Massage Therapy

Acupuncture Treatments

Swedish Massage

All Registered Massage Therapists in Ontario are trained in this style of massage therapy.

This treatment combines a variety of techniques including compression, gliding and stretching that improves circulation and tonifies the body's muscles.

Swedish massage can be soothing or invigorating, offering a pressure ranging from light to deep. This style of massage is suitable for maintaining a healthy strong musculoskeletal system as it eases tension and improves vital nutrition to the tissues.

Deep Tissue Massage

This method of massage relieves chronic muscle strain that is often the cause of ongoing discomfort.

Due to the length of time it takes to get the body's muscles back to a healthy, relaxed state, it may take a few treatments for your therapist to work through the layers of restriction in the tissue and allow the deeper tissues to be treated.

It is recommended to soak in an epsom salt bath post treatment to aid the body in recovery.

Sports Massage

Treatments pre- and post-events are available to help you achieve most, if not all of your athletic goals. Sports massage helps flush out metabolic waste that builds up within the tissue during vigorous exercise, thereby allowing you to perform at your ultimate ability.

Our sports massage therapy can also include instruction in recovery techniques, core strengthening, flexibility and individualized treatment plans to help every athlete achieve the success they strive for. As well, we now offer Functional Therapeutic Taping.

This taping method can alleviate pain, stimuate weak muscles, relax hypertonic tissue and flush out edema. The therapeutic taping will allow functional movement, and can stay on the skin for up to 5 days.

We offer appropriate treatments for everyone, from young athletes and weekend warriors to professional athletes and senior fitness enthusiasts.

Myo-Fascial Release Therapy

Fascia is densely woven and very strong connective tissue that envelops the muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones and can, like other parts of the body, misalign over time.

Myo-fascial release therapy applies a gentle, sustained pressure to guide the fascia back into its regular position, restoring its suppleness.

This technique is very helpful in relieving long term holding patterns, and restoring strength, flexibility and proper alignment to the body.

Therapeutic Massage

Looking for relief? A treatment plan and a therapist dedicated to your goals? This is our recommended service. As therapists, we are always looking to provide you with the tools needed to heal. Your treatment will be tailored to you and may include an assessment, stretching, cupping, fascial release and more.

Fascial Stretch Therapy

Fascial stretch technique mobilizes and manipulates fascia to rapidly achieve gains in function. These gains are reduced pain, enhanced nervous system response, increased strength, mobility and balance.

The treatment is offered on a massage table using stabilizing belts. This is an assisted neuro-fascial stretch for healthy and fit clientele as well as those with pain, tightness or soreness due to neuro-myofascial imbalances.

Hot Stone Therapy

Heated basalt stones are held by your therapist during your treatment, offering a soothing element to your massage.

This full body relaxation treatment softens tough muscles, removes toxic build up from the tissues, and improves cellular respiration.

The length of this treatment ranges from 45 to 90 minutes and is the ultimate pampering experience! Hot stone therapy will leave you feeling calm, warm and grounded, literally melting your stress away.

Indie Head Massage

This 30 minute treatment focuses on the Ayurvedic energy channels on the face and scalp.

Soothing and stimulating techniques are applied to specific pressure points to promote relaxation and relieve headaches.

This technique also treats anxiety, insomnia, and allergies affecting the sinuses. Combine this massage with a swedish massage for pure relaxation.

Cranio Sacral Therapy

This gentle, hands-on therapy addresses the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain.

This modality requires only five grams of pressure to achieve phenomenal results and is appropriate for many clients, aiding in the recovery of headaches, sinus issues, tinnitus, nausea, whiplash, TMJ disorders, and symptoms associated with the Central Nervous System.

Cranio-sacral therapy is an effective approach to treating the body from the core.

NeuroKinetic® Therapy (NKT)

NKT® is a corrective movement system that addresses the cause of pain. In this treatment method, pain is defined as dysfunctional movement patterns stored in the brain.

NKT® is the missing link in your treatment protocol. This pain free assessment and treatment has been offering many clients relief they’ve been hoping for.

Muscle Energy

A muscle energy treatment begins with a functional assessment of your skeletal system. Your therapist will then have you take an active role in releasing your body's holding patterns.

This technique is used to gain motion that is limited by restrictions of neuromuscular and skeletal structures.

Over the course of your treatment and the following days, your body will continue to respond and reposition itself back to its correct bio-mechanical ability.

Manual Therapy

This treatment includes an assessment of the lumbar spine, sacrum, pelvis and lower extremities.

For your personal comfort, please wear shorts and a t-shirt. Your therapist will work with you while you remain clothed, on the table, for up to 30 minutes.

Should you want to include a soft tissue massage, please book the 60 minute manual therapy plus massage treatment.

Therapeutic Taping

This taping method is useful in treating chronic and acute conditions affecting both athletes and non-athletes alike.

Therapeutic taping can stimulate the nervous system, helping to activate weak muscles and can also relax muscle spasm and contractures. It can flush out swelling and edema via lymphatic drainage as well as alleviate pain.

The tape is very flexible, allowing freedom of movement throughout the day, and can stay on the body up to 4 days - even through showers.

Pre-Natal Massage

Massage Therapy can be very helpful with the changes that expecting mothers can experience during pregnancy. As a pregnancy progresses and the body’s ligaments start to relax, women may experience added strain on their muscles and joints.

Pre-natal massage helps alleviate, hip and low back pain, calf cramping, and upper back and neck tension. Moms can also enjoy abdominal massage in their treatment, helping to soothe the baby and relieve gastrointestinal issues. All therapists are trained in pre-natal massage and can accommodate your changing needs through your pregnancy.

