When Massage Therapy treatments are provided by a Registered Massage Therapist there are a lot of benefits for a large variety of conditions. Massage therapy can enhance your overall well-being. It can help with a number of musculoskeletal conditions associated with stress, overuse injuries, persistent pain issues, and as preventative care.

Major benefits seen are:

Those who have interacted with me, likely know I am a huge advocate for foam rolling. I personally have found it far more beneficial than just stretching; particularly for chronicly tight muscles. Recently, I had seen a post on social media discussing this study: “Expert Consensus on the Contraindications and Cautions of Foam Rolling-An International Delphi Study”.

I immediately clicked the link to the study, since it’s always good to be at the tip-top of new knowledge. It did not take long for my curiosity to be taken over by frustration.

Many people find themselves hesitate to try Massage Therapy. Whether it’s through a registered or licensed practitioner or even at spa or on vacation. If you are one of those people, or know someone, I hope this helps calm some anxieties.

I’d first like to start off by saying that MOST people that provide massage therapy (particularly health care professionals) are not judging you in anyway. We are looking past your exterior to try to figure out what is occurring below your skin to make you feel pain, decrease your range of motion or whatever other issue you are experiencing. If you feel judged or uncomfortable you have the right to stop or modify your treatment at any time — even before it begins. And if you experience these feelings try a different practitioner or new location.

Now, let’s move on to my list of common fears that I hear:

There are two popular styles of massage therapy, both of which have a place in your everyday life: (1) Relaxation massage, which is generally used when one is feeling stressed from work or family life, or overwhelmed by a hectic schedule and is often what people receive when they participate in a “spa day”; and (2) Therapeutic aka Deep Tissue massage, which is used to help people work through and heal from injuries, conditions, and dysfunctions. Despite their differences, both types of massage therapy can elicit an emotional response.

Hey, below you will find some questions that I hear quite often about massage therapy. Take a look if you have any questions or are just curious about the modality…

*Please note that these may have Ontario-based specifics (for those of you reading from elsewhere in the world).

• Are all massages just for relaxation?

No. You may request a massage treatment specifically for relaxation, but a large number of RMT treatments are more therapy based. Most massage therapy treatments will have some relaxation components in them, but that doesn’t have to be the main focus. Treatment plans are a combination of what you, the client, want and any suggestions your therapist feels are appropriate in your specific situation.

• Is massage therapy painful?