#97Court-Side Care- The Medical Team Behind the Toronto Raptors with Melissa Doldron, RMT and Movement Educator

9:39PM Jun 15, 2024

Speakers:

Krista Dicks

Melissa Doldron

Keywords:

work

feel

rmt

sport

massage

years

massage therapist

team

travel

running

community

recovery

job

people

absolutely

day

hired

post

toronto

women

Today I have radical massage therapist Melissa Deltron. She is a registered massage therapist and movement educator in her 10 years in clinical practice, she's built her practice around providing recovery, rehab and education to her community of clients who love to stay active through exercise and sports. This has led to opportunities to work with athletes and teams from the grassroots level to the pros. She's currently working full time on the medical team for the Toronto Raptors. She believes movement is medicine and good recovery is the key to performance. Melissa is both a travel and sports enthusiast and her downtime. If she's not out exploring new trails, you'll find her travelling to ballparks and arenas in search of the perfect game. Please enjoy this episode with Melissa.

Melissa, welcome to the radical massage therapist podcast.

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.

I'm very excited to have you here as well. What would you say? Is your favourite part about being a massage therapist?

Ooh, of the I think the community connection, I think we I mean, I obviously can't speak to all arm tees. But I think in general, we always get into this career path to help people. And and I think as you start to do that the community sort of that you build through your clientele, and and the ways you perhaps share your education to help folks I think that's always just been sort of the the centre point of why I love doing what I do.

Yeah, amazing. That is a common common thing. Definitely. We all get into it for some reason, we want to we want to help people. Absolutely. You'd mentioned in your email, just before we were recording that, actually, you've been under the weather. And actually one thing that I do like to, you know, pick, massage therapists brains about is that how they, how they recover how they take that time? Or do you have a specific routine, that once you start to feel a little bit under the weather that that you go to.

So I won't say that I have a specific routine only. Currently, because they think my work and schedule is just so non typical, that it's sometimes hard to actually have routine, right. But in general, the things I love to do to make sure that I'm managing my my energy levels and my endurance and my time and is just taking time away from work. I am a big believer, and I talk about this with any new RMT you know, someone who's new to the to the industry is just, it's always hard because we work for ourselves most often. And, you know, if you're not working, you're not earning sort of thing. But you have to take a vacation, you have to take a break. You have to have sort of like I think in the world of sports like an offseason, where you're just taking time to actually just rest. So I do make sure that I take that time throughout the year, where it's not just like once I'll factor it in in little ways, it could just be a day off. Or it could be making sure I'm taking a whole week of of no work, that sort of thing. But yeah, just getting in the little bits of rest. When I can if it's not a large chunk of time, like a week off for vacation, of just making sure you're taking a day off. To rest I love to to move I do believe you know movement is medicine. So having a yoga practice for me personally, is what I found really helpful. And that can look like a variety of different things. You know, yoga is such an expansive practice. So a lot of restorative work, slow, deep stretching, as well as maybe a more active vinyasa practice just to get everything moving and grooving. I find for me, I just find I tend to run as a person who always sort of feels stiff and tight. That yoga has been very helpful, the breathing, the meditation aspect, all of those things that encompass a yoga practice really helped me in a restorative way to make sure that I'm I'm still moving and grooving as an RMT.

Right. And he's sort of touched on it and will probably go all over the place and it won't be a linear podcast, but you definitely touched on that your lifestyle right now is not not really regular. There's no routine really, that you can have because of the nature of what you do. Can you share what your experience is like being full time right now? On the medical team for the Toronto Raptors and I assume like at in the massage therapist role.

Yes, yes, yes. Yes, I'm one of two RMTS Working full time with the team. And so I just completed my first season in that role. So it was everything was new, it was very exciting, but very demanding. I think a lot of people always think about when you work in a professional sports setting of, you know, the travel and it's exciting and you know, you're going all these different cities, and it is all those things, but it's also just a lot of long hours, you're basically on call all of the time. So it's not necessarily that there's a lot of hands on massage hours that you're you're spending, but you're just with the athletes constantly just you know, in case they need things, you're doing smaller, sometimes treatments that could only be 1520 minutes, with a few back to back, and then maybe you're helping guys with their mobility with their stretching, you're helping the equipment team whenever they need it, you know, carrying all the tables and our equipment in and out of arenas, you know, the the quick turnaround of games and travel, you're sort of in and out in cities within 24 hours. So it's just it's really, you're on the go all the time. So it's it's yeah, it's it's quite challenging. But But yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's really great because you get to be, it's something that I've always had always been curious about. And now that I get to live it, of just seeing what it's like to be with a team with the same group of guys that you get to see through a period of months, and how exactly your work, helps them perform at their best. And that I think is something that always drew me to do this work is to be able to see how that can make a difference to help in a team setting someone else sort of elevate their performance and be at their best. So in that sense, it's like it's the best job and I that's why I love it.

