World Massage Festival &
Massage Therapy Hall of Fame


Read our Philosophy - The Bridge Builder


Our Mission Statement: To honor those who built the bridges for our profession,
to educate the general public about massage, to educate therapists
about different types of massage and to have fun.


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>>>>>>>>>>>		 Previous Festivals * 2010 Festival * 2011 Festival * 2012 Festival
Tom Owens
2011 Massage Therapy Hall of Fame Inductee

Tom, "the father of positioning", has engaged in the pursuit of therapeutic positioning for more than 25 years. The body positioner known today as the bodyCushion arose and evolved into the rudiments of it's current embodiment after the first two years of intensive pursuit. In the ensuing 23 years this positioning tool has been refined so that today there is a highly developed, functional body positioner that is used throughout the healing arts. It has been said that there is no one who knows more about orthopedic positioning. Tom is the acknowledged pre-eminent master, having explored, examined, researched and tested various aspects of positioning as a singular career pursuit since 1984.

Tom began practicing massage in 1970. The bodyCushion arose out his practical therapeutic applications as a licensed practitioner in Ashland, Oregon in 1986. In 1988 Tom became a CE Provider, teaching the elements and benefits of positioning for massage and muscle therapy. For several years Tom traveled to Japan where he presented seminars in positioning to doctors, physical medicine doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists in major cities throughout the country. These seminars were based on a book Tom authored and video series, "New Approaches to Muscle Therapy". In this book Tom demonstrates and describes seventy different positioning techniques that address and enhance specific therapeutic challenges. Tom was recently a presenter at the 2009 World Massage Conference.

Tom is now retired and resides in Hawaii. The bodyCushion continues to be manufactured in a plant Tom owns in Ashland, Oregon. Tom takes pride in the fact that all the component parts of the bodyCushion, as well as the bodyCushion itself are manufactured in the U.S.A. The bodyCushion is used throughout the healing arts, in hospitals, physical therapy clinics, athletic training rooms, chiropractic offices, acupuncture and oriental medicine clinics. It is used for applications of all kinds of massage disciplines including Thai massage, Shiatsu, and prenatal. It is also prescribable and can be assistive and therapeutic for post-injury or surgery recovery as well as pregnancy relief. The bodyCushion is sold and used worldwide in more than 67 countries.

Website: Body Support Systems