Massage Therapy - What to Expect

Medical History & Assessment

Your initial visit will consist of a consultation of your medical history, as well as a thorough assessment (examination) of your current condition or injury.
These are vital steps in your treatment as I use this information to make an educated decision on the best approach to treatment for you. It is very important that you do not leave anything out, as things that may not seem immediately relevant could actually have great influence on the risks and benefits of the treatment chosen for you.
Remember, massage “therapy” is much more than just a massage, and it is in your best interest that I gather as much information as I need to provide you the most effective treatment possible. My goal is to not only in helping to relieve your symptoms, but preventing them from recurring in the future as well (promoting good health, and saving you precious time and money in the long-term).

It is my goal to provide some hands-on treatment (manual therapy) at the first visit but please be prepared that this may not happen in rare situations.
ICBC, Worksafe appointments, and complicated or chronic conditions often require longer examination time and therefore may affect treatment time.
During any hands-on portion of the treatment I will check with you to make sure you are comfortable with both the environment and with the pressure being used.
You will be properly draped (covered) for privacy if any area of the body needs to be exposed for effective treatment.
It is common for me to take a moderate approach at the first visit in order to determine response & reaction, and then to adjust the treatment as necessary in the following visits. Be sure to let me know if anything feels uncomfortable or painful, or you simply have any questions about the treatment provided.

Towards the end of your visit I will take some time to discuss my findings and recommendations. In addition to the examination and treatment, another important part of your care is patient educationand remedial exercise (self-care).
Often exercises & home care will be given at a later appointment (after I’ve become familiar with your condition and have been able to assess your response to treatment) but be prepared that basic home care or instructions may be given at your first appointment

Please arrive early as you will need adequate time to fill out the paper work so that it won’t cut into your appointment time.
If you have any billing/invoicing questions please ensure these are answered before your treatment begins.
I encourage you to express any questions or concerns you may have at any time so that you are comfortable and clearly understand the goals of your treatment and the treatment approach chosen for you.

Call us, email, or use the form on our contact us page to book your massage therapy appointment at Todd Stevens’ Salmon Arm practice.