Ever wonder why your Massage Therapist (especially in Ontario) tend to start and end their treatments similarly? Ever wonder why the pressure isn't "deep" right off the bat?
Let's Talk about that!
I am a firm believer that knowledge is power* I feel that sharing knowledge and using education with my clients provides a better treatment and empowers them to be involved in their own health and wellness. One observation I have made in my 3+ years of practice, is an unawareness of what a Registered Massage Therapists (RMT) in Ontario, Canada actually does. So in the spirit of learning, I want to begin with discussing our building blocks.
Our standards of practice are governed by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) and are based on European methods and ideologies, specifically Swedish Massage Techniques. I can only speak to RMTs in Ontario, as this is the only region I am registered in. However, many of these principles can be adapted or are evident in many other types of massage therapy around the world. RMTs in Ontario use these principles as the basis to build our treatments. After assessing our clients/patients through our interview process and orthopaedic testing, we formulate a plan with the following principles in mind.
The 4 Basic Principles:
Superficial - Deep - Superficial
Working with the intension to affect most outer layer of tissues of the skin, the epidermis (superficial), to the deeper layers like muscles and deep fascial, then back to the superficial layers.
General - Specific - General
Starting working on a general area (i.e. the whole back), then moving to address a specific structure (i.e. Trapezius), then back to the whole back.
Proximal - Distal - Proximal
in reference to the limbs (arms & legs), starting to work close to the torso (i.e. shoulder), down the limb to the end (i.e. fingers), then again working back towards the torso.
Peripheral - Central - Peripheral
this principle can be best described when working with an injury. Starting to work with structures around the injury, then working towards the central point of the injury and of course then back out to the surrounding areas.
As you can see, the over arching theme between each of these principles is to start broad, move to specifics and then move back to broad techniques. The theory to this is that the tissues need to be warmed up prior to deep/intense/specific work and then "cooled", flushed or calmed afterwards. Just like you would do before any sort of workout/exercise. Warming up the tissues can help reduce potential injury to any tissues. While calming the tissues after the deep/intense work can help reduce any Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) that could be felt post treatment. As well this process can also desensitize the nervous system, which if not done prior to intense work can make it feel more painful. As well, closing treatment with calming techniques are great way to down regulate the nervous system after intense work, so that any perceived pain is not felt as intensely after the treatment.
While is important to know a client’s/patient’s wishes regarding depth of pressure, we ALWAYS need build to that pressure through these principles. So, expecting your RMT within the first moments of the beginning of the treatment to “go deeper” may not be realistic as following these principles are also important in providing a safe and effective treatment. However, If at any point during your treatment you feel the therapist has not provided the level of care you are seeking, please speak up. The therapist maybe able to adjust the levels of pressure, or they may take the time to provide reasoning as to why that level may not be attainable during the treatment for a variety of reasons.
Now, this should go without saying but I will say it anyways, health and wellness is a Practice. Which means that there will always be room for learning and more research to alter or change how we (Health Care Practitioners) provide treatment and care. So please only take any information shared on this blog as purely educational, and not medical advice. Please see your own Health Care Providers for personalized advice. If you have any questions please be sure to leave them in the comments below, contact me directly or follow me on instagram @riversrmt
Keep Well,
Heather Rivers HBKin, RMT
*Power in reference to someone being empowered to fully understand their own health and wellness, and be able to advocate for one’s self.