Services

Active Healing Centre

Massage Therapy

Pain and Stress Relief
Active Healing Centre registered massage therapy
Overview

Massage therapy is the most frequently used therapy for muscular problems and is especially useful for managing pain and stress. It encompasses a wide variety of techniques, but generally involves hands-on manipulation of muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments and can be used for prevention, rehabilitation, restoration or maintenance.

After treatment, many patients feel relaxed and relief from the aches and pains that have built up from months of stress. An initial period of feeling slower than normal is not uncommon, but it is followed by an energized calm lasting days.

Massage therapy can help with:
  • Stress, by reducing anxiety levels
  • Stiffness, by stretching and kneading muscles and enhancing joint flexibility
  • Delayed muscle soreness, by increasing circulation to remove waste products
  • General health, by improving energy flow
  • Tingling in limbs, by releasing muscle spasms
  • Injuries, by reducing inflammation
  • Posture, by reducing restrictions in the muscles, joints and surrounding fascia
Active Healing Centre physiotherapy
Massage Therapy Techniques at Active Healing Centre:
  • Chair massage
  • Couples massage
  • Deep tissue massage
  • Hot stone massage
  • Myofascial release
  • Prenatal massage
  • Relaxation massage
  • Sports massage
  • Stress relief massage
  • Swedish massage
  • Therapeutic massage
  • Trigger point therapy
Insurance coverage

Massage therapy is not covered by OHIP, but many private insurance companies cover treatment from a massage therapist as part of their employee health benefit plan.  Please consult your policy.

Chair Massage

Have a Seat
Overview

If you can’t make time for a full-body massage, a quick alternative is a chair massage.  By helping reduce muscle tension and calm the nervous system, chair massage will leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to return to your activity. Chair massage is performed in a specially designed chair in which clients kneel in a face-forward position.  The chair has a pad and face cradle to support the head, chest and neck, and it is fully adjustable for height and comfort to suit your needs.  No oil is used and the massage takes place while you are fully clothed.

Chair massage is recommended for:
  • Anger, anxiety, depression
  • Exhaustion, both emotional and physical
  • Pain and strain (back and neck pain, eyestrain, headaches)
  • Poor concentration
  • Pregnancy-related discomfort

Chair massage results are immediate and effects are cumulative with regular treatment.  The chair is portable, easy to use and set up and dismantle.  There is no need to change clothes or shower afterwards.

Insurance coverage

Chair massage therapy is not covered by OHIP, but many private insurance companies cover treatment from a massage therapist as part of their employee health benefit plan. Please consult your policy.

Deep Tissue Massage

Reaching the Inner Layers
Overview

One of the more popular forms of massage therapy at Active Healing Centre, deep tissue massage targets the deeper muscles of the body to provide relief from muscle aches and pains.  It is similar to classic Swedish massage, but the massage strokes are slower, the pressure is deeper, and the focus is on loosening and releasing tension from the deeper layers of muscle, including tendons and fascia, that are “knotted” or tight.  Treatment of these areas of pain is coupled with relaxation techniques to enhance the nervous system and induce a state of calmness and relaxation.

Deep tissue massage is recommended for:
  • Generalized muscle tension
  • Lower back tightness
  • Neck stiffness
  • Recovery from injuries
  • Shoulder discomfort
  • Sports injuries
  • Tension headaches

Deep tissue massage can be used for relaxation, rehabilitation and restoration. All the Registered Massage Therapists at Active Healing Centre are highly-trained in providing deep tissue massage, and can quickly isolate and massage the areas of pain and discomfort.

Insurance coverage

Deep tissue massage therapy is not covered by OHIP, but many private insurance companies cover treatment from a massage therapist as part of their employee health benefit plan. Please consult your policy.

Sports Massage

For the Athlete
Overview

With the increased interest in sports and fitness, many people are taking advantage of sports massage. From individuals to the serious athlete, both encounter injury and soreness, and massage therapy helps athletes perform their best to reach their personal goals.

Benefits
  • Prevent injury
  • Stretches and lengthens shortened muscles
  • Relieves muscle soreness and reduces spasms
  • Speeds up removal of waste products by improving circulation
  • Shortens recovery time allowing your muscles to rejuvenate
Usage

Massage is an important part of serious training.  Registered massage therapy focuses on potential trouble spots before they become injuries. It’s preventative medicine for every athlete.