Yeah, that would be awesome to see, you know, the outcome of your your work and in their performance and on a you know, a grander scale as well. Like, I definitely not my area of interest. And I'm wondering if part of part of it for me is that I would be so nervous about the calibre of the, like, the level of sport that they're at. And, and because we want to help so bad, if there's just not if we're not able to bring them back, you know, to the level that they want, or even if it's just a season or whatever, how how does that play on on your, you know, profession? Or how you feel? Because I feel like it would be there would be a lot of pressure there. Yeah. To

to succeed? For sure, absolutely. But I think I think you, we always just have to remind ourselves that, you know, we can a we can only do so much, and that there are multiple it's there are multiple factors in in the performance of a person and sometimes other things in life happen that can derail someone's athletic career, whether it's, you know, things that happen away from the actual sport. But yeah, there's just there's a multitude factor. So I think that just keeping that in mind helps take that anxiety away. I think when I first started working with athletes, that was definitely the biggest trepidation of like, oh my gosh, like, this is a million dollar athlete or, like, if it's someone who's an Olympian, you only have that one moment, every four years. And, you know, this feels very, you know, stressful. But I think it's, it's, it's hard to say how but you just have to, like not think about it in those terms. Otherwise, that will take over you just providing your best work. So even if I'm in a clinical practice with someone who isn't, you know, some kind of full time paid professional athlete, I'm still putting all my good work into helping them at whatever they need that day, I'm taking that same ethos with the professional athlete and saying, Okay, what do you need today? What's happening in the next week? Month? How are we fitting this in, and to get you that 1% better, you know, kind of mentality of, of making sure they're, they've got what they need. So I think that's the main thing is you just have to sort of stay grounded mentally in that and not let you know where you are and who they are. Take over.

Yeah, I think you're right as you as you said there to being grounded, that your massage is not going to make or break this individual's career. And I think that some some ego, you know, can can get in the way there if if some, you know, professionals habits so, yeah, that makes sense. stay grounded, provide the best treatment that you can. And then and then let them you know, have the there's other like you said there's other factors that affect their other performance. So so that's a really, really great piece for sure. So then how did this all come about? You've been in practice for 10 years? Yes. So maybe, where did you go to massage school? What was your interest in massage? And like, how should you get? Yeah, so

