Registered Massage Therapy involves the direct treatment of soft tissues to improve tissue health and physical dysfunction. We help with injury recoveries and the maintenance or improvement of chronic conditions. We perform thorough assessments and provide homecare for each patient as most of the recovery often comes from what you do at home. Techniques often encompass manual massage, joint mobilizations, stretching, exercises, and suggestions to modify biomechanics throughout your day. RMT is a regulated profession governed by provincial regulatory bodies (CMTBC and CMTO). We have to follow strict regulations around confidentiality, care protocols, and hygiene. Bylaws and ethics are near identical to those for Physios and Chiros.

All sorts of things! From sports injuries to pregnancy related issues, massage can help the body repair damaged tissue and ease sensitivity and discomfort. These include, but are not limited to, headaches, posture-related pain, body or muscle aches, stiffness, poor range of motion, nerve pain and compressions, joint issues and arthritis, circulatory complaints, scarring and scar tissue healing, injury prevention, biomechanical rehabilitation, and the maintenance of systemic conditions like diabetes, COPD, or neurological issues like paralysis or numbness.

Most plans include massage but you'll have to confirm with your plan specifically. It can be as high as 100% coverage or could instead be covered as a dollar amount towards each visit.

ICBC automatically approves 12 massage visits within the first 12 weeks after an accident, covering $80 per treatment. You do not need a referral to take advantage of these treatments. That means that after you call the insurance company when you get in an accident, the next call you should make is to your Massage Therapist. We just need your ICBC case number.

Often no, but medical doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and other health care professionals will often refer to RMTs. Again, confirm with your insurance provider first because some plans do require a doctor's note to unlock their massage benefits.

Wear whatever is comfortable. You'll be covered under the sheets for the entire treatment, aside from the specific area where we're working on - the areas we've already discussed in the assessment and agreed to treat. Most people choose to undress but leave their bottom underwear on, while some remain fully clothed. The only difference is whether or not we can use oil and utilize certain techniques with skin-to-skin contact.

During the entire massage, you will be covered under sheets and often with a blanket, too. We will undrape a specific area of the body before treating it, such as an arm or leg, and then re-cover that area once complete. If you aren't comfortable having an area uncovered, please let your therapist know. We are always happy to accommodate and can easily avoid an area entirely or treat through the sheets as alternatives.

This varies greatly depending on the reason for seeking massage. Some find a monthly massage for relaxation or maintenance of pain to be very beneficial. Others have a specific issue, injury, or goal they wish to work on. The latter requires further assessment and discussion about a treatment plan. Generally, I like to address an acute flare up or new injury with more frequent treatments sometimes once or twice weekly. When things calm down more and depending on your pain levels, we can move to every other week while we develop good homecare strategies. Ultimately, the goal is to reach independent care with good homecare routines, but most people enjoy regular maintenance every few months when soreness creeps back up.

Yes, it is normal, but not common. Deeper pressure during a massage can be beneficial to access different tissues and to release certain areas, however, everyone's body reacts differently. It is possible that a manual technique could trigger a spasm, bruise fragile areas, exacerbate congestion, etc., but this is never the intention, of course. It is crucial to communicate with your therapist to let them know if something hurts or feels intense. A mild soreness or slight amount of achiness after a massage is not necessarily reason for concern, but if you are incapacitated or in moderate to severe discomfort, please reach out to your RMT.

The governing body of Massage in BC is the CMTBC, and their website is www.cmtbc.ca and they deal with legislature and complaints. See the Ontario equivalent at www.cmto.com The professional association for Massage Therapists of BC is the RMTBC and they deal with public education and resources for RMTs. Their website is www.rmtbc.ca. The Ontario equivalent is the RMTAO at www.rmtao.com