Downtown Calgary
Massage Therapy

If you are looking for help with joint and muscle pain either from a lingering ailment or a recent injury, or mental and physical relaxation and rehabilitation, massage therapy might be right for you! CōLAB Health and Body is pleased to offer a range of massage therapy treatments to help you live a pain-free and relaxing life.

Massage therapy uses a variety of different techniques to relax and loosen muscles and promote healing in the soft tissue, thereby reducing muscle pain and tension. Massage Therapy can also offer relaxation and overall stress reduction. The general purpose of massage therapy is to increase joint flexibility and mobility, improve recovery of soft tissue injuries, improve skin tone and help with heightened mental alertness. Various massage therapy techniques may be used, depending on the specific situation, and your CōLAB Health and Body massage therapist will discuss with you what treatment best suits your needs and expectations. Different massage therapy techniques may include:

• Deep Tissue Massage
• Lymphatic Drainage
• Body Contouring
• Hot Stone Massage
• Pre and Post Natal Massage
• Cupping Massage
• Relaxation Massage
• Facial Massage

At CōLAB Health and Body, we evaluate your health and determine if massage therapy would benefit you. We often recommend massage therapy to treat things like Myofascial pain, soft tissue injuries and strains, sports-related injuries, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, fibromyalgia, headaches, chronic pain, lower back pain, limited mobility, recovery from injuries, repetitive strain injuries (such as carpal tunnel syndrome), postural problems, muscle tension and spasms, sciatica, Piriformis syndrome and tennis elbow.

Where injury or chronic muscle tension is present, there are usually adhesions in the tendons, muscles, and ligaments, which can cause pain, inflammation and limited movement, as well as block circulation.

Deep tissue massage uses deep and firm pressure with the hands to target deep layers of muscle and surrounding tissues. This massage is just as it sounds, so be prepared for some pressure. Though rare, some people may experience some slight bruising the next day, which is completely normal. It is important to remember that you are always in control; if you are feeling uncomfortable with the amount of pressure, tell your massage therapist to go a bit lighter. Deep tissue massage can help to release muscle tensions, dissolve tight muscle knots, and rehabilitate injured areas by increasing the flow of blood to the area and flushing out inflammation. It is often used to help heal injuries, certain diseases, and chronic pain.

Lymphatic drainage is a non-invasive technique that is used to relieve swelling that happens when illness or medical treatment blocks your lymphatic system. This form of massage helps to promote the movement or flow of lymphatic fluid from one area that is swollen or at risk of becoming swollen, to another area where the lymph nodes are working properly. It involves rhythmic strokes and light pressure that stimulate lymph movement and drain the affected tissue of excess protein and water. It is commonly used to help with whiplash, fibromyalgia, chronic sinusitis, migraines related to stress, pre and postnatal care, lymphedema, pre & post-surgery, and various inflammatory conditions.

A body contouring massage is a manual massage technique that uses fast, vigorous, and firm movements along the entire body. Things like pinching, sliding, and kneading are some of the movements that help to give the body a healthy and rejuvenated look, encouraging more tone, firmness, and new shape. The idea is that this type of manual massage moves the fat to the right places, thus giving the body a better overall contour. There are many benefits to a body contouring massage. In addition to reducing fat, it also helps enhance your skin. You may see a reduction in the overall appearance of cellulite and spider and varicose veins.

Hot stone massage uses a combination of heat and massage therapy to relieve tension and pain in your muscles. Using round smooth stones called “hot stones” to apply heat to the skin, these stones are massaged into the skin along with other techniques like rubbing, kneading, and stretching. Applying heat to a particular area of the body helps to increase blood flow to that spot, which helps to improve healing. Hot stone massage helps to relax muscles, reduce pain, relieve stress, and improve circulation. It has also been shown to reduce anxiety and promote overall relaxation.

Pre and post-natal massages are targeted specifically to expectant mothers or those who have recently delivered a baby. Since a mother’s body is constantly changing during pregnancy, standard massage protocols must be altered accordingly. Massage therapists are trained to be extra careful about the level of gentleness and sensitivity applied during this message. Massage therapy during pregnancy is a great way of lessening general discomfort during pregnancy. The goal is to help ease headaches, relieve joint and muscle aches and pains, including back strain, and ease postpartum anxiety. It also encourages blood circulation helping to promote better sleep.

Cupping massage is an ancient treatment that uses suction cups to pull skin, muscles, and tissue upward. The aim it to relieve pain and remove toxins from the body. Cupping is great to treat poor circulation, high blood pressure, arthritis, migraine, fibromyalgia, back and muscle pain. It is also used for general relaxation and well-being. During your cupping procedure, your therapist will heat the air inside the cup and place the upside-down cup on your skin. The air inside of the cup cools and creates a vacuum, which causes your skin to stay attached to your body. The cupping causes your skin to rise and redden as your blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for up to 2-3 minutes. A suction pump may also be used on the cup, which sucks out the air in the cup and produces the same result.

A relaxation massage is a gentle massage designed to reduce stress and promote overall relaxation. It helps the body relax by prompting the release of endorphins, the chemicals in the brain that produce feelings of wellbeing. It also promotes flexibility, helps you to let go of anxieties and stimulates repair in areas of injury. It is great for those who are experiencing stress, anxiety, soft tissue injuries or issues with range of motion. Overall benefits include improved mood, improved sleep, decreased anxiety and stress, reduced pain, increased range of motion and detox of the body. Relaxation massage generally involves kneading and flowing strokes performed at your chosen and preferred pressure.

Facial massage uses the hands or tools to massage or stimulate pressure points on the face and neck in order to stimulate circulation, encourage relaxation and improve the look of the skin. Facial massage can help you achieve a more glowing and youthful complexion. Using sweeping motions across the face and neck, hands or a massage tool are used to smooth and relax muscles. Oils are often used to add lubrication to allow the hands or tools to glide more easily across the skin without pulling. A facial massage stimulates elasticity and collagen because massage releases muscle tension in the jaw and face which improves the suppleness of skin and offers a sculpting and lifting effect. It can also help smooth the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while boosting the overall firmness of the skin. It also increases blood flow and gives the skin a glowing look, since it increases the penetration of beneficial oils during your massage.