I, I went to school at the Royal Canadian college of massage therapy in Toronto, where I'm from. And initially, when I decided to, to change my career path and get into this, sports was always the sort of area of focus that I wanted to take on. I myself had competed at sort of a local level, as an amateur boxer, and I had been involved in my boxing community a lot with just helping out at the gym and trying to help out with other other fighters and preparing and I just loved the community aspect, I slowly started to get into running as well through through boxing through our air conditioning and stuff. And it started to run local sort of five and 10 Ks. And it was a neighbour who was also a massage therapist of mine, we got to chatting. And she was the one who actually sparked the interest of saying, you know, I think you might actually be really, really good as a massage therapist. And if you're, you know, I was sort of in a at a career crossroads at my old job. And so when I started looking at schools, and what that would look like, that was always in the back of my mind is that I'd love to work with athletic, the athletic population to work with athletes, too, because I knew from my, from my own time performing, or sorry, competing, that, like I used massage therapy and physiotherapy a lot to get over various injuries. And so I knew how beneficial it was. So it was something I was like, oh, yeah, you know, I really love being involved in sport. And this could be a way that if I wasn't competing, that I could still stay involved and, and help athletes in a different way. So yeah, that's kind of where that impetus kind of began. And then I went through my schooling, you know, you get your first jobs and clinic. And I just got, you know, it was one of those things where you say, you get lucky, but I think I was just pretty intentional about asking around asking people I knew, even when it came to getting my very first clinical job, I was speaking to other runners that I knew, who had therapists that they really love to see, hey, could I see if maybe they're hiring or if they could give me some advice as to getting started. And that really was the the Kickstarter was just networking in that way, and just asking people for their help. And that got me into my first clinical role. And then in speaking to my running community, I was one of those sort of pushy, slightly pushy, where I was like, I just graduated as an RMT, can I come and do a chat about what massage can do to your running, and I would just come and speak to little run clubs, I got invited them to speak at a few running rooms in the community that just talk about the benefits of massage. And that sort of helped build my practice, and got, you know, more experience hands on bodies. And it just sort of grew from there. And then through some of my clinical interactions of just telling, you know, clinicians that I really would love to work with, with athletes or with teams and just get involved I started, I discovered the CSM ta the Canadian Sports Massage Therapy Association, got to do a few community events, that way of working at little local races, you know, rights conquer cancer, that sort of thing. That grew my network a little bit more. And then I Yeah, and it just, it sort of grew from there. So a lot of it was just being intentional with who I talked to, who I tried to align myself with that felt like our sort of values and career paths were the same. And the biggest thing that I'll tell people, because this really, I feel like impacted me a lot is even in my clinical like I had I worked at a downtown, you know, in the financial district and in a clinical practice. And I would just talk to my regular clients, a lot of them worked in, in finance, or were lawyers, that sort of thing, but who may have been super active, but I started to say like I would love you know, they will just ask what you're interested in and I was like, I'm always interested in working with folks who are who are super active working in sport, getting out, you know, at that time, I was like, Oh, I'd love to work for Team Canada and the Olympics like it was just sort of these conversations you would have while folks are on the table but those even brought opportunities I've spent This year was actually the last the first year I wasn't able to do it because of my gig with the Raptors. But for the last seven years, I'd worked in the curling community working for the Grand Slam of curling, and it was something that I absolutely loved. There was an event in Toronto and it was via a client, who I saw in clinic, she just happened to work for this company. She's like, Hey, would you ever be interested in doing event massage for curlers feels so very random. But that opened up such an amazing relationship that I worked this event for seven years, plus, I got to work with a Olympic gold medalists, World Champions. And I got to learn about an incredibly fascinating niche sport, and how much they and how they use their body so differently compared to a lot of other sports. And then how physio massage strength and conditioning really impacts their performance, because of how they utilise their body in that sport. So it was just that's sort of been my pathway is just each year, you know, each little step that I've that I've taken is really just come from me, you know, talking about what, what I want putting it out, you know, manifesting of sorts. And yeah, and so even through through all of that, I ended up getting a position, a part time position, working with the, as a consulting massage therapist with the Toronto Blue Jays. And even that felt so random via kind of via Twitter, or I guess it's called x now, right? Where I again, started through the running community, a woman I had known was putting together these speaking engagements. And it just so happened one season, the Blue Jays had hired a woman as a as their physiotherapist. And that was, it's still very uncommon to have women working in MLB, especially in the in the coaching and medical levels. It's it's getting, it's getting better, where you're getting more women applying and getting these opportunities, but it was still very uncommon a few years ago, and I saw this woman who I'd known through my running community was putting on the speaking engagement, and had invited the Jays physiotherapist as one of her guests. So I bought a ticket, I went I networked I was like, How do I get a job? It sounds so ridiculous. But it's as easy as that. And, you know, she was like, we're not hiring. But she took my card. And we stayed in touch. And she was able, maybe I don't know, if it was a year, it might have been less than a year later, to be in a position where she could open the door for me to get an interview. And so it's just little things like that. It's never a common path. I think that's the biggest thing. When you're when any RMT is wanting to work with athletes at a higher level, or work in sports, it's almost never sort of generic pathway. But that was just that was how I got started. And then you just you show up, you do your best you're just, you know, putting putting your care, you know, these athletes in your care and, and you hope it you hope

it works out? Yeah, that's amazing. There's so many wonderful takeaways in that in that conversation. Absolutely. The networking, that like just asking outright for, for what you want, and building that network and the connection and, and telling people what your goals are, I think in in business and maybe in the massage world, maybe we hold back on telling what our future goals are, because we don't want to show that we're unhappy where where we are. You know, where

are you? Opportunity? You know, so yeah, I'm sure in the beginning, people were like, Yeah, right. You're gonna work for with pro athletes like, Get your head out of the clouds. Yeah,

ya know, for sure. And but I'm so glad to hear you say like, yes, just ask and yeah, you know, you never you never know.

Absolutely. I will say though, although all of those opportunities came through sort of untraditional means I will say my role with the Raptors actually was the first time something went through in a more traditional way. They had posted just a job opportunity last summer on LinkedIn on their MLS mlsc job board because they were just doing an external hires. I don't think it's very common when teams do that, but I guess it is it is growing I do find it's a lot of it is usually who you know who you can refer in house sort of thing. But that just came as a random external job application. And I just sort of like everyone else who who probably apply, you know, submitted my resume and went through the regular sort of Apple case and hire steps for that job. So that that's just for me as well. Yeah,

that's pretty neat. I mean, the fact that they they advertised for that, like for an external hire and wasn't necessarily the connection. But also, you know, like, maybe the experience that you had before. I mean, you're on, you're so involved in sport, you love sport, you know, Toronto, like, of course, you're following along. So it was sort of like a, you know, on your radar, you know, in the background anyway, which is really, really cool. I love that. Okay, so you're working with the raptors, you're travelling, what does what does a normal routine look like for you.

