Massage Therapy
Receive Long-Term Body Relief
It happened again. You sat in a chair too long, and your back isn’t happy. Now your plans — working out, playing with your kids, relaxing — are overshadowed by the pain.
You need massage therapy.
Already familiar with us and our process?
Meet Healing Oak's Massage Therapists
The 3-Step Foundation Process For Massage Therapy
Step 1: Assessment
Step 2: Care Plan Discussion
Once you’re assessed, your practitioner goes over massage therapy treatment options. We want to help strengthen and heal your body, so you live pain-free.
Step 3: Your First Treatment
Once we’ve figured out the course of action, we dive into your first treatment. Afterwards, if necessary, we book your next appointment.
When Is It A Good Idea To Get Massage Therapy?
Massage is excellent for:
- Reducing muscle tension & body pain (ie whiplash)
- Lowering blood pressure
- Relieving stress
Don’t get a massage if you have:
- Cracked or broken bones
- Bleeding disorders (especially blood clots)
- Open wounds or burns
- Serious medical conditions (e.g. osteoporosis)
3 Treatments Our Massage Therapists Use
Massage isn’t simply rubbing your back and sending you on your way. There are a variety of ways your massage therapist can give you pain relief and strengthen your body:
Manual Therapy
This is your massage therapist’s assessment technique… By manipulating your muscles and joints, your RMT locates problem areas and treats them accordingly.
Massage Therapy
Your RMT utilizes various forms of manipulation to relax the soft tissue in your body, such as:
- Pressure
- Stretching
- Friction
These are done with hands, arms, and tools (like rollers).
Some massage types include:
- Swedish – also known as the “classic” massage, this method uses soft, kneading strokes to lessen tension and help you relax.
- Deep tissue – your RMT manipulates the deepest layers of muscle and fascia (connective tissue). This is for specific injuries and chronic pain.
- Myofascial release – this technique breaks up tightness in your body’s connective tissues, restoring movement and lessening pain.
- Trigger point therapy – trigger points, or “knots,” are balls of tense muscle — your therapist releases these knots through stretching and pressure.
Joint Mobilization
Google Reviews
The 3 Most Common Massage Therapy Myths
Myth #1 - IT SPREADS CANCER CELLS
There’s a common fear that massage spreads cancer, either by breaking up tumours or circulating cancerous cells through the blood.
The Truth
- an RMT won’t massage hard enough to “break up” a tumour.
- Raised circulation won’t spread cancer cells — more blood is pumped during exercise than a massage!
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Nausea
- Muscle pain
- Lymphedema (buildup of lymphatic fluid, common after lymphoma treatment)
Myth #2 - THE BENEFITS ARE TEMPORARY
Some assume that massages only feel good on the table, and that you’ll be back to pain in no time.
The Truth
Massage reduces muscle pain, which reduces stress on the body. Less bodily stress now = less chance of chronic pain and stiffness down the road.
Myth #3 - YOU CAN’T STOP THE MASSAGE IF IT GETS PAINFUL
Many people think massages are out of their control. No matter how painful it gets, you must grit your teeth and say nothing.
The Truth
3 Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage therapy can treat both acute and chronic conditions. RMTs work with a wide variety of patients in the treatment of illness, injury, rehabilitation and disability.
Here are just a few of the many benefits of massage therapy:
1
Helps Counteract Postural Stress
Many of us spend our days hunched over a desk — this puts stress on the shoulders and back, leading to chronic pain. Massage therapy eases this tension, allowing you to work pain-free.
2
Boosts Mental Health
Anxiety prompts the “fight-or-flight” response in our bodies, resulting in muscle tension. Massage therapy helps combat this response by relaxing the muscles. And nothing raises moods like the pain relief afterwards!
3
Improves Joint Mobility
Massage therapy can help soothe sore joints and muscles by improving circulation and enhancing blood flow to the joints. This can improve movement and reduce pain for those suffering from joint-related ailments.