The overexertion of muscles through rigorous physical training and exercise can affect athletes’ performance and increase their risk for injury. In between those strenuous workouts, the body could use some pampering.

Lower back pain is the greatest source of global disability, ahead of nearly 300 other conditions, leading to huge levels of healthcare costs and suffering. And the effects go far beyond pain, weakness and stiffness – they also have a huge impact the social and family lives of sufferers.

All too often joint mobilizations are dismissed as a modality worthy of being merely a footnote. During RMT schooling they are covered in techniques class. However, they are often relegated to the proverbial back pocket – to the therapist’s and patient’s detriment.

It’s easy to forget that something as simple and restorative as a massage can be an intimidating experience. For clients new to massage therapy as a modality, the unknowns can be walked through and discussed during informed consent.

A new study comparing the health outcomes of more than 300,000 Medicare patients who completed rehabilitation therapy after hospitalization for hip fractures found that more care may not translate to better long-term health.

I’ve been working in healthcare for a long while now and over the decades, I’ve come to the realization that the one good habit that keeps me focused on the bigger picture, the simple thing that facilitates good case management and increases the chances of success is the written report of findings.

Visceral massage is a massage therapy that focuses on a complex part of anatomy; namely the gastro-intestinal tract (the gut).

For many massage therapists, there is an endless quest to improve patient care and decrease the time frame by which patients have to deal with acute or chronic conditions.

Research shows massage therapy is a realistic approach to many forms of pain that can either replace use of drugs, such as opioids, or work in conjunction with non-addictive medication for pain management. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) has compiled some of the strongest clinical and consumer research on massage therapy for pain. (See references below)

Although 70 per cent of Americans die from chronic disease, most do not make their preferences for end of life care known to their families, leaving loved ones unprepared for their final days. Patients who wish to die at home and who can benefit from palliative or hospice care usually are referred too late – often in the last four weeks of life – to maintain comfort and quality of life and to better prepare for death.

It all started when the two of us sat down over a cup of coffee. As a family physician and endocrinologist, we stand on opposite sides of a large chasm called patient wait times, and we both started seeing more and more of our patients getting swallowed up by this abyss.

More and more we are hearing practitioners say that they want to have their patient appointments imported or synced with their personal calendar (such as Google calendar, iCal or Microsoft Outlook) so that they can better manage their time.

How difficult could it be? Becoming the sole owner of a massage therapy clinic certainly makes monetary sense, but it’s easy to be overconfident about the responsibilities involved in pursuing such ‘independence.’

Recording patient information is an essential part of every good health-care practitioner’s clinical obligations.

In our previous article we discussed offering third party insurance billing and how that benefits your patients and your business. Now, let’s describe and “rate” (good, better, best) the technologies that are available for the electronic claims submission process for your clinic.

TORONTO – A growing and aging population is adding pressure to Ontario's health-care system and spending isn't keeping up – a situation that could result in compromised quality of care if left unaddressed, the province's fiscal watchdog warned Wednesday.

In the not-too-distant future, your health insurance, your prescription drugs and some of your treatment may come from the same company.

A Montreal entrepreneur has opened the first Massothérapie Massage Addict in Quebec in the Carré Lucerne in the Town of Mount Royal (TMR).

It's been said there's nothing better than being your own boss. However sometimes the weight of "wearing all the hats" can be emotionally and spiritually draining. So next time things seem a little overwhelming, refer to these five principles every happy business owner lives by.

Third-party billing is when a health-care provider submits claims on behalf of patients to health insurance providers (the third party). The purpose is to manage and direct payment for treatment and services rendered to the patients.

Health spending in Canada is expected to reach $6,604 per capita this year – or about $200 more per person compared to last year – according to a report released Tuesday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

A job interview with a potential employer. A presentation to a group of investors. A first meeting with your soon to be father-in-law. These situations can make even the toughest person weak in the knees. And in every case it's because they lack confidence. Exuding confidence can make you more approachable, likeable, authoritative, and viewed as a leader. But no one can be confident all the time.

Cupping therapy has been used in massage for decades. It is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that was used for many diseases or skin conditions, and is now known for its use in western massage therapy or physiotherapy.

The media is steadily drawing increased attention to the misconduct of health professionals. In a March 25th article in the Toronto Star, journalist Theresa Boyle reflects on a complaint against a particular physician, saying: “It’s cases like this that have placed Ontario’s oversight system for health professionals under the microscope.