You can choose to lay on your side with a body pillow, or on your stomach with the pre-natal pillow. You may enjoy this massage so much that you will want to be pampered more often and why not? Who deserves looking after more than the person who always looks after us?

Bamboo Fusion™

Bamboo-fusion™ is a luxurious and versatile new modality. This technique promotes a deep sense of relaxation and well-being for the client. The heated bamboo sticks glide easily across the skin, reducing tension and encouraging the body and mind to feel regenerated and revitalized.

Looking for deep tissue massage? Here is a wonderful way to get that deep tissue feel without the soreness that can often accompany traditional deep tissue massage.

Youth Therapy

Over 5% of our clientele is children and that percentage is growing! They’re active, they’re studious and the have growing pains. Whether your children are competitive athletes, book worms or social media enthusiasts, they can benefit from Ability's latest modality: child / youth massage therapy.

Acupuncture Treatments

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been practiced for centuries as an effective modality for treating numerous ailments from acute pain to chronic injuries. It can speed healing of acute conditions like muscle spasms, sprains and headaches and also encourage healing of chronic issues such as low back pain and repetitive strain injuries.

Acupuncture treatments are a very beneficial component to a pro-active health care regime. Treatments once a month can be successful at boosting the immune system, increasing red blood cell production, helping achieve optimal athletic performance, and restoring balance within the body. They can improve sleep, digestion and can even decrease stress and depression.

The treatments are provided in a quiet, tranquil space where the client often falls asleep. Once the body is in a relaxed state, a flow of energy or Qi, begins to warm and travel throughout the body’s pathways called meridians, encouraging renewal and circulation. You will continue to benefit from this treatment long after you leave the studio.

Acupressure

Acupressure is an alternative, needle-free form of Acupuncture. The same ancient healing principles are followed by the therapist who, instead of needles, uses gentle sustained pressure to the body's numerous 'acupoints', some of which may be located some distance away from the actual symptom.

Much like acupuncture, acupressure assists the flow of energy or Qi, throughout the body’s pathways called meridians, encouraging renewal and circulation.

Excellent for children or combined with regular acupuncture treatments, acupressure can relieve headaches, sinus infections, boost the immune system, cleanse the channels and promote general wellbeing.

Proactive Health Care

Acupuncture has long been practiced as part of a daily health care regime.

Pro-active treatments once a month can be successful at boosting the immune system helping to fend off colds and flus, increasing red blood cell production helping you achieve optimal athletic performance and restoring balance within the body improving sleep and digestion and decreasing stress and depression.

Cupping / Moxibustion

The following modalities may be suggested by your acupuncturist to further enhance your treatment:

Cupping: This procedure draws pathogens from the body and brings blood to the surface.

Moxibustion: This herbal stick smolders around the needles or close to the skin, creating a deep warmth that can be felt as it travels through the body’s meridians.

Allergies / Asthma

Chinese acupuncture can help boost the immune system and strengthen the defensive Qi of the body.

This treatment helps build a greater resistance to environmental pathogens, alleviating symptoms of sinus and respiratory distress.

Smoking Cessation

Acupuncture for addictions is tremendously effective when following the NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol. It is used to help with the withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation.

Five auricular (ear) points are treated for 40 minutes, three times a week for five weeks.

Fascial Stretch Therapy

Fascial stretch technique mobilizes and manipulates fascia to rapidly achieve gains in function. These gains are reduced pain, enhanced nervous system response, increased strength, mobility and balance.

The treatment is offered on a massage table using stabilizing belts. This is an assisted neuro-fascial stretch for healthy and fit clientele as well as those with pain, tightness or soreness due to neuro-myofascial imbalances.

Women's Health

Acupuncture can be very effective at regulating menstruation and alleviating discomfort associated with PMS.

It is used to balance hormones, promote ovulation, improve the chances for fertilization and help to induce labour.

Acupuncture can also help with menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations and insomnia.

Acute / Chronic Pain

Acupuncture is very successful at treating acute injuries such as sprains and strains. Needles are inserted locally and away from the injury to reduce swelling, stop pain, and strengthen the tensile connective tissue. Treatments are recommended daily to speed recovery, getting you back to what you love doing sooner.

Acupuncture is also very successful at treating chronic and re-occurring injuries. Your acupuncturist will be able to determine the root cause of your discomfort and provide an individualized treatment plan to aid in your recovering. It is usually recommended to have a treatment once or twice a week until the desired result is achieved.

Cosmetic Acupuncture

Cosmetic acupuncture is a natural way to help clients to look and feel more vibrant than they have ever felt before. Fine acupuncture needles are used to circulate the Qi - or vital energy - under the skin. After a few treatments, you will notice how your general skin condition and tone will improve.

In as little as 1-3 treatments, you may notice tightening of the underlying facial muscles, a reduction in sagging skin, a reduction of fine lines and dark circles around the eyes, less puffiness under the eyes and a tightening of the pores.

Long term changes that may be seen in 6-12 treatments include tightening of the mmuscles in the face, a more defined jaw line, a tightening of the eyelids and a fading of fine lines and wrinkles. Some people have found that there appearance can look between 5-15 years younger.

Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine is an excellent compliment to your acupuncture treatments. Individual herbal formulas are prescribed by your registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner based on your symptoms.

A physical assessment combined with a detailed health questionnaire provides your therapist with information needed to make you your own prescription. This medicine is prepared in a powder that you combine with water and drink daily to help balance your body’s systems.