The most important is probably :

What are the qualifications of the person from whom you will receive physical and massage therapy?

In Manitoba , massage therapy is unregulated. The Manitoba ministry of Health has the position that "there is no evidence that non-qualified massage therapists can do harm to the general public".

(paraphrase)

The provincial criteria for regulation should be 'whether the therapy achieves the results which are promised by the therapist and requested by the client.

Basically, anyone can take a six week course in massage therapy, hang up a sign and open up a business in rural Manitoba. Without prejudice to some municipalities, there are however some requirements of training which are made by some municipal jurisdictions in order to obtain business licensing. In contrast to rural Manitoba where there are little licensing requirements,in Winnipeg, there is a requirement for a remedial massage course which is approx. a 2200 hour course or the equivalent to two years full time course. This allows the therapist to be licensed with the City of Winnipeg and obtain a license to practice as a therapist. The only other license in the massage industry is for 'massagist' in the sex trade or escort services. This license is not mobile and is intended to control the operators in that industry.

There currently is no category for anyone graduating from a 100-1000 hour course performing chair massage in the workplace. Chair massage in Winnipeg has to be performed by over-qualified therapists when a lesser qualified practitioner would suffice. But the license category for practitioner doesn't exist in Winnipeg as it does for example in Toronto.

In contrast, in other provinces, the requirement may be as little as 400 hours of training as in Quebec, or as much as 3000 hours as in British Colombia.

In the U.S.A. the national and state requirement is a 500-600 hour course and required accreditation with the American Massage Therapy Association(AMTA).

Manitoba's colleges offer the one year 1000 hour course and the two year 2200 hour course depending on which school you contact: the Winnipeg Massage Therapy College, the Professional Institute, or the Wellington College of Remedial Massage Therapies.

Where did the therapist obtain their qualifications is another factor which may affect the type of consultation, assessment, and treatment which you may receive at their clinic?

There are currently three accredited massage therapy schools in Winnipeg which are recognized by the City of Winnipeg from which students may graduate and practice. There are of course, other accredited schools outside of Manitoba which the City of Winnipeg recognizes.

Different colleges and schools of massage give different certificates for different lengths of programs. Each has different approaches to consultation, assessment and treatment options. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the different types and approaches so as to obtain the best options for your treatment dollar. The three Winnipeg colleges offer a one year basic relaxation and remedial massage course which allows the massage practitioner to be licensed in Winnipeg. The city of Winnipeg calls this basic level of practitioner a "massage therapist" license. The city of Winnipeg doesn't differentiate between the less qualified practitioner and the more advances qualified therapist.

There is also a two year program which provides the therapist more depth in specific remedial massage therapies which the one-year graduate doesn't possess.

HOW DOES THE CONSUMER DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THERAPISTS?

The only way of knowing is by asking the particular therapist to which one has been referred either by a doctor, chiropractor, physiotherapist, or other source, be it a friend or family member. The college which the therapist attended will to a large degree dictate the 'approach' which the therapist will utilize in their consultation, assessment, and treatment.

Ask what method they utilize and why they think their approach is best?

The amount of formal schooling does indeed affect the level of proficiency at which the therapist will be able to perform. It will also affect the extent to which any treatment will be likely to be effective and for which the successful outcome of return to pain-free full range of motion can be expected. In some cases of injury and post-surgery recovery there is no possibility of achieving 100 percent recovery to pre-injury or pre-surgery levels of pain-free motion.

Ask your therapist whether they incorporate a physical therapy or exercise rehabilitation component to their treatments to assist in a gradual progressive home and/or workplace recovery program.