Have you ever had a conversation with your staff about why they turn up to work? If so, you’ve probably noticed that employees bring different motivations to work each day. Some are just going through the motions and are completely indifferent about their work.

Despite decades of calls for provincial regulation from within the industry, massage therapy in Quebec remains largely a patchwork of minimum requirements and codes of conduct and the profession is entirely self-regulating.

The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) is redesigning the Quality Assurance Program (QAP).

The portrayal of massage therapists in Hollywood has often been a thorn in the industry’s side. Stereotypes and misconceptions abound. An online search for “movies about massage therapy” pulls up all sorts of fantasy and porn that continue to taint our reputation. Memorable, loveable (but not exactly accurate) characters, who double as masseuses on TV (like Phoebe from Friends) easily become synonymous with the profession as a whole.

The CMTO would like to notify the industry of recent amendments to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991. On May 1st, 2018, changes made by the provincial government came into effect. For Ontario's Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs), most changes are not new, they were contained in the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO)'s by-laws and Standards of Practice for Maintaining Professional Boundaries and Preventing Sexual Abuse. The changes relate to the passage of the Protecting Patients Act, 2017, and apply to all regulated health professions in Ontario. The new changes relate to:

Humber College is now offering the Yoga Exercise Specialist Certification – a two-part Hatha Yoga-based program aimed at preparing the participant to teach yoga in the fitness and health industry. Part 1 aims to teach the following: over 50 postures, warm ups and variations; knowledge to integrate yoga into private training and group exercise programs; meditation, relaxation and breathing techniques; and a basic understanding of yoga history and philosophy.

At Educator Day during the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario’s (RMTAO) 2017 Education Conference, moderator Pam Fitch posed the question, “Who in the room has obtained a master’s degree or PhD?”  A small number of hands in a room full of educators went up.

Individuals who have been treated for cancer are at risk for a complication called lymphedema: swelling in the body region where lymph nodes were removed, causing pain and limited function. New research and insights on the management of cancer-related lymphedema are presented in the January special issue of Rehabilitation Oncology, official journal of the Oncology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

Former Paralympic gold medalist Mark Bentz now runs a massage therapy practice in downtown Vancouver. He says the key to a successful clinic and a fulfilled life is simplicity.

VANCOUVER—The British Columbia government is working on a provincial pain strategy that would provide greater access to services for chronic conditions such as arthritis, back pain and fibromyalgia, the head of a patients' advocacy group says.

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia's NDP says the emergence of a new private Halifax clinic that aims to reduce the strain on the public health-care system is "deeply troubling."

Years of research evidence support the efficacy of massage therapy for many important health treatments, especially for pain relief and pain management, according to recently published findings of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).

Online spa directory SpaHub has taken an international focus by searching countries for the strangest spa treatments offered around the world and released the top 10 list of the weirdest spa treatments.

The heart is the most vital organ in the human body. Our heart supplies the body with blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and removes carbon dioxide and metabolic waste. 

Recommendations for a high quality diet to avoid cardiovascular disease were developed in high-income countries two to three decades ago. They don't consider other parts of the world or how diets have changed.

Cameras watch us almost everywhere we go. We know the internet tracks our searches and purchases, and our smartphones can be used to monitor our activities too. As sociologist David Lyon points out, “this is a culture of surveillance."

For the first time in 11 years, Health Canada is gearing up to release a revamped food guide, even as debate continues beyond the pages of diet and wellness websites about the best foods to promote optimal health.

Researchers at York University's Faculty of Health have found that patients who have metabolic healthy obesity, but no other metabolic risk factors, do not have an increased rate of mortality.

It turns out that making art can be a powerful therapeutic tool for adults, especially in the treatment and management of pain.

A majority of American (and Canadian) workers spend most of their day sitting and don't get enough exercise, putting them at risk for a variety of chronic diseases ranging from diabetes to cancer.

A new study in the journal Rheumatology indicates that being exposed to secondhand smoke in childhood could increase the risk of someone developing arthritis as an adult.

Rochester, MN—Sauna bathing is an activity used for the purposes of pleasure, wellness, and relaxation. Emerging evidence suggests that beyond its use for pleasure, sauna bathing may be linked to several health benefits. A new report published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that sauna bathing is associated with a reduction in the risk of vascular diseases, such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, neurocognitive diseases, nonvascular conditions, such as pulmonary diseases, mental health disorders, and mortality. Furthermore, sauna bathing alleviated conditions such as skin diseases, arthritis, headache, and flu. The evidence also suggests that regular sauna baths are associated with a better health-related quality of life.

