Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) in British Columbia are health care professionals committed to restoring and maintaining optimal health and pain-free function of the body. They are educated and trained to accurately assess, diagnose and provide treatment with techniques which include, but are not limited to, massage and manual therapy, joint mobilization, hydrotherapy, and rehabilitative exercise such as stretching, strengthening, postural exercise and patient education.
Massage Therapy is an effective approach to pain management and rehabilitation with a broad number of applications. RMTs are effective in treating and providing relief for a wide range of disorders such as migraine headaches, tendinitis, arthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia and sports injuries, as well as many other common conditions related to soft tissue and joint dysfunction.
General History of Massage Therapy
The practice of massage is woven throughout history into the Egyptian, Chinese, Indian, Greek, Roman, French, Swedish and English cultures. Hippocrates, often considered the “father of western medicine”, referenced massage in his ‘terrain cures’ in 460 BC.
In early history, massage was often considered an art form rather than a medical practice. However, in recent times science has taken massage to a new level and redefined it as an evidence-based practice now referred to as ‘massage therapy’.
In contemporary times, the advancement of massage therapy can be credited, in part, to Per Henrik Ling (Sweden) and also Johann Mezger (Holland), who developed a system of medical gymnastics that combined massage and exercise. This led to the formation of the Society of Trained Masseuses in Britian, which in 1894 established the first standards for training and education of massage therapy.
In B.C., the practice of massage therapy has a rich tradition that dates back to the early 1900’s. The grass roots of the massage therapy profession can be best traced from 1946 when nurses and remedial gymnasts founded the Association of Physiotherapists and Massage Practitioners of B.C. (APMP). Their treatments were focused on rehabilitating and restoring patients to optimal health.
Massage Therapy Today
In British Columbia, the massage therapy profession has evolved from the massage techniques described by Hippocreates, Ling and Mezger to an evidence-based system of scientifically supported manual therapy (hands-on), activation (exercises) and patient education practices.
Over the past decade, there has been a significant rise in demand for massage therapy in British Columbia. The rise in massage therapy use can be attributed to higher educational standards, research studies showing the efficacy of massage therapy and an overall increase in public interest in non-surgical and drug-free treatment options for musculoskeletal conditions and pain. Increasingly, scientific research supports the use of massage therapy as an effective approach in pain and injury management, rehabilitation and prevention.
In British Columbia, over 75 percent of medical physicians regularly refer their patients to a Registered Massage therapist (RMT)- and they make these referrals because massage therapy is both accessible and effective in the treatment of their patients’ conditions.
Today, RMTs use a blend of ancient philosophies and modern science. Committed to providing quality health care services, improving health outcomes, and being there when needed, RMTs are an integral part of the health care fabric of B.C. Whether someone is suffering from disease, acute or chronic injury, of those facing a crisis, the RMTs of B.C. are there.
What Registered Massage Therapists Do (Scope of Practice)
RMTs in B.C. are members of a self-regulating health care profession and are legislated by the government under the B.C. Health Professions Act. The scope of practice for massage therapy in B.C. provides mandatory standards and guidelines for every RMT.
Currently, RMTs practice a wide variety of modalities which include manual “hands-on” techniques, activation (exercise), water therapy, and physical agents (topical applications). Specific techniques include joint mobilizations, hydrotherapy, rehabilitative exercise such as stretching, strengthening and postural exercise, along with patient education.
REGISTERED MASSGE TEHRAPITS TAKE TIME TO WORK WITH THEIR PATIENTS TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT PLAN THAT MEETS THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF EACH PATIENT.
Massage Therapy – A Regulated Health Care Profession
Massage therapy has been a regulated health care profession in B.C. since 1946. British Columbians can be sure that they are receiving the highest quality of care available. This is because the RMT designation means that the therapist adheres to strict practice and ethical standards. It also guarantees that a therapist trained in B.C. has met the most challenging and comprehensive educational standards in North America.
Since 1994, the standards of the profession have been enforced by the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC), which came into being in accordance with the provisions of the Health Professions Act. The CMTBC’s primary role as defined by the legislation is to serve and protect the public.
As the regulatory body for the profession, the CMTBC is responsible for many important functions including:
· Superintending the practice of the profession
· Governing registrants in accordance with the Health Professions Act and all other related legislation
· Establishing, monitoring, and enforcing standard of education, qualification and the quality of practice*
*to see the full extent of CMTBC activities and for other information see their web site at www.cmtbc.bc.ca
Medical Coverage
Massage therapy is highly accessible in B.C. This is due to its representation in every health region, its recognition by other health care professions, and to its coverage under MSP, ICBC, DVA, RCMP, WCB and extended health care plans. RMTs are primary contact providers, therefore referrals are not required for MSP coverage of their services.
What Type of Education Do Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) Receive?
RMTs in British Columbia are unique. They are world leaders in the development of massage therapy as a regulated health profession. RMTs in this province must meet the most stringent educational and professional standards in North America.
To become an RMT in B.C., Bree completed 3,000 hours of training over three years at West Coast College of Massage Therapy in New Westminster. Compare this to a university bachelor degree, which typically averages 1,500 hours over four years.
