Key takeaways.
A first massage therapy visit at Medstar Sport Physio is a 60-minute appointment with a Registered Massage Therapist: a short health history, a check of the sore area, then hands-on treatment.
- No doctor's referral is needed to book, except for a WorkSafeBC claim.
- You undress only as far as you are comfortable, and you stay covered by a sheet.
- You control the pressure. Ask for lighter or firmer work at any time.
- Some soreness the next day is common and usually fades in a day or two.
- Bring your health plan details or claim number so the clinic can bill directly.
Before you arrive.
You book online or by phone. When you book, choose the 60-minute first visit, which is called an initial assessment and treatment. If you are on an ICBC claim, choose the ICBC first visit instead, so the clinic bills ICBC from the start.
You will get a health form to fill in. It asks about your pain, your past injuries, your medicines, and your general health. It takes about ten minutes. Filling it in at home gives you more time on the table.
Bring these with you:
- Your work health plan card, or the plan's group and member numbers.
- Your ICBC claim number and Personal Health Number, if you were in a crash.
- Your WorkSafeBC claim number and doctor's referral, if you were hurt at work.
- A list of your medicines, including blood thinners.
- Any scan results or surgery notes about the area that hurts.
The first ten minutes: questions.
The visit starts with a conversation. Kevin will ask where it hurts, when it started, and what makes it better or worse. He will ask what you want to get back to: sleeping through the night, turning your head when you drive, or running the Baden-Powell trail again.
He will also ask health questions. Some of them may seem unrelated to a sore back, but each one has a reason. A recent blood clot, a recent operation, blood-thinning medicine, or a skin infection all change how a therapist works, or whether massage is safe that day. Our safety page explains each one.
A short check of the sore area.
Next comes a hands-on check. Kevin may watch how you move, test how far a joint turns, and press on muscles to find the tight and tender spots. This tells him where to work and gives a starting point to compare against at your next visit.
If something in your history or the check points to a problem massage cannot help, he will tell you. That might mean a visit to your doctor or to one of the physiotherapists at Medstar before more massage.
Undressing and the sheets.
Kevin leaves the room while you undress and get under the sheet on the table. You decide how much clothing to remove. Many people keep their underwear on. If your problem is in your neck or shoulders, you can keep more clothing on, and he will adapt.
During the massage, only the part being treated is uncovered. The rest of you stays under the sheet. If you feel cold, ask for a blanket. If you want an area left alone, say so before or during the session.
The massage itself.
Treatment usually takes most of the hour. The methods used at Medstar include long, gliding strokes, firmer work into deeper muscle, steady pressure on tight knots, slow work on the tissue around the muscles, and assisted stretching. Kevin picks the mix based on what he found in the check.
Pressure is your call. Firm work can feel like a strong ache, and that is fine if you can keep breathing slowly. Sharp, burning, or electric pain is a sign to ease off. Our deep tissue page explains how firm pressure should feel.
After the massage.
Get up slowly. Some people feel light-headed after lying down for an hour. Drink some water if you are thirsty and keep moving gently during the rest of the day.
You may feel sore the next day, like after a workout. The 2015 Cochrane review of massage for low back pain, which pooled 25 trials and 3,096 people, found that more pain after treatment was the most common side effect, in 1.5% to 25% of people, and that there were no serious side effects in those trials. Soreness that lasts more than two days, or that feels sharp, is worth a call to the clinic.
Before you leave, Kevin may suggest a stretch or a simple movement to do at home, and how soon to come back. Our session length and frequency page explains how that plan is built.
Paying for the visit.
The clinic bills most work health plans directly, so you pay only the part your plan does not cover. ICBC pays for 12 massage treatments in the first 12 weeks after a crash, and the clinic's ICBC visits are free for the patient. WorkSafeBC pays once your claim is accepted and you have a doctor's referral. Our coverage page covers each one in full.
First visit questions.
How long is a first massage therapy visit at Medstar?
