Massage Therapy

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How can it help me?

OTC_massageRegistered massage therapy is an integral part of recovery after injury. It can help to speed up tissue healing, restore mobility, reduce inflammation and reduce post-injury compensatory movement patterns.

We recommend massage therapy for relief of:

  • Discomfort from every day and occupational stresses
  • Muscle over-use and repetitive strains
  • Many chronic or acute pain syndromes
  • Reduction in muscle compensatory patterning
  • Post-injury and post-surgical swelling (lymphedema)
  • Reducing side-effects of Cancer-related treatments

Massage can speed recovery and is a powerful tool in the treatment of both chronic (long-term) and acute (brief and severe) soft tissue injuries.  It promotes an overal physical well-being and can be used to improve physical perfomance and body awareness.

Our experienced Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) work with your body’s soft tissues, including muscles, skin and connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, nerves and membranes. If applied soon enough after accidents involving trauma or injury, Registered Massage Therapy can greatly reduce inflammation as well as the development of painful muscular compensatory patterns which are often a result of pain and injury i.e. piriformis syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, etc.

Who will I see?

When you work with any of our Registered Massage Therapists, you’ll be dealing with a thoroughly trained professional. Each therapist is a graduate of a government-approved massage therapy school and has completed a minimum of 2,200 hours of anatomical, physiological and clinical studies, including intensive practical instruction. In addition our  therapists have extensive post-graduate education and are an integral part of our inter-disciplinary team working to provide a comprehensive approach to your recovery.

What techniques will my therapist use?

Our Registered Massage Therapists are schooled in an extensive variety of techniques. After completing your assessment they will discuss their approach and help you to determine which technique is appropriate for you. A treatment session may consist of several techniques depending on your specific needs.

  • Therapeutic Treatment Massage
  • Manual Lymph Drainage
  • Craniosacral Therapy
  • Scoliosis Therapy
  • Sports Massage
  • Pregnancy Massage
  • Acupuncture including:
    • Medical acupuncture
    • Dry needling
    • Electro-acupuncture

Therapeutic Massage:: Therapeutic massage is also known as deep tissue or Swedish massage.  It is used to reduce the risk of repetitive strain injury, as well as reducing pain and inflammation associated with acute and chronic conditions and in cancer-care. Therapeutic massage helps to facilitate healing and can decrease the time needed for healing through the use of deep tissue techniques, point-specific friction techniques and trigger point massage. The benefit of these approaches may be enhanced by the addition of hot and cold modalities to relax tissues and promote circulation. Provided by: Juliette Woodruff, Reg Massage Therapist; Dr, Jenny Song, Chiropractor, Reg. Massage Therapist

Manual lymph drainage: Manual lymph drainage techniques can help improve healing after surgery or injury. These gentle techniques promote healing by enhancing circulation and reducing swelling. Manual lymph drainage techniques can also assist in the long-term management of lymphedema after surgical removal of lymph nodes. Our therapists have also completed post-graduate training in compression bandaging which can be a powerful adjunct in the management of the initial stages of lymphedema. Provided by: Juliette Woodruff, Reg Massage Therapist; Dr, Jenny Song, Chiropractor, Reg. Massage Therapist

Craniosacral Therapy:: a gentle, hands-on treatment. It is used to reduce tension and stress to improve the functioning of the body. It is particularly beneficial in chronic pain conditions and conditions where stress and tension are contributing to the restriction in healing. Provided by: Juliette Woodruff, Reg Massage Therapist

Scoliosis Massage:: beneficial for individuals who have pain and are working to ensure maximum flexibility or to reduce movement imbalances. These techniques can be applied after surgery* to assist in healing as well as in non-operative conditions. At the Orthopaedic Therapy Clinic our scoliosis Massage Therapist applies a unique approach to address muscle imbalances. Our therapists are well-schooled in the over-all management of scoliosis in both the adult and the adolescent.
*Once your post-operative healing is stable. Juliette Woodruff, Reg Massage Therapist; Dr, Jenny Song, Chiropractor, Reg. Massage Therapist

Sports Massage:: a great technique for both serious athletes and the weekend warrior. Massage can be used as a preventive tool to avoid injury, as well as to decrease recovery time. It facilitates an increase in the range of motion in a muscle, enhancing performance and decreasing the risk for injury. It can also reduce spasms by decreasing hypertonic muscle tissue, increasing circulation and improving lymphatic return to assist in tissue healing. Provided by: Juliette Woodruff, Reg Massage Therapist; Dr, Jenny Song, Chiropractor, Reg. Massage Therapist

Pregnancy Massage: beneficial throughout all three trimesters. Massage helps by reducing swelling, alleviating lower and upper back pain or discomfort, increasing circulation throughout the body and creating an overall feeling of relaxation and well-being. Provided by: Juliette Woodruff, Reg Massage Therapist; Dr, Jenny Song, Chiropractor, Reg. Massage Therapist

Acupuncture including:

  • Medical acupuncture – is a therapeutic technique that involves inserting sterile fine needles into certain points on the body, encouraging the healing process and relieving pain. It is based on the points established along meridians (energy channels). Provided by: Juliette Woodruff, Reg Massage Therapist; Dr, Jenny Song, Chiropractor, Reg. Massage Therapist; Taylor Sipos, Reg. Physiotherapist
  • Dry needling (DN) or Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS)– this is a Western approach to acupuncture. In this technique thin needles are used to directly stimulate and release knots and trigger points in muscles. Juliette Woodruff, Reg Massage Therapist; Dr, Jenny Song, Chiropractor, Reg. Massage Therapist; Tiffany Shi, Reg. Physiotherapist
  • Electro-Acupuncture – is a technique that uses acupuncture needles to pass a pulsated current through the tissues to promote healing and/or reduce pain.  The current acts as a peripheral nerve stimulator for inhibited/weak muscles. It can increase the muscles activation/engagement and decrease pain. Dr, Jenny Song, Chiropractor, Reg. Massage Therapist; Tiffany Shi, Reg. Physiotherapist

What should I wear during a massage?

Depending on the technique or goals of treatment you may wear fitness clothing or we may ask you to remove all clothing except undergarments.  We recommend you bring shorts and a tank top.  Our therapists protect your privacy with draping to ensure that we only expose the part of your body that is being treated.

Do I need a doctor’s referral?

No, you do not need a doctor’s referral to be treated by a Massage Therapist in private practice. Some extended insurance plans require a doctor’s referral for you to be able to access your benefits. Be sure to check your benefits policy before you make your appointment or give us a call at 416 925 4687 and we will be happy to help you sort out what’s needed.