So I usually divide this into its sort of into two groups, there's, there's game days, and practice days, because they'll look a little different schedule wise, similar, but just the timeline of your day. So a game day is definitely going to be our sort of longest, longest day as far as hours that you're, that you're working. And usually it'll start first thing in the morning, on a game day, the team will usually have what we call shoot around, which is not quite a heavy practice, but they just come to the arena, or, or practice facility, whether we're home or away, and just work through a couple little concepts with the coaches, you know, practising their shots going over the gameplan. And in that morning time is where, if any guys need to get a little soft tissue work done by either the RMTS, the athletic, the head trainer, or the athletic therapist, or the physios, they have the time and opportunity to get that done. Usually those will be just short, short little sessions, 15 minutes to 30 minutes of sort of like a spot treatment, I would say like, if someone's just has a nagging knee thing and ankle thing, they'll come and get that sort of sorted out. We also will have time post shoot around for where the RTS might be a little busier, there'll be some players that like to get a little bit of a longer like a flush 30 minute, 40 minute flush before the game and so they'll usually do that after shoot around. And then we'll usually have a bit of a break before heading to the arena for game day. So for a pregame setup, we're usually arriving like three around three hours before game time. And that's where everyone will just have their routine we have a schedule of guys will be back on court practising shots, and then coming into the training room, getting their pregame routine. And that can look like stretching, getting some joint moebs Get again, getting some soft tissue flush work, it just sort of depending on what each athlete has, has practised has tried and what they like, everyone's going to be a little different. Some of it can look a little more like pre event sport massage where they're just sort of in their in their sweats. And we're just coming on the table and just doing some kind of generic compressions and moebs and that sort of thing. So and then it's game time we watch the game or making sure you know from from an r&d perspective, we're sort of just we're not on the bench or anything like that. But we're engaged in watching the game, you know, and sometimes things happen where we're just there in a supportive role, that if we need to come into the back to help out with anything that's going on with any of the athletes, we're just on hand and ready to go. And then usually the game wraps and there might be a couple of guys that will take in a postgame treatment. Again, usually, a variety guys will do a variety of things, whether it's getting into tubs hot or cold icing, and then some guys will get on the table and might want a little postgame postgame flush to just help them relax and decompress and stay ready for the next day of work. Yeah, so that's usually a game day, a practice day is usually when we'd have time for longer recovery treatments. And depending on how our schedule looks in the week, we always take a look between the games of like what kind of time we have and where we can fit it in. And just sort of work it out like that. And that's where guys will get their 60 to 90 minute full body treatments. Yeah,

that's awesome. Do you have like special tables made for these? These guys?

I mean, there are tables that are built with a little extra length and such. I'd say it's it's it's it's it's a mixture like our treatment in our training room. I think the hydraulic tables are just normal hydraulic tail because you definitely see legs dangling off the end and stuff. But actually this year we did. We did get Some new massage tables into a recovery room that that are a bit bigger, what both longer and wider to help support their full length of their body. That's

awesome. How long do you think massage therapy has been been a part of the medical team and in these professional sports now?

I mean, I think I think there's, there's always I think they've all it's always been around. I think it depends on each team's budget as to whether they have someone full time or whether they hire folks to come in on an as needed basis. So that will depend on the team, and what they what they budget, but I know with the with the Blue Jays, the the current full time massage therapists, I'm pretty sure he's been with the team for at least 15, maybe even longer. 15 plus years. And the same thing I know what the Raptors like, they've, it's having full time staff is a little more recent. But they've they've definitely had someone around for at least the last, I think seven to 10 years. And so this is the first season that that there's two of us now. So which is great, which is

great. And obviously there was maybe more demand, and they're seeing the benefit, for sure, for sure. Yeah, incredible. And early. You mentioned that in MLB. There's not a lot of women, as part of the medical teams behind the scenes is is there any reason why you know why? Or is it is it's just we're just gotta go gotta get in the door. Yeah, I

think it's just cultural. You know, it just as the culture of sport is changing in general, I think it was just not a space women were being hired into. And so now that you're seeing it more with all kinds, with a variety, both on the athletic training side of things, with the dietitians being hired, and massage, I think it's just you're starting to break down those those barriers a little. But yeah, when you look at a lot of old stadiums and how they were built, like, there weren't even facilities for women to use to like change and, like locker rooms base washrooms. So it just, I think it was just a cultural thing. It was like a men sport, they hired men. And that's just sort of the way it was. And so yeah, so now that there's sort of that idea that actually women like would love to work in, in this environment, and have lots of expertise and such to offer and that it's not a big deal. We're starting to see those things change. I'd say the NBA is incredible with how much sort of gender diversity, you'll see. I've sort of been able to get to meet a couple of other folks on other teams, you know, based on the staff that I work with now and who they know, they've been able to introduce me and it's incredible, I'd say every team's medical staff probably has, you know, if it's not like a 5050 it's, you know, it swings kind of 6040 so that you're just gonna find a tonne of women working in the on the medical team from massage to physio, to dietician to head trainer, and, and in the strength and conditioning roles as well. And you're starting to see it grow in coaching. It's still, I think, has a ways to go but a lot of teams, you'll even see, that's growing as well. So yeah, I think it's just like a cultural, cultural shift that slowly but surely, you'll you'll see more of it. Yeah, absolutely.