Training massage: Used regularly during training, it can improve flexibility, reduce spasms, flush lactic acid, and address any muscle issues before they impair performance. It helps prevent injury and shorten recovery time from sport-related injuries, such as tendinitis, sprains, and shin splints.

Pre-event massage: Done up to 1-hour before an event, it warms up muscles and tendons through the use of invigorating techniques in preparation for intense use. Used immediately prior to the event, pre-event work gives athletes the chance to mentally prepare for maximum performance. It should be done 5 – 6 days before the race.

Post-event: The day after a race, walk a few minutes and then jog easily for a kilometre. Gently stretch after your jog and then have a massage, while muscles are still warm and circulation is high. This helps relax tight muscles, relieve cramping, reduce recovery time and decrease muscle soreness.

Program of care
  • Massage is recommended every 3 – 4 weeks generally and 1 – 2 times per week during training for an event
  • Deep tissue massage should be done up to 72-hours before an event
  • Myofascial release massage should be done up to 24-hours before an event
  • Pre-event massage should be done up to 1-hour before an event
  • Post-event massage should be done the day after an event
Insurance coverage

Sports massage therapy is not covered by OHIP, but many private insurance companies cover treatment from a massage therapist as part of their employee health benefit plan. Please consult your policy.

Stress Relief Massage

Managing Life
Overview

Stress, both positive (eustress) and negative (distress), is a natural part of life, a reaction to the demands on our physical and mental energy. The unhealthy effects of stress can show up all over the body — from the skin to the internal organs — and left unabated, it can depress the immune system, making us susceptible to colds and flu. The happiest people are not those who try to avoid stress (since stress is unavoidable), but those that respond successfully to it.

Signs of stress
  • Exhaustion, fatigue, tired all the time
  • Sleepless nights
  • Chronic headaches, backaches, neck pain
  • Repetitive injuries such as tendinitis or carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Digestive disorders (contributing factors in IBS, diarrhea, cramps, heartburn)
  • Heart disease (high blood pressure)
  • Dental problems (grinding or clenching your teeth)
  • Mental distress (lack of concentration, memory loss, moodiness, anxiety, irritability, anger)
  • Nervousness, depression, dizziness
  • Decreased resistance to colds, infection
  • Poor job performance at work, burnout
Stress Management
  • Examine your lifestyle and make necessary changes
  • Get sufficient rest and sleep
  • Identify the source of stress
  • Practice mental and physical relaxation techniques
  • Follow a well-balanced diet and drink plenty of water
  • Reduce caffeine intake
  • Avoid reliance on drugs and alcohol
  • Maintain good posture and get regular exercise

Massage therapy is a simple but effective coping strategy for stress, as it provides immediate relief. A full body treatment, massage therapy treats the symptoms of stress by helping to lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate, slow breathing, normalize digestion, relax muscles, and relieve painful trigger points. Massage therapy gives you back control and a sense of well-being.  See the demonstration video of massage therapy for stress relief produced by Active Healing Centre.

Insurance coverage

Stress relief massage therapy is not covered by OHIP, but many private insurance companies cover treatment from a massage therapist as part of their employee health benefit plan. Please consult your policy.

Swedish Massage

Mother of All Methods
Overview

Swedish massage therapy is the best-known type of massage and the foundation of many other massage techniques. It uses long gliding strokes, rocking, friction, lifting, kneading, percussion, mobilization, vibration, and lengthening to stretch and loosen tissues and muscles, aid with the range of motion of joints, improve function, and reduce tension.  When the session is finished, the therapist might use gentle exercises to increase flexibility, press on trigger points or apply ice/heat to alleviate any discomfort.

Swedish massage can be used in the acute and chronic stages of treatment and help with a variety of conditions. It is ideal for relaxing tense muscles, alleviating stress and tension, relieving pain and improving sleep.  One hour sessions are recommended to get the full benefit of this type of massage.

Swedish massage is recommended for:
  • Sports injuries
  • Muscle sprain, strain, spasm
  • Back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Tendinitis (such as golfer’s or tennis elbow)
  • Arthritis, bursitis
  • Headaches, migraines
  • Insomnia
  • Whiplash
  • Stress and stress-related conditions
Insurance coverage

Swedish massage therapy is not covered by OHIP, but many private insurance companies cover treatment from a massage therapist as part of their employee health benefit plan. Please consult your policy.