Massage therapy provides many benefits, including relaxation. (CU Independent photo illustration/Patrick Ghidossi)
Relaxing the body, quieting the mind and soothing the spirit are just three of the benefits of massage therapy. Unfortunately, many of Boulder’s massage rates are unrealistic for the average rent-paying student to afford.
The hassle of finding an affordable massage institute in the Boulder area should not keep students away from taking advantage of some quality bodywork provided in the Boulder community.
Alex Seguin, an 18-year-old freshman open-option major, said she hasn’t had any massages in Boulder, but that she used to have bodywork done in Highlands Ranch. Seguin said that cost is definitely a factor in why she hasn’t had any massages in Boulder.
“I used to go to a physical therapist for knots in my back and I thought about going to a massage therapist for it too,” Seguin said. “It’s just so expensive. I can’t afford it.”
A less expensive way to enjoy a massage is at Whole Body Balance, located at 5420 Arapahoe Ave. The chiropractic clinic offers a wide variety of services, including acupuncture and chiropractor work. If your back pain persists, it is advised to seek a specialist in orthopedics to find the cause of the pain and get the proper treatment.
There is a diverse list of massage types to choose from, including Swedish massage, deep tissue massage and hot stone massage. The Whole Body Balance clinic is open seven days a week and provides 30 minute massages for $35, and 45 minute massages for $55; Whole Body Balance also deducts $10 from the bill of a first-time customer. To learn more about this clinic and/or to schedule an appointment, visit their Web site.
Another cheap massage solution for students is the Colorado Massage Center, which is open seven days a week and located at 3109 28th St. In addition to providing their customers with full access to the whirlpool and sauna area, they offer 30 minutes of massage for $39 and 30 minutes of deep tissue massage for $45 (an additional fee is required for the use of hot rocks during massage sessions).
Other services that the Colorado Massage Center offers are facial treatments, body scrubs and medical massages to rehabilitate injured muscle groups. To learn more about this clinic and/or to schedule an appointment visit their Web site.
The Finishing Touch Spa and Salon, found at 3131 28th St. in Boulder and open Tuesday through Sunday, offers massage services for a wide range of prices. Memberships to the Spa are provided for the cost of $35 annually, and include benefits such as $5 off each visit during a client’s birthday month and $15 off all Swedish, deep tissue and hot stone massages year-round.
Non-members can receive a 50-minute aromatic Swedish massage for $65 Friday through Sunday or for $49 Tuesday through Thursday. A 25-minute back, shoulder and neck massage costs $45. First-time customers receive $15 off any massage. To learn more about this clinic and/or to schedule an appointment visit their Web site.
The Boulder College of Massage Therapy is open Monday through Friday and offers prices that are very student-friendly. The institute, located at 6255 Longbow Drive, provides 60-minute massage sessions with a student-in-training for $35 and 90 minutes for $50. If the customer wants to be worked on by a certified professional massage therapist, the rates are a little costlier at 60 minutes for $50 and an hour and a half session for $90.
According to their Web site, BCMT is “internationally recognized as one of the premier U.S. massage schools,” and that its “dedication to the healing art of massage therapy is second to none.” For more information about this clinic and/or to schedule an appointment visit the BCMT Web site.
There are also private practices in Boulder that offer cheap alternatives to the pricier bodywork of public institutions. Jessica Gumkowski, a certified orthopedic and sports massage therapist, is a graduate of the Boulder College of Massage Therapy. Gumkowski works out of the Marine Street Wellness Center located at 2825 Marine Street (Suite A). Her Web site specifies that all her clients are not athletes and that they actually range from “professional athletes to first timers, chronic pain sufferers to expecting mothers and all the rest who desire a heightened state of health and wellness.”
Gumkowski offers 30 minutes on the table for $35 and also provides a deal for her first time customers as well—60 minutes for $50. For more information about this massage therapist and/or to schedule an appointment visit her Web site.
Dana Wodtke, another certified massage therapist in Boulder, said she has had a local private practice for 18 years. Wodtke works with Dr. Emily Rucker, a chiropractor, and specializes in pain-management massages.
Wodtke said that her practice is mostly targeted at students.
“Students are the most stressed out people I work on,” Wodtke said. “They [get] so worked up. Why do they do that?”
She said that her practice focuses on general stress reduction, headache relief, back and neck pain and post-car accident bodywork such as spinal decompression therapy.
Wodtke, whose Web site is currently under construction but should be up and running sometime next week, offers an hour of massage for $65 and 90 minutes of massage for $90.
Wodtke said that she does accept insurance coverage from all customers. For more information on this massage therapist and/or to schedule an appointment, call 303-444-4628.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jenna Fredrickson at Jenna.fredrickson@colorado.edu.
2 comments
Be sure to check out our 1st-timer massage special for just $39. Choose any of our full-body massage therapy techniques to produce a new and relaxed you.
Cafe of Life
2835 Pearl Street
in front of Whole Foods Market
If you are looking for a cheaper source of massage, look to see if there is a college close by as the students are always in need of subjects to practise on – it might be free or if a charge it is only going to be nominal compared to people in the field.