And I mean, women traditionally have been like, We are the majority of the massage therapy and assumed dietitian as well. So you know, we're gonna, we're gonna get in there if you want. If you want a massage therapist, that's, you know, we're jority so yeah, it's really, really interesting. Amazing. You mentioned running the running community was a huge part of, of your life and, and you know, your networking. Tell me more about it started as part of your conditioning with boxing, but it really grew. You've got a lot of little checkmarks running.

I just, I definitely credit. The Toronto run and community and my community of the Parkdale Road Runners with with so much as far as just deep friendships, athletic opportunities, fun travel, like travel, race, racing, travelling to race and to cheer on people. And then just again, being able to give back like over the years, I think that's been the the best thing is that yes, runners in my community have been able to come into the clinics that I've worked with, and I've been able to work with the mice Selzer refer them on to two colleagues that I work with, but I've been able to show up, do provide any care that they need, you know, through race weekends, that sort of thing. And it's just it's, it's, it's been a big joy in my life. And I've been able to have two incredible experiences, where I was able to join, be hired via Lululemon to actually work with a team of women, ultra runners who were doing this amazing relay. And I was able to, like, go on an RV and sort of try to keep keep these ladies legs feeling nice and fresh and keep the energy up. And that's been an, that was an amazing experience as an RMT to just sort of go on the road like that. And then I was able to support another set of friends who were doing a similar endeavour, where they were running from Toronto to Chicago, in a sort of ultra marathon relay, and I was did the sort of same thing on the RV, you know, taping, stretching, you know, little bits of, you know, massage in the backs of an RV motivational support, whatever it was, you know, sort of like when you think of what a swan year does for professional team cycling and sort of the Tour de France to big grand stages. That's kind of what what it was like, as you're just doing, you're doing some hands on, but you're sort of there for anything and everything they need. And that, to me is some of the most fun ways to sort of do my job. And best experiences that I've that I've had. Yeah, yeah.

And then Lululemon? Did they also give you an ambassador?

Yeah. So through through sort of being involved in the Toronto Toronto run community, I was able, in 2020, to become a local Lululemon ambassador for my local store, in in Midtown, Toronto, Briar Hill. And so I was an ambassador for three years. And that was really awesome, I got to participate in some really great activations, and just get people out and thinking about running or walking and getting involved in more movements, supporting other people in my community, other yoga teachers and studios. And it was, it was really cool, I was able, with a few other running ambassadors to do a small video series, even where we were, each each of us in our special discipline sort of provided our best sort of tips and tricks, excuse me, for you know, providing recovery, providing strength, nutrition habits, etc. And so different ways that I can utilise my my skill set to like, educate runners on how to, you know, keep running well, and strong is always something I love to do. Because as we know, I don't know if you've treated any local runners in your practice, you know, runners just love to run and sometimes to their own detriment. And so I'll always, I'll always laugh that they're the best business investment is having a good set of renders on your roster. But you know, it's, it's always great, because they're always there to take in that education and that information and those reminders, you know, because yeah, when you love to do something, you'll you'll often just do that one thing and forget about the little things on the side. So that's where we come in. Yeah,

absolutely. My husband just did the half marathon and Mississauga out there. And so that was his first half marathon. But yeah, he is he loves, loves running. And, and it's the other things and I mean, even in my role as a massage therapist, I'm still the wife so he has to rely on thank God, we've got like, you know, he goes to see his massage therapist, and she tells him what to do. He like steps home one day, he's like, Have you ever heard of Epsom salt baths? And I was, yeah. And now he's doing all of this self care on top of the running, which is great. Yeah, yeah. No, I got it. And you mentioned some, like races that you travelled to race yourself. Yeah.

