• Today and tomorrow are the last days physical therapy students will be holding the Message-A-Thon on the third floor of Schroeder Complex.
• Massages are $7 for every 15 minutes and can last as long as an hour.
• The proceeds of the Massage-A-Thon will go toward the separate graduation ceremony for physical therapy students.

Whether it's your muscles aching from another long Milwaukee winter or end-of-the-year stress, the solution could be right on campus.

The final two days of Massage-A-Thon are today and tomorrow, after the event began in March. Physical therapy students will hold sessions from noon to 9 p.m. today and from noon to 6 p.m tomorrow on the third floor of the Schroeder Health Complex.

Sharon Cameron, a second year professional in the physical therapy program and Massage-A-Thon chair, said the annual student-run fundraiser has been going on seemingly "forever."

"It's been around for a long time. We don't even know how long it's been," Cameron said.

The Massage-A-Thon offers massages that cost $7 for 15 minutes, $14 for 30 minutes, $21 for 45 minutes or $28 for an hour.

"You can get anything you want massaged. It's very professional," Cameron said. "And you can either make an appointment online or just come up to the third floor of the Schroeder Complex and sign up in person."

But for those who want to get in and out quickly, Cameron suggests making an appointment in advance because the Massage-A-Thon is always busy.

"We probably do between 50 and 100 massages a day," Cameron said. "We have six tables going at once and we're usually booked."

Cameron said most students and faculty members who get massages choose to have a 30- to 60-minute session because the cost is so low.

"Hour massages anywhere else are at least $50 to $70," Cameron said. "And I've gone to places where hour massages cost hundreds of dollars. But here it's only $28."

According to Cameron, money raised by the Massage-A-Thon goes toward expenses for the graduation ceremony for physical therapy students, who have a separate graduation from the College of Health Sciences.

Jeffery Davis, a physical therapy lab supervisor, took part in the Massage-A-Thon yesterday by purchasing a half-hour massage.

"I do it every spring and fall," Davis said. "It always seems to help, and it feels good."

Davis said he prefers getting his massages at the Massage-A-Thon as opposed to other places that offer massages — not just because the cost is lower.

"Sometimes with massage therapists you never know what you're going to get, but with the students here, it's always steady and they do a really good job."

Alex Wilke, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, got massages at the Massage-A-Thon before big exams this year and last year.

"I only go for a massage once a year, and I try to make sure it's on a day when I have a big test," Wilke said. "It really relaxes me, and I think that helps when I'm nervous."

Cameron said massages not only relax the body, but also promote better posture, improve flexibility and increase blood flow to the areas of the body being worked on.