ROCKVILLE, MD—A new study finds that long-term heat therapy may increase mitochondrial function in the muscles.

SAN DIEGO, CA—For patients with rotator cuff tears, improving shoulder function is the most important reason for moving forward with surgical repair, according to research presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting. Researchers also found that through arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR), these patients consistently saw significant functional improvements and relief from pain.

SAN DIEGO, CA—ACL injuries are one of the most common sports injuries affecting adolescent athletes, leading to lost playing time and high healthcare costs. Research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego shows athletes who experience fatigue – tested on a standardized assessment –­ demonstrated increased risk of ACL injury. The study is the first to measure the direct impact of fatigue on injury risk in the adolescent population.

Is treating the diaphragm the key to relieving chronic pain in the lower back?

OTTAWA—Science is that much stronger when diverse ideas are welcomed. When Canada's research community has a say in the development of new programs that support it, our researchers are able to discover and innovate in ways that have a profound impact on our health, environment, economy and communities.

The results of a study presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) demonstrate that among individuals with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA), decreased physical performance and greater structural disease severity are associated with a higher risk of experiencing depressive symptoms.1

BUFFALO, NY—A new study has identified several key factors in postmenopausal women that are associated with height loss, a common occurrence in this age group that is known to increase the risk for death and disease.

The connection between physical activity and brain health is getting stronger, but we're still trying to understand all of the reasons why. A new study approached the question with a bit of a twist – by investigating what happens in the brain when leg movement is restricted.

A new review published online today in the journal Addiction has compiled the best, most up-to-date source of information on alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use and the burden of death and disease. It shows that in 2015 alcohol and tobacco use between them cost the human population more than a quarter of a billion disability-adjusted life years, with illicit drugs costing a further tens of millions.

Technology has revolutionized how we live, play and work. We don't think twice about using an app to make a restaurant reservation, tracking a parcel's expected delivery date on-line or chatting with an on-line agent to answer questions about a product we want to purchase.

Toronto (Troy Media) – Canadians suffer when important mental health services are unavailable or wait times are too long.

Over the past few months, patients and healthcare providers alike have been encouraged to make pledges to improve compassionate quality care in Ontario as part of an inaugural movement called, Change Day Ontario.

We recently held our first annual conference call with members of our editorial advisory board and it was a very productive discussion of issues and trends affecting health care and the massage therapy profession.

Many Canadians can hardly wait for the day that the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal. As a medical doctor, I'm far less enthusiastic. I worry about two things: the experimental nature of marijuana in medical practice and the public health consequences of legalized marijuana.

It's no secret: Ontario is getting older. The number of seniors in our province has been steadily increasing and over the next twenty years, will double. Including factors like increased use of health services and evolving technology, this will result in a substantial increase in demand across the health system. Those services will cost money.

The Trudeau government is set on legalizing marijuana by the summer of next year. While they will enjoy the political payoff of appearing progressive on this matter, all of the associated problems and the logistics of legalizing pot will fall on the shoulders of the provincial governments.

The impending legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Canada – which is expected to take effect by next summer – is causing anxiety among many in the health-care profession, and for good reason.

As a massage therapist, I appreciate and benefit from the relationship between our professional association and our regulatory body.

Mental illness is not always an easy conversation topic. The fact that one in five Canadians will personally experience a mental health issue in their lifetime does not make it any less uncomfortable or less stigmatizing. It does make it all the more real, however.

Recently, a distraught young mother from British Columbia took her own life while in the grip of postpartum depression, leaving behind a grieving husband and infant son. She was a registered nurse and had been seeking treatment for depression and anxiety. Tragically, the health-care system she worked for was unable to help her.

Can acupressure achieve a sustained reduction in menstrual pain? Is an app-based self-care program particularly attractive to young women? These questions addressed in a new study by researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the results of which have been published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology*.