So I tell people now I'm like, officially retired from long distance running. So I'm more of a cheer support person for people in the marathon world. I prefer to keep it short and sweet myself. But I have I've gone to Chicago and I've run a half marathon in Chicago. I've run races in Washington DC. Always will recommend the cherry blossom 10 miler. It is a gorgeous time of year in the spring to go. And 10 Miles is like 16 ish K, perfect distance. I've run the New York City have in the spring before, New York's always an excellent place to run. And I've done a few running retreats I've gone. I also just utilised running when I'm travelling to see a city. So it doesn't matter where I am, it doesn't have to be a race. But wherever I travel, I try to I try to run and just do a little neighbourhood 5k or 10k, just to see the sights. But yeah, a lot this time last year, I was off, travelling off to Scotland to the highlands, and I did an amazing trail running retreat. And it was the most incredible, incredible thing, the views and the terrain and the people was just awesome.

What does that what does the trail running retreat involve?

So this one I went to through a company called Ira libre, they're a Mexican based adventure travel company. So they do most started out where it was just running retreats, but now they've branched out to do hiking retreats, as well for those who may not be into running. And so basically, it was a six day retreat, where you get a mixture of running, trail running yoga, they feed you, you get to stay in beautiful local, sort of, I guess, kind of like a bed and breakfast types, type places. We were like in lodges in the highlands. So you get a good cultural exchange, we got to stay on local farms, and learn about what they what they farm, what they make, how they make their living. Yeah, so and they do that in every sort of destination. There's always a cultural element to it. So you are running and you are getting some good yoga to stretch out along mileage. But you're getting this incredible cultural exchange from the locals and getting to learn about who they are, what their community is like. And you're doing that with other sort of like minded like minded runners. So it's, it was amazing. Yeah, that sounds

lovely. Amazing. And how did you end up on the cover? We're going to cover the Canadian running magazine.

I was I was I honestly, I was like, I wish I knew how I ended up I got, I got a DM in my Instagram from the photo editor. And I think the I think if I recall, the editor followed me on Twitter. And, and we, we might have had some running random like running exchanges in the past. And I guess when they were looking at folks to feature and it was an issue, it was called the body issue. So they were talking a lot about recovery aides and strengthening and stuff like that. So they were like, Oh, well, Melissa is a massage therapist. Let's, let's see if she's interested in being on the cover. And so it was, it was it was very, very awesome. I was very humbled by it, because I am. Yeah, that is outside of my norm. Okay, sure. But it was a really fun experience. And I was I was very grateful to be to be one other cover models. Yeah. So

cool it to the worlds come come together. Yes. Yeah. Nice. And, and sort of you mentioned like, I mean, this magazine wanted to talk about recovery, and that it's gonna save it till later. But for your, in your opinion, as someone who feels that recovery is the best way to enhance your permits. And based on your career span, and what you see now and the access that you have just probably some pretty cool recovery. What do you see right now as the the top? Maybe it's maybe trend, but maybe like, what is the best type of recovery right now going? And then I want you to give us so it's what's like not even considered recovery anymore, right?

Hmm. So when you're, the one thing I'll say is working, working in pro sports, and because you know, will often have access and budget to things and because you get to see these guys every day. You you sometimes you get you just get more access to things. And so I find when you're in clinical practice, and you're working with folks who have to actually think about money and budget a little more, you have to be a little more creative, but to me I always feel like that routes you in what you can look at that's actually been researched or researched well and I always just try to tell people to keep it simple. And so even within sport, we I still try to try to utilise that frame. But when you do have access to things you can you can always add in a little extra so but I'll say the biggest stuff is just sleep always number one is we're just like making sure are you getting enough quality sleep what what can we do to help inform, you know, maybe where you might need to make some changes, you know, the eating and the drinking, you know, your height, nutrition and hydration has to be on point for that. And then outside of that, outside of massage, you know, I'm still being on like telling people to foam roll, telling people to use lacrosse balls for their feet like anything where you can just have that sort of stimulus to work in just general stretching, I think stretching has gotten a bad rap for ever. But I will die on the hill, but I think everyone should stretch. And it doesn't have to be strenuous. It doesn't have to be an hour a day. But like, we if you move a lot, or if you don't move a lot, if you sit a lot, you know, you should just move your body mobility stretching, like it doesn't have to be anything, you know, fancy doesn't have to have a special name to it. Stuff like that. I am a big believer in the compression stuff. So things like the NormaTec sleeves, compression, where we'll see that with a lot of the guys where they will wear like, even when we're flying or or when they're playing like compression shorts, compression socks, but even getting in that NormaTec or any other brands that has the inflated, you know, sort of compression stuff that you can put on your legs on your arms on your shoulder. It definitely breathes a little, a little extra life into into how your legs feel. I've done it, post half marathon and post long runs. And it always feels amazing. So I really do love, love those types of recovery tools, the Thera guns, you know, it's sort of, if you like it great. If you don't, don't stress about not owning one or using one I think like anything, it's like if it feels good to you wonderful. But But it's like, I feel like now they're at least a little more affordable. But back back when they first came out and were like 600 $700 I was like Don't waste your money. And hot tub cold tub. I've always also been big into hydrotherapy, saunas, steam rooms, that sort of thing. So if you have access to those types of things, I will always offer that as a suggestion for folks to to utilise as far as making their bodies feel a little better.

