Our Services – Massage Therapy

Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) in British Columbia are health care professionals who are committed to restoring and maintaining optimal health and pain-free function of the body.

Our RMTs are educated and trained to accurately assess and treat with techniques that include massage and manual therapy, joint mobilization, hydrotherapy, and rehabilitative exercise, such as stretching, strengthening, postural exercise and patient education.

Massage Therapy is an effective approach to pain management and rehabilitation for either acute or chronic conditions. Our RMTs treat and provide relief for a wide range of conditions, such as migraine headaches, tendonitis, arthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, as well as many other common conditions related to soft tissue and joint dysfunction.

Education and Training

B.C.’s Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) are among the most educated and highly trained professionals in the world. To become an RMT in B.C, students must complete at least 3,000 hours of training at an accredited college. This can be compared to a university bachelor degree which typically averages 1,500 hours over four years.

Standard education requirements include comprehensive studies in health sciences, such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology and neuroanatomy. Other studies include clinical sciences, such as manual skills, orthopedics, remedial exercise, hydrotherapy and patient education. The management of chronic diseases, injuries and the effects of long-term stress are also studied extensively.

Massage Therapy – A Regulated Health Care Profession

Massage therapy in BC has been a regulated health care profession since 1946 and is legislated by the government under the B.C. Health Profession Act. In 2001, the Health Professions Council (HPC) accepted a revised scope of practice definition proposed by the College of Massage Therapists of BC (CMTBC), the professions regulatory body. The definition reads:

“The practice of massage therapy is the assessment of soft tissue and joints of the body and the treatment and prevention of dysfunction, injury, pain and physical disorders of the soft tissues and joints by manual and physical methods to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function to relieve pain and promote health.”

British Columbians can be sure that they are receiving the highest quality of care available because RMTs in BC are governed by the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC) – which is the profession’s equivalent to the College of Physicians and Surgeons – the regulatory body for all RMTs in BC. The CMTBC ensures that the public receives safe and ethical care by establishing and enforcing standards of education, qualifications, and the scope and quality of practice for all RMTs.

Conditions

Over the past decade,  massage therapy has seen a rise in demand in B.C.  This is the result of continuous improvement and learning in this field of practice, higher educational standards, research studies that show the effectiveness of massage therapy, and an increase in public demand for non-surgical and drug-free treatment options.

Massage therapy is highly effective when used as part of a preventive care program. Some examples of general wellness care include pre or post-natal care (pregnancy), infant massage, stress management, sports training, injury prevention, geriatrics care, and performance enhancement.

In British Columbia, over 75 percent of medical physicians regularly refer their patients to a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) – and they make these referrals because massage therapy is both accessible and effective in the treatment of their patients’ conditions. Today, RMTs use a blend of modern science and ancient philosophies, utilizing specific techniques and modalities to treat a wide range of conditions that are detailed (and not limited to) the list in Table 1 below.

Table 1: List of Conditions that May be Treated by Massage Therapy

Source: Registered Massage Therapists Association of BC