Many Hands Make Light Work

So is it better to only work with a Massage Therapist? Should I see a Physiotherapist? What’s your opinion on Chiropractors?

Massage Therapy is a great place to start for muscle tension and chronic pain. Give me three sessions. If at the end of the third session, you do not feel that Massage Therapy is helping you feel better, let’s talk about either working with a different Massage Therapist, or working with a Physiotherapist. I love Chiropractors!

I firmly believe that every BODY needs a massage and if you are unsure where to start, start there. It is common to work with a Massage Therapist in combination with a Physiotherapist and/or Chiropractor to help the body heal more efficiently.

It is important, however, to not dive into all three at the same time. Why? How will you know which one truly made the difference for you?

When a Massage Therapist is practicing in the same facility as a Physiotherapist and/or a Chiropractor, it is beneficial to the client to have these practitioners under the same roof as they do not have to travel to a separate location. When there is cross referral happening in the clinic space, it also increases the credibility and trust between these practitioners.

The Massage Therapist can also benefit greatly from having these practitioners accessible to them. If there is a question, or one needs clarification, it is great to be able to ask for a second opinion just around the corner or in passing. It is great to know what the client has been experiencing so far, where one practitioner is working, and their opinion on a good place to start. It means the client doesn’t have to spend a lot of their time re-explaining their therapy history. It is wonderful to see practitioners from different backgrounds working together because it wasn’t always this way.

When I was in school in 2006, Massage Therapy was not always well received or understood by Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, or even Physicians. There was also the fear of loss. What if the client gets a Massage and it makes them feel better than getting Chiropractic adjustments or taking a muscle relaxant? Well, hopefully the client would respect you more for referring out.

The truth is, Massage Therapists need Physiotherapists, and Chiropractors. Physiotherapists and Chiropractors also need us. Let’s think about simple anatomy for a second. Muscles attach to bones. If the vertebrae that make up the spine are not properly aligned for example, the muscles will always be misaligned. The muscle may be twisted, shortened or stretched. A massage may help to release these muscles temporarily, but in a short amount of time, those misaligned vertebrae will pull those muscles tight again. If a muscle is constantly tight, over time it can pull the vertebrae out of alignment. Therefore, the body needs someone to work on the foundation, AND someone to work on the frame. 

For more information about some of my favourite Chiropractors and Physiotherapists in Ottawa, please see Dr. Melanie Stewart at Kent Chiro Med and also visit Physiotherapy on Kent. 

If you love your Chiropractor or Physiotherapist, please let me know so I can add them to my list of trusted practitioners.