she said.
Author: Satriyani Dewi Astuti
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