Amazing. Thank you Now that's great. It's good for any our clients. It's good for us. As professionals as well, I love Absolutely.

I love a good, cold plunge for my forearms and hands. Okay. Yeah. Helps the joints feel a bit better.

Yeah, no, absolutely. So yeah. How are you feeling? 10 years into practice?

Pretty good. To be honest. I think I think part of that is, is I've vividly remember one of one of my teachers in school, kind of like, scaring us about how short an RMT lifespan is. And to really end he really was like, take your self care seriously. And I really took it to heart. So I think I'm feeling very good. I will say I have only experienced a sort of massage injury once and that was this year. And I don't think it was even from massage. It was just from carrying so much equipment during the season that I developed a little bit of tennis elbow. And so I just it was a reminder, like we would tell our clients don't always use your dominant arm use both sides. You know, I was just overusing one arm to lug things so but yeah, other than that, I'd say I feel really great. I tried to again for me, big sleeper love long hours of sleep. I love to nap. So I feel like I get lots of rest. And I'm just you know, I've always been running and get the cardiovascular but strength training, you know, especially as for any women who are listening and as once you get over the age of 40 it just becomes even more important to strength train for our bone density and everything that goes along with that. But yeah, keeping up some semblance of, of staying physically fit has helped the longevity of my career. Absolutely

can Yeah, no, that's great. Great advice. You mentioned earlier you were at a crossroads with your job when but you at the spark for massage therapy. Can you share what what you were doing before?

Yeah, absolutely. I worked. I worked as a graphic designer. I worked in advertising and design for a number of years and I looking back I realised I was just I was burnt out I had done it for 13 years. I worked a lot of hours in and just in the studio life and it just wasn't as fulfilling anymore. I had always been both an artsy and sporty kid. And I think I was just not feeling as as creative. And like I said, not not fulfilled in that role anymore. And so I just, there was a, the Crossroads came where I happen to be. Let go, there was a big downsizing at a company that I was in. And so I had this time on my hands. And I was like, do I want to stay in this job? Do I want to do something different? And then that's where a conversation with my neighbour who was an RMT came where she was like, Well, you know what, I think you'd actually be good at this job. And in the beginning, it was really she just thought she suggested it as even just sort of something to do on the side that if I wanted to freelance and still work in design, or advertising, that maybe I could just do two things. And that way, one didn't feel so stressful. But then once I once I got into school and started, I was like, No, I don't want to do, I'll just stick to this, like this one, this thing will be the main thing. And so now. So now thankfully, I can get back to just having arts be a hobby and a passion and use my creativity. That used to have to be my job and for money. And now it's just for me, and I actually liked that a lot better.

Yeah. So I I like that idea that, you know, she recommended it as a side hustle, potentially, as well. That's the wonderful thing about our massage career is that you can do multiple, multiple things. You don't have to strictly make it your full time gig. But that's awesome that it did didn't work out for you. Do you? Do you miss that life at all? Or?

i To be honest, no. But I definitely feel like I am grateful to it. And that I still have a good appreciation for it. And I've still been able to use a lot of what I learned into my massage career. So I've put on various, so I teach yoga and mobility also, as a side hustle, not so much now, but in previous years, I did it a lot more. And you know, I've always been able to design my own, you know, flyers and curate things that would be on Instagram. So I always still feel like I have a good eye for design. And I've put on different talks with, you know, whatever, slides and presentations. And so I still feel like I've utilised my skill set just in in ways now that helped my massage career. So yeah, I don't but I don't miss the daily, the daily day to day aspect of it at all. I'm absolutely happy where I am with what I do now. Yeah, that's awesome.

Few more unrelated, I didn't think it was going to like I didn't have it on my radar. But you've sort of mentioned Twitter, which is now x. And you know, maybe with your experience, probably like prior, or you've mentioned that some of your connections and the way that you're staying in touch with people has really been through through x is this? Like, do you have any feedback for massage therapists, about one like x versus Twitter or, versus Instagram or so

