The Massage Therapy FAQ

What is Massage Therapy?

Massage Therapy is defined as “the assessment of the soft tissue and joints of the body and the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissues and joints by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function, or relieve pain.”

Which sounds kind of vague, doesn’t it? You can think of massage therapy as a type of manual therapy that directly manipulates the body with a wide variety of techniques to increase function and decrease pain. As a practice, it can take many forms and does not always conform to the traditional picture of a patient lying undressed under the sheets of a massage table while a therapist uses lotion/oil to relaxingly glide over your skin. Sometimes, it’s more invigorating and stimulating than relaxing. Other times, it focuses more on stretches and dynamic movements or more subtle manipulations. Many styles are practised fully clothed and without oil or lotion. It all depends on the style of the therapist and the needs of the patient. Any form of hands-on treatment that manipulates soft tissue and joints can fall under the scope of massage therapy.

What Are the Effects and Benefits of Massage Therapy?

Massage can work either as a direct treatment for musculoskeletal dysfunction, or as a supplementary treatment to assist in the body’s natural healing processes. Techniques that directly manipulate the tissues of the body can:

Decrease muscle tension
Increase range of motion at joints
Increase circulation
Break down and integrate scar tissue
Decrease lymphedema

Massage techniques also reflexively stimulate the nervous system, decreasing the body’s stress response, modulating our experience of pain, and promoting a neurological state that better facilitates tissue repair.

Because of this indirect effect, massage can help people deal with conditions like:

Mood and sleep disorders like depression, anxiety and insomnia
Chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia
Traumatic brain injury like concussion

While massage therapy is great at treating muscle pain and tension, many people don’t realize it can also be very effective at helping with:

Postural alignment and dysfunction
Jaw pain and TMJ dysfunction
Peripheral nerve entrapments like thoracic outlet syndrome or pseudo sciatica
Painful or restrictive scars

What Does RMT Stand For?

RMT stands for “Registered Massage Therapist” and refers to a practitioner who is registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO). In Ontario, only an RMT massage practitioner who has completed the requisite education and passed their entry to practice exams to register with the CMTO is allowed to refer to themselves as a Therapist or RMT. This is a designation that signifies their verified ability to provide safe and effective care to their patients. Although it is acceptable for someone to practice massage without being an RMT, they would be properly referred to as massage practitioners and not “therapists,” as the level of care they are able to provide has not been verified by the standards set by the CMTO.

How Do I Choose the Right Massage Therapist?

You can simply Google “RMT near me” in Toronto to get started. Choosing the right RMT in Toronto may seem like a daunting task, but here are a few things to think about as you make your choice.

It’s okay to shop around a little, and you won’t hurt our feelings. We want you to find the RMT massage therapist that is right for you as much as we want to attract the patients that are right for us. It makes for better overall healthcare for everyone.

Make sure you feel comfortable with your RMT massage therapist and their approach to your healthcare. Massage is both a science and an art, and RMTs can vary widely in our approaches. It is important to find one that you find effective and are comfortable with. You should always feel empowered to speak up about anything that you feel during the RMT massage treatment, any preferences you have, and as many questions as you want.

Make sure your RMT is actively listening to your main complaints and involving you in making decisions about how you would like to go about your treatment. We can always adapt our style and approach to fit your specific needs, whatever they are. If, for any reason, an RMT feels they can’t meet your specific needs, they will refer you to a colleague that they feel can, to ensure you get the best care.

When you’re searching for “RMT near me” in Ontario, you can also look into the CMTO’s registry. This is where any member of the public can see their education, locations of practice and any disciplinary actions or complaints lodged against them, as well as how they were resolved. Feel free to check up on your prospective RMT to ensure you feel safe and comfortable; that’s why it is there.

Do I Tip a Massage Therapist?

The short answer is no. We are healthcare practitioners and in no way do we expect you to provide more money for our services than we charge upfront.

The longer answer is maybe… if you really want to. Suppose you feel your RMT massage therapist has done an outstanding job and would like to offer a small token of appreciation in the form of a tip. In that case, that may be acceptable, provided the tip is reasonable and presented without any sense of obligation. Don’t be offended if your RMT politely declines your gesture; they may feel uncomfortable mixing the idea of tipping with healthcare.

RMTs also work in spa settings where tipping is considered much more commonplace. Even though these settings are much more focused on creating a more luxurious environment for you to enjoy, if you are seeing an RMT, you are still seeing a healthcare practitioner for the purpose of healthcare, and it is always your choice to tip, never your obligation.

–Trey Bendo, Registered Massage Therapist