Massage Therapy

What is Massage Therapy?

Massage is a hands-on, holistic method of health care. Massage is well known as a soothing, relaxing way of relieving stress and tension. It can also be an important part of a preventative maintenance program.

Massage therapy also treats specific physical and medical conditions by relieving muscle tension, restoring muscle and postural balance, increasing circulation and improving tissue nutrition.

RMT’s use hands-on techniques on the muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and joints. Massage has effects on the heart and circulation, the nervous system, the digestion and elimination systems and most other systems of the body.

Massage therapy is a great complement to the care you are already  receiving.  Massage can improve the effectiveness and comfort level of chiropractic or physiotherapy care.

Is Massage Therapy Safe?

Massage is a natural, drug free, low impact way of helping the body unleash its own healing potential. Massage is safe when administered by a Registered Massage Therapist ( RMT). RMT’s are government regulated professionals bound by a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice and governed by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO).  RMT’s have completed a 2 or 3 year diploma from a recognized school, and passed a provincial board exam set by the CMTO.  RMT’s are trained to understand many health conditions and adapt their techniques to provide a safe and effective treatment. RMT’s are also required to carry liability insurance and show proof of their credentials upon request. Furthermore, extended health benefits and insurance claims only cover massage treatments if performed by an RMT. Always insist on being treated by an RMT.

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Ken’s Approach to Massage Therapy

It is important that you find an RMT that is right for you as massage therapy is a very personal form of healing and your experiences with RMT’s can be completely different.

A treatment can pamper you or it can treat a serious physical dysfunction. A treatment can be so gentle that it puts you to sleep or it can be a “no pain no gain” experience. A massage can make you walk better because of reduced stress or it can make you walk better because of the reduction of muscle tension and physical restrictions. With such a range it is important that you communicate with your RMT to ensure that you receive the massage that you are looking for.

My massage focuses on the client and can be radically different depending on the needs and wishes the client communicates to me.

Feeling stressed?

If you are feeling stressed and need to relax, I offer soothing, relaxational massages where the massage strokes are slower and longer using lighter pressure. I use music, breathing techniques and stress reduction techniques to enhance the experience. Hot stones, aromatherapy, Thai massage or Reiki can also be used to bring deep relaxation helping you enter a dream-like state. During these treatments you should feel no pain or discomfort and may even fall asleep. Relaxational treatments enhance the para sympathetic nervous system to enable the body’s natural healing powers.

Looking for pain relief?

If you have been suffering from chronic pain for a long time, you might be surprised at how effective a massage treatment might be. Therapeutic massage can effectively treat long term chronic pain, motor vehicle accident rehabilitation, athletic injuries, repetitive strain injuries and nerve impingements. The pressure is often deeper and there is a greater focus on the mechanisms causing the pain. During a therapeutic treatment I typically use a combination of all of the following techniques, depending on the client’s condition and personal preferences.  The client is often clothed in a tank top and shorts to facilitate frequent changing of positions and different exercises and stretches.

Ken’s Techniques

Acupuncture – This modality causes profound changes in the body by using the body’s own healing powers to create chemical reactions and activate neural pathways. This is a very powerful treatment that is practically painless.

Fascial Techniques – Fascia is pound for pound stronger than steel and surrounds and supports every muscle fibre and organ in the body. After an accident or injury, the fascia can develop adhesions or scar tissue and tighten causing pain or restricting movement. Fascia is so strong that these adhesions can become almost permanent unless they are treated using special methods. I use a variety of fascial techniques, including Myofascial Release Technique (MRT), Rolfing, Active Fascial Release and Anatomy Trains to break down fascial scar tissue and restore your body to balance.

Reflexive Inhibition Techniques – This approach uses a combination of breathing techniques, active movements and pressure points to release muscles. It works by stimulating the nervous system and convincing it to release the muscle spasm.

Cranio Sacral Techniques – The goal here is to restore the natural cranial rhythms.  This is especially helpful for people who have suffered trauma or injury such as falls, athletic injury or motor vehicle accidents.  The technique is very gentle.

Visceral Techniques – The viscera or internal organs can become adhesed together from accidents, injury, or digestive issues such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, or celiac disease.  When the viscera are not moving properly this can affect lower back pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, or neck pain.  Incorporating this into treatments can help resolve long term chronic issues.

Exercises for Homework – Studies have shown that the effectiveness of massage therapy treatments can improve by 50% if clients also perform the prescribed rehabilitative exercises.