ABOUT MASSAGE THERAPY
Massage therapists, with their breadth of scope and training, are well-positioned to contribute significantly to primary care teams. As a clinically-oriented healthcare option, massage therapy is increasingly integrated with standard medical care to effectively address various symptoms (Lebert, 2018).
The evidence supports the notion that massage therapy enhances patient outcomes and given its versatility in treating a range of health conditions, massage therapists can serve as valuable members of diverse integrative teams across various healthcare settings.
Evolving our healthcare providers to meet complex patient presentations requires members to collaborate with each other to accomplish common goals that improve the patient’s experience and outcomes.
"Interprofessional education occurs when two or more professionals learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes" (WHO, 2010)
WHAT IS MASSAGE THERAPY?
Massage therapy is a health care treatment that is effective, economical and versatile. It helps alleviate the discomfort associated with every day and occupational stresses, muscular overuse, injury and chronic pain as well as mood disorders and many acute conditions.
Massage therapy scope of practice is defined as “the assessment of the soft tissue and joints of the body and the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissue and joints by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function, or relieve pain” in the Massage Therapy Act, 1991 (CMTO, 2023).
Regulation and Education
Massage therapy is a regulated under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 in British Columbia, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Regulation is being actively pursued in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan.
Massage therapists usually require completion of an 18- 36-month program in massage therapy from an accredited (or soon to be accredited) school followed by registration with the College of Massage Therapists in regulated provinces.
Accreditation
The accreditation process is proceeding for all massage therapy programs in Canada, the goal of the CMTCA is to improve the quality of massage therapy education and raise the credibility of the profession and its practitioners. Many programs across the country have successfully become accredited.
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