What happens on the first visit?
Does massage therapy hurt?
What do I wear?
Am I expected to tip?
Can anyone get massage therapy?
How do I know my information is kept private?
What happens on the first visit?
On your first visit with a Massage Therapist, you will fill out a confidential health history form. This is to determine illnesses, injuries, medication and history of disease. Your Massage Therapist will go over this form with you and ask related questions to ensure that the treatment is safe for you. At that time, a series of orthopedic testing and questions relating to your primary concern may be given and you and your Massage Therapist will come up with a treatment plan to focus on your short and long term goals. Examples of goals may be to decrease pain or increase range of motion to get back to regular activities of daily living.
Does massage therapy hurt?
While there are some techniques that RMTs will administer that may be uncomfortable, you should always be able to control your breath throughout the whole treatment. Holding your breath to get through a painful technique doesn’t benefit you. Remember- you are in control of this treatment and can tell the RMT to change pressure, move to a different body part or stop the massage altogether. Deep, controlled, mindful breathing is the best way to prevent your muscles from resisting a massage technique. Your Massage Therapist will check in with you periodically to ensure the treatment pressure is okay.
What do I wear?
During the treatment you can wear as little or as much clothing as you are comfortable wearing. Your Massage Therapist will always keep you draped and secure with a sheet and blanket. Techniques can be modified over sheets or clothes. Being able to access the tissues directly is helpful to maximize the release or manipulation of tissues involved.
Am I expected to tip?
No. Massage Therapists are Regulated Health Professionals and fall under the same regulations as your Doctor, Dentist, Chiropractor etc. Tipping should never be expected from a Registered Massage Therapist.
Can anyone get massage therapy?
Yes. Massage therapy is helpful for infants, children, adults and the elderly. Your health history information will determine if there is any reason why you should not receive massage therapy. Registered Massage Therapists are trained to identify high-risk clients and modify the treatments appropriately and safely.
How do I know my information is kept private?
As regulated health professionals, Massage Therapists are required to maintain the information you provide, both verbally and in written form, in the strictest of confidence as required by standards of practice issued by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario – the governing body of Registered Massage Therapy.
Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, covers RMTs. As a result, information that is collected about clients may be collected only with consent, may only be disclosed with consent or to your immediate health providers (circle of care), and must be secured and maintained.