Tonight, A Current Affair will be running a consumer expose on "Australia's cheap and nasty" massage clinics. My association of professional massage therapist (AMT) obviously shares members' concerns about the proliferation of "dodgy" massage establishments claiming to offer legitimate treatments. This is precisely why it's extremely important to tell the story that A Current Affair is unlikely to tell - of the thousands of reputable clinics and practices offering treatments

YOUR ANSWER: True Many people don’t warm up before exercise or cool down, but they should. A warm-up period of light aerobics -- slightly raising your breathing and heart rate -- can prepare your muscles and help prevent injury. A brisk walk or a steady bike ride for 5-10 minutes – or until you break a sweat -- should do the trick. A cool-down period helps your body recover from the workout. To cool down, simply continue your exercise session but at a lower level of intensity

Recent media reports suggest that the Federal Health Department intends to remove the government rebate for natural therapies - including massage therapy - from private health insurance. At this stage, the media reports are speculative ... but now is the time for to act. AMT is petitioning the Federal Government to fund more research into the efficacy of massage therapy as a safe and cost effective alternative to drug and surgical interventions. AMT president, Annette Cassar