A first visit with Kevin Herter, the clinic's Registered Massage Therapist, is booked as a 60-minute initial assessment and treatment. Part of that hour goes to your health history and a short check of the sore area, and the rest is hands-on treatment. Follow-up visits can be booked at 30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes once Kevin knows what your body needs.
Do I need a doctor's referral for my first massage?+
No referral is needed to book a registered massage therapist in BC. ICBC also needs no referral for the 12 pre-approved massage treatments after a crash. Two cases differ: WorkSafeBC needs a doctor's referral before it pays for massage, and some work health plans ask for a doctor's note before they repay you. Check your plan booklet if you are not sure.
How much clothing do I have to take off for a massage?+
You undress only as far as you are comfortable, and the therapist leaves the room while you do. You lie under a sheet, and only the part being treated is uncovered at any time. Many people keep their underwear on. For a neck or shoulder problem, some people keep a top on and the therapist works around it. You can change your mind at any point in the visit.
What should I bring to my first massage appointment?+
Bring your work health plan details so the clinic can bill it directly, and your claim number if you are on an ICBC or WorkSafeBC claim. Bring a list of the medicines you take and any reports or scans about your injury. Wear clothes that are easy to change out of. Arrive five to ten minutes early so the forms do not cut into your time.
Will the massage hurt?+
A massage should not hurt in a sharp way. Firm work on a tight muscle can feel like a strong ache that you can still breathe through, and that is normal. Sharp, burning or electric pain is a sign to stop or ease off, so say so straight away. You control the pressure, and you can ask for lighter or firmer work at any time in the session.
Can I talk during the massage, or should I stay quiet?+
Either is fine. Some people like to chat, and some prefer to rest in silence. The therapist will ask about pressure and comfort now and then, and those answers matter, because they guide the work. If you would rather not talk, say so at the start. Speaking up about pain, cold, or an awkward position is always welcome.
What questions will the massage therapist ask me?+
Expect questions about where it hurts, how it started, what makes it better or worse, and what you want to get back to doing. You will also be asked about your general health: recent surgery, blood thinners, blood clots, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, and pregnancy. These answers decide whether massage is safe for you and which methods suit you.
Is it normal to feel sore the day after a first massage?+
Some soreness the next day is common, and it feels like the day after a workout. The Cochrane review of massage for low back pain found more pain after treatment was the most common side effect, reported in 1.5% to 25% of people across the trials. It usually fades within a day or two. Tell Kevin at your next visit so he can adjust the pressure.
Can I have massage and physiotherapy at Medstar at the same time?+
Yes. Many patients see a physiotherapist and the massage therapist during the same course of care, often for a sports injury or a car crash claim. With your consent, the two can share notes so the massage work supports the exercises your physiotherapist gives you. On an ICBC claim, physiotherapy and massage each have their own number of pre-approved visits.
What if I feel uncomfortable during the session?+
Say so, and the therapist will stop or change what they are doing. You can ask to cover an area, change position, skip a body part, or end the session early, for any reason. A registered massage therapist needs your consent for every area they treat, and you can take that consent back at any time. You never need to explain why.
Sources.
Checked November 5, 2026.
- Furlan AD, et al. Massage for low-back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2015. 25 trials, 3,096 people. PMID 26329399.
- ICBC. Accessing treatment during your first 12 weeks of recovery (pre-approved treatments table, treatments April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027).
- WorkSafeBC. Massage therapists: key guidelines for treating injured workers.
- College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC. Public practitioner search.
Registered massage therapy at 1325 Marine Drive
Book with Kevin, or call and ask whether massage fits your problem.
Reviewed by Kevin Herter, RMT, Registered Massage Therapist at Medstar Sport Physio & Health, who provides massage therapy at the clinic.
This page gives general information and is not medical advice. Whether massage suits you is decided at your visit, after your history and health questions. If you have chest pain, sudden weakness, a sudden severe headache, or a swollen, hot, painful calf, call 911 or go to Lions Gate Hospital emergency. Massage therapists in BC are regulated by the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC, where you can check any therapist's registration.