What is Clinical Massage Therapy?

I have been quite taken aback at the amount of positive feedback from clients who have shared how refreshingly different and profoundly beneficial our treatment approach has been for them.

As a Clinical Massage Therapist trained in Nova Scotia, Canada it is interesting to see how massage is generally perceived as a form of relaxation in the UK. In Canada, it is an essential part of the healthcare system to the extent that it was added to Canada’s express entry priority list of essential healthcare occupations in early 2025. This major difference has compelled me to share what Clinical Massage is and how it can be of support to people on their health journey.

In general, Massage Therapy is therapeutic in nature. On one hand, people typically experience a relaxation massage at a spa, focusing on stress reduction and alleviating tension using techniques such as Swedish or hot stone massage and aromatherapy. While relaxation based massage techniques are an essential foundational component of healing, a clinical massage therapy approach then adds a more specific focus on addressing existing acute or chronic health conditions, injuries or pain.

This is best achieved through:

🌿 Use of a variety of advanced techniques suited to each treatment and condition
🌿 Re-educating and maintaining soft tissue health for improved function
🌿 Measuring improvement of symptoms, posture and joint range of motion
🌿 Creating treatment plans on how to reduce pain and discomfort between sessions

For example, an individual develops a compressed nerve in the arm due to repetitive strain or direct trauma that may cause related problems such as reduced sensory and motor function further down the nerve pathway. By applying knowledge of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems of the body, a Clinical Massage Therapist could help target the root cause of injury through testing and palpation. Advanced techniques may then be applied to alleviate symptoms while reducing or eliminating the underlying cause of the obstruction.

Another example is posture-related problems, typically associated with prolonged desk work. This may lead to neck pain, as forward shoulder rotation can disrupt the normal balance of muscle length throughout the body. A clinical approach may involve addressing these muscles differently to reduce pain and rebalance tension within the body, while re-educating shoulder positioning. Another focus would be to treat the areas of greatest pain and discomfort for the client.

In both examples, it is important to identify the root cause of the issue and work to reduce and/or resolve it over a series of consecutive treatments. The time required for resolution will depend on the client’s health history, the nature of the condition or injury, and their lifestyle. It may also vary according to what the client is experiencing at the time and what they hope to gain from each treatment. Above all, each treatment should prioritise the client’s needs, taking into account their current physical, mental, and emotional state, as well as their stage of healing.

It is important to remember, all types of massage have therapeutic value and regular massage can make a significant difference to your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. A pre-existing condition does not need to be present in order to receive treatment, and sessions can continue to be beneficial as preventative or maintenance care even after a condition has been addressed.

Whether your reason for booking a massage is preventative care, stress reduction, relaxation, regular maintenance or managing an existing acute or chronic health condition or injury, discover the difference a targeted, professional massage can make to your quality of life.

Note: At Sacred Tree Wellness, we offer a clinical perspective combined with a holistic and integrative approach, working closely with other wellness practitioners—such as osteopaths, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and general practitioners—to identify and address the root cause of dysfunction in the body.