Key takeaways.
At Medstar, a first massage visit is 60 minutes, and follow-ups are 30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes. A new injury is often treated weekly at first. Ongoing tension is often treated every two to four weeks.
- Book the length that covers all of your problem areas, and no longer.
- Regular visits tend to matter more than one long visit.
- ICBC pays for 12 massage treatments of at least 45 minutes in the first 12 weeks after a crash.
- WorkSafeBC pays for an assessment and up to 6 treatments in the first 8 weeks without asking first.
- If three or four visits change nothing, change the plan.
The four lengths, and what each one suits.
30 minutes
One small area that has already been assessed: a calf, one shoulder, or the neck. A good follow-up length.
45 minutes
One main problem plus the muscles around it, such as neck and upper back. The standard ICBC follow-up length.
60 minutes
All first visits. Two connected areas, such as low back and hips, or a recent injury that needs a careful approach.
90 minutes
Several problem areas at once, or a full-body session with focused work on one injury.
The first visit is always 60 minutes, because part of it goes to your health history and a check of the sore area. Once Kevin knows your body, a shorter follow-up often covers the same ground.
What the research says about dose.
The 2024 Cochrane review of massage for neck pain looked at 33 studies with 1,994 people. Overall, the evidence was low certainty, and massage did little better than a fake treatment for pain. One finding stands out for planning: when the authors split the trials by dose, people who got at least 8 sessions over four weeks, each 30 minutes or longer, showed a difference large enough to matter to a patient.
Sports recovery points the other way on length. A 2016 review of 22 trials found that massage of 5 to 12 minutes had larger effects on performance recovery than massage longer than 12 minutes. For an athlete between training sessions, a short, focused session can beat a long one.
Put together, these suggest a simple rule: regular, well-spaced visits of a sensible length do more than an occasional long session.
How often, by situation.
After a new injury or a crash, pain changes fast in the first weeks. Many people book weekly, then spread visits out as the pain settles. The 12 ICBC treatments over 12 weeks fit this pattern. Our injury and surgery page explains when massage can start.
For ongoing tension, remember that desk work, driving and stress build it again over time. Every two to four weeks is common. Watch how long the relief lasts and book just before the tension returns.
During heavy training blocks, a short session after the hardest week can ease soreness. Avoid firm work in the last few days before a race. Our sports massage page explains the timing.
When to stop, or change the plan.
Massage should earn its place. Track three things across your visits: your pain, how well you move, and how well you sleep. If none of them has changed after three or four visits, the plan needs to change. That may mean adding exercises, seeing a physiotherapist, or asking your doctor about other causes.
Large reviews support this approach. The 2015 Cochrane review on low back pain found that the benefit of massage was mostly short term. A 2024 review in JAMA Network Open, which mapped 129 reviews of massage for pain, found no conclusions rated high certainty and only 7 rated moderate certainty. Massage helps many people feel better, and the best results come when it sits inside a wider plan.
Money and plan limits.
Many work health plans pay for massage up to a yearly dollar limit, and some set a maximum per visit. If your plan caps each visit, a longer session may cost you more out of pocket. If it caps the year, shorter, regular visits may stretch further. The clinic can bill your plan directly and tell you what it paid. See the coverage page for ICBC, WorkSafeBC and MSP rules.
Length and frequency questions.
What massage lengths can I book at Medstar?
The first visit with Kevin Herter, RMT, is 60 minutes and includes the assessment. After that, follow-up visits come in four lengths: 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes. ICBC visits are booked as a 60-minute first visit and 45-minute follow-ups, because ICBC sets a minimum treatment time of 45 minutes for registered massage therapy in the first 12 weeks after a crash.
Is a 30-minute massage long enough?+
Thirty minutes suits one small area that has already been assessed, such as a tight calf, one shoulder, or the neck between other treatments. It leaves little time for the muscles around the problem. If your pain covers more than one area, or you are still early in an injury, 45 or 60 minutes gives the therapist room to treat the whole chain of muscles involved.
When is a 90-minute massage worth it?+
A 90-minute session suits people with several problem areas at once, such as neck, mid back and hips after a long ski season, or people who want a full-body session with focused work on one injury. It is longer than most single problems need. If your plan has a yearly dollar limit, two 45-minute visits may help you more than one 90-minute visit.
How often should I get a massage for a new injury?+
For a new muscle strain or a recent car crash, many people book once a week while pain is changing fast, then spread visits out as they improve. In the 2024 Cochrane review of massage for neck pain, a higher dose of at least 8 sessions over four weeks, each 30 minutes or longer, showed a clinically important difference that lower doses did not. Your therapist will set a plan.
How often should I get a massage for ongoing tension?+
For long-standing tension from desk work or training, people commonly book every two to four weeks. There is no research figure that fits everyone. A good test is how long the relief lasts: if you feel better for ten days and then the tension returns, booking every two weeks makes sense. If relief lasts a month, a monthly visit is enough.
How many massage visits does ICBC pay for?+
ICBC pre-approves 12 registered massage therapy treatments in the first 12 weeks after a crash, with no referral and no ICBC approval needed. You need your claim number and Personal Health Number. Each treatment must be at least 45 minutes of one-on-one time. If you still need massage after 12 weeks, your therapist and your ICBC recovery specialist discuss more treatment.
How many massage visits does WorkSafeBC pay for?+
For an accepted WorkSafeBC claim with a doctor's referral, a massage therapist can give an initial assessment and up to six treatments within the first eight weeks from the date of injury without asking first. Any treatment after eight weeks needs WorkSafeBC approval. WorkSafeBC pays for no more than one treatment per day, and only for the body area accepted on the claim.
Can I get a massage every day?+
You can, but there is little reason to for most problems, and the tissue needs time to settle between firm sessions. WorkSafeBC pays for no more than one treatment per day. For sports recovery, a short session after hard training does more than a long one: a 2016 review found that massage of 5 to 12 minutes had larger effects on recovery than sessions over 12 minutes.
When should I stop booking massage?+
Stop or change the plan when visits no longer change anything. If your pain, movement and sleep are the same after three or four visits, it is time to rethink, often with a physiotherapist. Stop also when you have reached your goal and the relief lasts. Massage can be a regular part of looking after your body, but it should earn its place.
Does a longer massage work better?+
Not always. For pain, the 2024 Cochrane review on neck pain found better results with at least eight sessions of 30 minutes or more over four weeks, which points to regular visits more than one long one. For sports recovery, shorter sessions did better in a 2016 review. Book the length that covers your problem areas well, and spend the rest on regular visits.
Sources.
Checked November 5, 2026.
- Gross AR, et al. Massage for neck pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2024. 33 studies, 1,994 people. PMID 38415786.
- Poppendieck W, et al. Massage and performance recovery: a meta-analytical review. Sports Medicine, 2016. 22 trials. PMID 26744335.
- Furlan AD, et al. Massage for low-back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2015. 25 trials, 3,096 people. PMID 26329399.
- Mak S, et al. Use of massage therapy for pain, 2018 to 2023: a systematic review. JAMA Network Open, 2024. 129 reviews found. PMID 39008297.
- 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.
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.