EmoBridge has introduced what it claims is the world's first smart wristband for accurately tracking and analyzing daily stress levels and sleep patterns to help people live a more well-balanced, peaceful life. The new Sensmi is built with patented, hospital-grade GSR-PRO bio-sensing technology that tracks brainwave activity through galvanic skin response (GSR) and a proprietary algorithm that disperses data that is easily understandable. Sensmi provides users with straightforward results and easy-to-follow instructions on how to confront lifestyle stressors.

iMag contains a 100 per cent naturally occurring form of magnesium chloride. Its zero stability constant makes it the most bioavailable form of the magnesium ion for humans. iMag is sourced from the Ancient Underground Zechstein Seabed, a mineral deposit in the Netherlands which has been preserved underground for over 250 million years, making it naturally pure and free of pollution and heavy metal toxins. The people at iMag are focused on purity and quality, and stress that this precious form of natural magnesium is not only unprocessed, but unlike most other products. It is packaged in glass, as opposed to plastic, which is known to leach chemicals that have been linked to cancer, mental, hormonal and even fertility problems. iMag can be found at ineedmag.com, which is also linked to its sister website that serves as a comprehensive data resource for all things magnesium: imagnesium.com. iMag is a proud Canadian company founded by Matt Selma.

Vitality Depot has launched Pain Gone, a clinically tested pen-like device that patients can use for pain management.

Length Tension Testing provides clear and comprehensive descriptions and photos for assessing flexibility and length tension in the muscles of the lower quadrant. Book 1, Lower Quadrant includes techniques for the lumbar spine and pelvis, hip, knee, and foot and ankle, while Book 2, Upper Quadrant features techniques for the cervical spine, temporomandibular joint, thoracic spine, shoulder, elbow, and wrist and hand.Each technique listing includes concise, standardized descriptions of the actions and positions involved, high-quality colour photos and alternative positions to accommodate patient variability and comfort. Most of these tests can be adapted into treatment techniques. These resources are designed to help physiotherapists, kinesiologists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and osteopaths improve patient care, and they will be invaluable references for students at the college and university level, book proponents say.Length Tension Testing is written by Paolo Sanzo and Murray MacHutchon. Sanzo is an assistant professor in the school of kinesiology and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine at Lakehead University. A practicing physiotherapist at the Victoriaville Physiotherapy Centre in Thunder Bay, Ont., Sanzo is also an examiner and instructor with the Orthopaedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. MacHutchon is a physiotherapist at Pembina Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic in Winnipeg, Man. He is also an examiner and instructor with the Orthopaedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.

Brain Stars: Glia Illuminating CranioSacral Therapy by Tad Wanveer, LMBT, CST-D, has simplified the complexity of the function of glial cells within the craniosacral system. Upledger Institute International is excited to announce the release of this highly informative book.The information presented, along with the author's own numerous illustrations, make it a valuable resource to any CranioSacral Therapist (CST) desiring to grow in their understanding of how the body functions, and for those wanting to further their ability to help their patients overcome dysfunction. CranioSacral therapists have a wealth of knowledge to gain and nothing to lose by reading this book, according to Upledger Institute.Brain Stars: Glia Illuminating CranioSacral Therapy can be purchased at: shop.iahe.com for $74.95.

LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services has launched JOINTstat, a diagnostic blood test for rheumatoid arthritis. The JOINTstat blood test is the first test of its kind available in Canada that aids in the early detection and diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. When caught and treated early, rheumatoid arthritis outcomes can be greatly improved.

Massage therapists have a new convenient option for processing client payments. Amazon is taking direct aim at mobile payment systems such as Square by introducing the Amazon Local Register, a credit-card processing device and mobile app designed to help small business owners accept payments through their smartphones and tablets. The move places the largest U.S. e-commerce retailer in competition with Square and other established mobile payment processing systems such as PayPal Here and Intuit's GoPayment.

Massage Warehouse, providers of high quality, cost-effective massage products, announces the release of its paraben-free line of Massage FX lotions and creams. Parabens, preservatives that are quickly absorbed through the skin, have been shown to mimic the activity of estrogen in the body’s cells. Some researchers suggest that methylparaben, which is widely used in cosmetics and skin creams, may increase risk of breast cancer, or accelerate the growth of these tumors.

Dr. Chris Oswald had been practicing chiropractic in the Toronto area for 16 years when he reached a point of frustration and decided to change the game.

While people usually think of sports when talking about athletic activity, most Canadians engage in some form of physical activity every day. Whether it’s lifting an infant into a highchair, running for the bus or bending to reach a fallen sock behind the dryer, people move and exert their bodies constantly – sometimes feeling the pain from those movements.

May 20, 2014 – Tiger Woods still doesn't know when he'll return. For a while, he didn't know whether he would return at all. On Monday, Woods said his back injury became so debilitating this year it caused him to doubt his ability to play golf again.