I’ve been an Internet-loving massage therapist since 1994, and I’ve received a better education online than I have in most formal classrooms. The Internet has offered me the opportunity to connect with brilliant colleagues, trailblazers, and mentors around the planet, in addition to feeding me an endless stream of hilarious

The letters that follow your name (like “LMT,” “CMT”) identify your responsibilities and limitations. Your title defines the who, what, when, where, and how of your professional scope of practice. Confusion, frustration, and resentment shadow many massage professionals’ understanding of their place among other wellness providers.   “Are certain modalities

Cupping has existed in folk medicine for more than two thousand years. At the 2016 Olympics, the tell-tale circular bruises on Michael Phelp’s back put the spotlight on cupping, with many asking, “What is this and why? Should I be getting cupping? After all, what’s good enough for elite gold

In the last decade, many educational programs have updated their policies and curricula to be trauma-informed, but massage therapy lags behind, even though it’s one of the professions that could most benefit from a trauma-informed update. Massage therapists are often sought after to reduce pain and anxiety, so a disproportionate

I have been a registered massage therapist (RMT) in British Columbia, Canada, for just over 30 years. For my first five years, I worked at a busy, established massage therapy office in Vancouver that had all the neighbouring doctors referring to it. Following the tradition of taking five years to

Research finds no difference in pain outcomes among Kinesio Taping, McConnell taping, and sham taping, but what does this mean for manual therapists and patients with knee pain?

Going beyond muscles, bones, and joints, Dr. Ronald Melzack paved a path to a more complex yet holistic way of understanding pain, leading to a gentler approach to treating patients. Famed psychologist and pain researcher Ronald Melzack died on Sunday, December 22, 2019, in Montréal. His work had revolutionized how

The 2010s saw a gradual shift in interest in massage and physical therapy education in applying research to practice, particularly in the area of pain. Many research during the 2010s challenged traditional ideas on how pain works and what it is. Since most of these research are built upon previous

Many massage therapists and personal trainers believe that they can stretch fascia or break adhesions with manual therapy, foam rollers, or other tools and methods. However, no quality evidence exists to date that says we can stretch or change the shape of fascia in any lasting or meaningful manner. The

Why is there such a difference in massage therapy culture between Canada and the U.S.? (Originally published in Fall 2016 issue of Massage & Fitness Magazine. Content is based on information up to November 1, 2016.) Before the 1990s, most of massage therapy education in Canada was similar to the

Two years prior to treatment, a fellow ballet dancer stretched Emily’s foot and toes in plantar flexion but went too far to a point where she felt something was off. A few days later, she developed severe pain on the dorsolateral part of her right foot and continued to increase

Many people find short-term stress and pain relief from back pain by “popping” their back or have a manual therapist, like a chiropractor, do it for them. Common ways to pop your back include sitting on a chair or standing up and turn your torso to your right or left