About Heather Kew, RMT
Heather is a Registered Massage Therapist with over 16 years of experience. She graduated from Grant McEwan’s Massage Therapy program in 2005 and has continued her learning by concentrating in Orthopedic and Therapeutic massage, Myofascial Cupping, Hot Stone massage and Deep Tissue Swedish massage.
Over the years, Heather has refined her skills in some of the top spas in Canada, to offer a truly unique massage to each of her clients by combining her techniques with luxury to make her clients feel stress free while receiving a deeply therapeutic treatment. This uniqueness has gained her a reputation for being specialized in migraine/headache treatment, motor vehicle accident Rehabilitation, and chronic pain.
She has been honoured to work with a wide range of clientele from professional athletes to geriatric patients, and everything in between. When she’s not massaging Heather can be found with her 2 kids making a mean batch of cookies.
Massage therapy is the manipulation of soft tissues of the body including, muscles, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments and joints. Massage Therapy is a clinically-oriented healthcare option that helps alleviate the discomfort associated with everyday and occupational stresses, muscular over-use and many chronic pain conditions.
There are tremendous benefits to be achieved through regular massage therapy treatments from a Registered Massage Therapist. Whether your need is to have a moment of relaxation, reduce muscle tension or attain relief from chronic pain, a therapeutic massage can enhance your overall sense of emotional and physical well-being.
Massage therapy can be an important part of your health maintenance plan by:
- Reducing or eliminating pain
- Improving joint mobility
- Improving lymphatic drainage
- Reducing muscular tension
Massage therapy can be used for the treatment of both acute and chronic conditions. Massage Therapists, like Heather Kew, can work with a wide variety of patients, of all ages, in the treatment of illness, injury rehabilitation and disability.
Orthopedic/Therapeutic Massage
This type of Massage is often described as a Deep Tissue Massage, but involved a lot more than just the pressure that the Therapist uses. Your Massage Therapists will start your treatment session with a thorough Health History and Assessment to determine what postural, functional, musculoskeletal or pain conditions are present and can be treated. Different approaches and techniques will be discussed with you and you and your therapists will make a plan to address your needs not only in this session but over time.
Different techniques, from massage, to assisted stretching and resisted exercises, and movement will be used to treat and make changes to the areas that you and your therapists discussed at the beginning of your treatment. In order to get the best results and maintain the changes that were made in treatment, your therapist may recommend some Home Care recommendations such as rehabilitative exercises, yoga, stretches, foam rolling or self massage. It is common for there to be some soreness after this type of massage – typically lasting no more than 2 days and not interfering with daily activities.
Most conditions can not be solved in one treatment. Expect that your therapist will outline a treatment guideline for you to come back for additional treatment and may also include the addition of other Health Care Providers such as Physiotherapy or Chiropractic.
Cupping
Cupping is a modality where cups, made out of either glass, silicone or poly-carbonate plastic , are applied to the body with negative pressure. This negative pressure, or suction, lifts the tissues up creating a lifting or pulling sensation on the body. This sensation can vary from a very gentle sensation to a strong pulling sensation – though it should never hurt. The Therapist may apply only one cup or blanket a body area with many cups as well as massage with the cups or leave them in one place while working on another area of the body. Cupping has been shown to decrease pain, increase range of motion, decrease inflammation and increase movement in the connective tissue. While cupping has many benefits, it may leave some marking that looks and acts very similar to a bruise in some people and may last up to 14 days.
Hot Stone Massage
Hot Stone Massage is a deeply relaxing, gentle massage involving heated stones. These stones are heated to anywhere between 110 degrees Fahrenheit and 130 degrees Fahrenheit and used to both massage with in the therapists hands as well as be placed statically on areas of tension while the therapists massages other areas of the body. This massage is known to melt away tension and stress and leave you feeling relaxed and warm. Should you request it, therapeutic techniques can be added into this type of massage to address areas of greater concerns. This massage typically does not leave you feeling sore afterwards and generally does not come with condition specific home care.
Aromatherapy Massage
This type of massage is generally associated with a relaxation Swedish massage with the addition of Essential oils. Before your treatment, you will discuss your treatment goals and and preferences and your therapist will help you choose the best aromatherapy blend for you. While you are getting ready for your massage, your massage therapist will prepare your essential oil blend into your massage oil and into the aromatherapy diffuser in the room – allowing you to enjoy your treatment through both inhalation and topical absorption. Should you request it, therapeutic techniques can be added to this type of massage to address any areas of concern for you. Most people do not experience any soreness after this type of massage and typically there are not any condition specific home care recommendations.
