Massage therapists try a 'hands off' approach to massage during Alberta shutdown - CTV Edmonton

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EDMONTON -- While Alberta's registered massage industry fights to reopen, some therapists are finding new ways to help clients in pain.

For Albertans who count on massage therapy for pain relief, the province's current restrictions are standing in the way.

"We find it really frustrating because we've been doing all of the things the government has told us to do," said Jeremy Sayer with the Canadian Massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association.

"We added additional protocols when it came to things like cleaning, to PPE use, that were equal to or over and above the provincial requirement."

Alberta is the only province to include massage therapy in its COVID-19-related shutdown, even though other services including chiropractic therapy are still allowed.

READ MORE: New COVID-19 restrictions: Alberta bans all gatherings, closes most businesses and makes masks mandatory

"As an association, we're not aware of a single -- not one -- person-to-person transmission within a clinical space," said Sayer.

Kelly Hunter, and many other registered massage therapists who can't physically help their clients, are now offering the next best step: virtual consultation.

"I'll listen to their concerns, they'll tell me about their pain and tension," said Hunter.

RMTs work with clients over video conference, teaching stretches, breathing techniques and even self-massage methods.

Hunter calls it a temporary service to help clients living with pain.

"To kind of just get them through until they can come back and see me in person," she said.

"That does provide some help," said Sayer.

But industry reps say it's not the real thing, and a petition calling on the province to re-open massage therapy has already gathered tens of thousands of signatures.

"I hope that the government will revisit the RMT issue," said Sayer.

If the petition isn't successful you'll have to wait until at least Jan. 10 to see a massage therapist in person again.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Bill Fortier