Standard course requirements include comprehensive studies of the basic health sciences such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology, and neuroanatomy. Clinical Sciences include areas such as manual skills, orthopedics, remedial exercise and hydrotherapy. Practical training in the effects of long-term stress is also extensively studied. In addition to these requirements, students receive vigorous training in all professional and regulatory standards affecting the profession.
Upon completion of the 3,000 hour program, students must then pass provincial licensing exams in order to become an RMT recognized by the Ministry of Health, CMTBC, MTABC, Insurance Corporation of B.C. (ICBC), Workers Compensation Board (WCB), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and extended health care plans. Post-graduate education is mandatory for RMTs in B.C. in order to maintain licensure.
HOW MASSAGE THERAPY WORKS
RMTs’ extensive training allows them to meet a wide range of health care needs, from acute injury rehabilitation to prevention and maintenance of general overall health. Massage therapy is the integration of manual techniques, active exercise programs and patient education working in conjunction with the medical doctors. RMTs are trained to assess the specific rehabilitative requirements of injured persons. This allows RMTs to correctly identify the appropriate treatment program for each person. While individual programs can vary, a program may include specialized hydrotherapy, core stabilization and strengthening exercises.
These programs are often progressive in nature, initially addressing the pain, discomfort and inflammation associated with injuries. As treatment progresses, RMTs will often address the underlying cause and work to rehabilitate the patient. Once rehabilitation is complete and the patient has been restored to optimal function, the RMT can offer preventive education and exercise programs.
Research shows that massage therapy is effective in reducing fibrosis and contracture, improving circulation, reducing muscular spasm, controlling pain, improving respiratory function and affecting the emotional centres in the limbic system.
SKELETAL MUSCLES
Muscles move our bodies. The muscle and skeletal system makeup 60% of the mass of the human body. Skin, fascia, muscle, tendon and ligaments are a few examples of what is called soft tissue. Apart from its obvious role in the support and motion of the body, muscle is also involved in biochemical and biomechanical activities. Soft tissue is the main consumer of our body’s energy.
Soft tissue can be a source of a great deal of pain and dysfunction. This pain can be general, localized or can refer to other areas of the body. Dysfunctions can be the result of trauma, such as sport or motor vehicle injuries, illness, emotional stress and mechanical such as poor posture.
RMTs use specialized techniques that are shown to improve muscle tone, strength, and endurance, and produce relaxation of the muscles. Muscle tissue does its work by contracting and relaxing. If the muscle remains shortened by injury of overuse, it becomes dysfunctional and can no longer perform to its maximum potential. RMTs are trained to work directly with manual manipulation techniques or indirectly with exercise techniques to elongate the contracted muscle and restore the muscle to normal function. Benefits of massage therapy treatment are the reduction of spasm, the improvement of range of motion and strength, and prevention of fibrosis (scare tissue).
Effective massage therapy techniques focus on shortened soft tissues and attempts to restore their natural, pain free function through hands-on manual techniques, activation (stretches)and patient education. RMTs are the leaders of health care in the effective natural treatment of soft tissue disorders.
FIBROSIS AND CONTRACTURE
The prevention and treatment of fibrosis (abnormal formation of scar tissue) and contracture (abnormal shortening of muscle and soft tissue) is a primary treatment goal following tissue damage, inflammation or immobilization. For example, transverse frictions, a manual technique used to treat strained ligaments, prevents abnormal adhesion formation to surrounding connective tissue, bones and tendons.
Application of these techniques is used to treat tendinitis, muscular and ligamentous lesions from both recent injury and remaining scar tissue formation from a past injury. Other conditions commonly treated for fibrosis and contracture include torticollis, contusions (post-acute), adhesive capsulitis, osteoarthritis and most musculo-skeletal lesions.
CIRCULATION
Massage Therapy has been found to be more effective in increasing blood flow than moderate exercise. Selected massage therapy techniques decrease blood pressure and heart rate, making it a recommended treatment for some cardiac and hypertensive patients.
Manual soft tissue treatment increases circulation of the blood and lymph, influencing effective delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells. As a result, patients with edema and inflammatory conditions may be helped by massage therapy.
CONTROL OF PAIN
The effectiveness of massage therapy in pain control is widely recognized. It can act directly on pain receptors, either at a peripheral or central nervous system level.
Therapeutic soft tissue manipulation is used to break the pain-tension cycle, thereby directly affecting the source of pain. Pain relief can also be obtained by the increase of circulation (decrease of congestion), the increase of range of motion (ROM) and the release of myofascial trigger points. Pain management through massage therapy is useful for post-traumatic, post-surgical and palliative (terminal) care. It may also help with pain associated with muscular lesions, arthritis, neuritis and other inflammatory conditions.
RESPIRATORY FUNCTION
Respiratory disorders and diseases are commonly treated with massage therapy. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma are commonly treated with massage therapy. When breathing muscles are taxed and rib cage mobility is decreased, manual therapy treatment can be beneficial by improving forced vital capacity, respiratory rate and chest expansion. Techniuqes used for people with COPD include postural drainage, manipulation of respiratory muscles combined with chest percussion and exercises for breathing and trunk mobilization.