Remedy Wellness Centre

Registered Massage Therapy

Registered Massage Therapy in Victoria, BC

Massage for pain, relaxation, sport and pregnancy

At our Victoria, BC clinic, our Registered Massage Therapist’s provide primarily therapeutic massage and orthopedic massage therapy. Most can also offer relaxation massage, sport massage and pregnancy massage. Each treatment is uniquely tailored to your needs, on the day you come in. Each room is cozy, quiet and ambient so you can zen right out.

Your RMT will develop a treatment plan specific to your needs based on your health history, injuries, posture, stress level and most importantly, your reason for massage. Expect a short discussion, postural assessment, some orthopedic tests if indicated, and a quick chat about informed consent before you get on the table. Some time is also typically reserved at the end to prescribe homecare exercises or lifestyle changes, and a follow up treatment schedule. We want you to have as much time on the table as possible, without neglecting these very important parts of the therapeutic process.

Our RMTs in Victoria, BC are trained in a variety of techniques and will likely use a combination of them during your treatment. To ensure that you receive the massage therapy treatment style you’re looking for, we recommend reading the profile of each massage therapist.

We also have Intern Massage Practitioners, who are not registered yet.

Learn more: Intern Services and Chronic Conditions Program

Massage Treatments

Each RMT’s has a unique practice style. We encourage you to read their profiles to determine who will be the best fit for your needs. Some practitioners have a strictly orthopedic practice and others also incorporate some relaxation techniques. Some have a lot of experience in specific areas like injury rehabilitation, working with athletes, pregnancy massage or chronic pain management. Below are some of the common techniques that most RMT’s use in practice.

Learn more: What to Expect At Your Massage Appointment

Deep Tissue/Swedish Massage

Deep tissue/swedish massage is a very commonly used technique by Registered Massage Therapists. Its what most people picture, when they think of getting a massage. There’s oil or lotion on the skin to provide some glide as the massage therapists hands knead and flush your muscles with the goal of releasing tension and “knots.”

This style of massage is very fluid and flowing, and promotes circulation through the tissue. It can be done very slowly, which is more relaxing or more vigorously, which is stimulating, depending on what the treatment goal is. Your RMT will often use a theratherm heating pad to warm the area up, as well as some gentler techniques, before applying deep tissue pressure. Its important to communicate with your RMT about the depth of this type of treatment, as the old saying “no pain, no gain” is outdated and completely inaccurate.

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Myofascial Release

Myofascial Release is a technique applied to both the fascial connective tissue and muscles. Fascia is a web of connective tissue intertwined between all other parts of the body. It surrounds and supports all the organs, bones, joints, vasculature, nerves and muscles of the body. Fascia doesn’t contract, like muscles do, but it can become adhered. Adhesions are areas where the fascia is “stuck” and restrict range of motion, cause postural dysfunctions and cause pain.

To release these adhesions the therapist applies a stretch into the restriction and holds it while the tissue releases. The effects are cumulative and long lasting. Imagine slowly pulling a plastic bag in two directions so you are stretching it out without breaking it. Some specialized forms of MFR you may have heard of include Heller Work and Rolfing.

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Lymphatic Drainage

Manual lymph drainage (MLD) is a massage technique that focuses on increasing or redirecting the flow of lymph fluid throughout the body, to reduce lymphatic congestion. MLD is available with Brett McInnes, RMT.

What conditions are treated with MLD?

Acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, shingles, burns
Bell’s palsy, trigeminal neuralgia, multiple sclerosis (MS), myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
Migraines and other types of headache
Acute orthopedic injury, fractures, strains, tears, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD), bursitis, frozen shoulder, osteoarthritis (OA), anterior compartment syndrome, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise
And more….

Learn more: What is Lymphatic Drainage?

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Trigger Point Release

A Trigger Point is essentially a “knot” in a muscle or fascia that is locally painful and may refer pain to a distant site. For example there are TP’s in the trapezius muscle that refer pain up the posterior neck and into the head, specifically around the temple and jaw. This TP can be a major cause of tension headaches. Releasing it and others around the head and neck can provide relief from tension headaches.

At Remedy Wellness Centre we use our knowledge of trigger points for both treatment and determining the cause of your symptoms/determining where it’s coming from. In many cases the source of the pain isn’t where it hurts. There are many conditions that are misdiagnosed, like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow, which turn out to be trigger point referral pain coming from somewhere else in the kinetic chain. Releasing trigger points in the neck and shoulders will often relieve these symptoms and can prevent the patient from having unnecessary surgery.

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Contract-Relax Stretching

Contract Relax Stretching (also called PNF or Isolytic Stretching) is a technique used to gain length in shortened muscles, therefore increasing range of motion and flexibility. The massage therapist takes the target muscle to the point of a gentle stretch. The patient is asked to contract against resistance provided by the therapist for 10 seconds, then to relax for 5 seconds. This triggers a reflex response that resets the connection between the brain and the muscle spindles (stretch sensors in the muscles), allowing the muscle to lengthen more. The process is repeated 3-5 times or until the desired length is achieved. This approach can be very effective to relieve tension and pain.

Caution: this type of stretching should only be done with an experienced partner or with a certified therapist as there is risk of overstretch and injury. Please do not attempt at home without professional advise.

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Neurokinetic Therapy

Neurokinetic Therapy is an assessment and treatment protocol that focuses on assessing how you organize motor control. Neuro means nervous system and kinetic means movement.

With this approach we consider an uncomfortable or painful area to be dysfunctional and assess whether it is neurologically overactive (you use it too much) or neurologically underactive (you don’ t use it when you should). Both situations will result in tension, discomfort and pain. About 80% of the time, the painful area is underactive, and will respond better to muscle activation, rather than muscle release.

NKT looks at the body in systems and kinetic chains, and assesses how those systems of movement are functioning together. This approach is highly specific. We often say it’s like hunting with a sniper riffle, vs hunting with a shotgun. Kasey Thompson is the only RMT certified in NKT and is trained at the highest level (3).

Learn more: Neurokinetic Therapy

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Therapeutic Exercise

Movement is so important. When they said “if you don’t move it, you lose it,” they were absolutely right. Muscle and postural imbalances need to be corrected in order to truly achieve your health and wellness goals, especially if recovering from injury. If you alleviate the symptoms, but don’t correct the imbalance, it’s just a matter of time before the symptoms return. It’s essential to eliminate the cause to achieve lasting results.

Therapeutic exercises are prescribed by your massage therapist for you to perform either in treatment or at home, or both. Strengthening exercises are used for weak, underused areas. Stretching is used for tight, shortened, overused areas. Functional exercises can be used to reintegrate movement patterns that were dysfunctional.

Our RMT’s also work closely with our Physiotherapists to build you the right treatment plan.

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