I you know, I always it's funny, because we always will make shifts through our through our careers. And as we age, I feel like I'm trying to be a little less online these days. But for sure when I was first starting out, and I definitely advise everyone to just be comfortable with, you know, what, what, be comfortable with what you're comfortable with don't don't force it stay sort of authentic. But I love being on Twitter for just finding not just local people. But Twitter I found was easier at the time to get involved with more of a global therapy community. Like I ended up connecting to people who are based in the UK, based in Australia based in the states and just then being able to find different online conferences, different speaking engagements that you could log into or sign up for things that were in person. So I found it super, super helpful as far as connecting and networking with other therapists. And that's initially what I what I used Twitter for back then. And it was great people would post different research studies. Oh, have you seen this? There would be you know, Twitter was famous for the Twitter arguments in, you know, physiotherapy communities and I would just show up with my popcorn eating, you know, reading the threads of like, you know, it's stretching good for you or whatever the topic of the day was, you know, so I found it entertaining. But also just I learned I learned a lot I was exposed to some stuff. That was sort of you And outside of my scope, so I loved utilising that I think Twitter is or X, whatever we want to call it, I think it's a very different space. Now I find these days, I use it more just to keep up with sports. And that's kind of it, I don't really utilise it in the therapy sense anymore. I feel like a lot of people have maybe navigated to threads via like, Instagram secondary app, because it's less, I think it's less cluttered. It's kind of what Twitter used to be. I haven't ventured there yet, but this is what I hear. I also really loved Instagram. And still and still do I still enjoy. I guess I don't really post work related things there anymore. But I absolutely used it a lot. I would I wasn't someone who would post a lot of video of like, you know, here's how to do this or this. But I would sometimes with permission share stuff I was working on with clients, if they were if they were willing, I would share some tips and tricks. I think through the pandemic, we all were a little more online with sharing stuff. But yeah, I still enjoy it when I see other colleagues or other therapists that I follow sharing, especially massage stuff, any kind of new stretching, or maybe not new, but just sometimes there's there's just so much out there. It's like a reminder, like, yeah, I can have my body in that position. Oh, I can work from sideline like, I still think it's a great resource. And if someone is comfortable being on camera, and comfortable instructing, you know, can always come with the the idea of like, who's going to comment on the feedback and, and that sort of thing. But yeah, I still think it's a great way to be engaged.

Yeah, that's excellent. That's great. If they don't people are always, you know, like, where should I put my attention? And yes,

and I'll say as much as I say, it's a great place to be engaged. It's also, but you don't have to write I know a lot of successful RMTS who are not online in that way at all. They might post a few pictures randomly of events, if they're working like in the sports around, but like they don't, they're not sharing as far as like, cause they're not content creating. So I also think there's a pressure that everyone needs to become a content creator. And it's like, no, you don't.

That's so true. A few questions to wrap up, if you can. Are you able to share who is the funniest Toronto Raptor?

Oh, huh. Who is the funniest? You know, I'd say Jordan whare is probably the most comical. He just, we always tell him he gives us excellent little brother energy, you know that he's just like, always coming in. And yeah, he'll just have like, these little one liners or he's just yeah, he just gives that pesky little brother energy in such a good genuine way. That that he's always a delight to be around. Yeah, I would say I would say he's, he's one that kind of brings brings a lot of smiles. But honestly, they're all everyone I get to work with is really great. And we, we, we I feel like as a team, we as a staff, like we laugh a lot like you know when the work is the work and we can be in it and focus, but we definitely have a good time. Being able to find light moments during those long days and long hours.

That's awesome. And you. You'd also mentioned that and you know you'd love like you looked travelling to the different baseball diamonds. Yes. Well, that's something my parents actually really enjoy doing. Their baseball is really big in my family. What are what's one of your favourite stadiums that you visited? Oh,

P number one PNC Park in Pittsburgh. best, best stadium. It's so good. Definitely, definitely my top. I've still I'm still very, very early in my visit every park era, I think I've only been to nine out of 30. But I'm planning on a trip to Seattle this summer. So I'm excited to add Seattle to the list. And I will say through my basketball travels, although I wasn't inside so I don't count them. But I was able when we were in both San Francisco, Arizona and Phoenix and in Milwaukee. On my morning runs I was able to run to where the baseball stadium was and at least look at it from the outside and say okay, I'll be back to catch a game at one point. But the San Francisco I don't know what I think it's called Oracle Park. It looks pretty phenomenal and I hear really good things about it. So I'd be excited to go back to San Fran and catch catch a Giants game there. But yeah, PNC in Pittsburgh. Everyone should go it's gorgeous.

Nice. Tell me more about sports hugs.

Ah, I love it. I don't I often wonder, does anyone look at the highlights on people's pages but you're, you've researched a little and so I I just I'm, I'm a big hugger myself, but I just absolutely love seeing I just love seeing men hug. I like the idea that we don't have to like that men can be tender. And and it still doesn't, it doesn't have to be a slight on their masculinity or anything like that. And so when I see it in sport, in genuine context, whether they're winning, whether someone has taken a hard loss, whether they can just be vulnerable and tender. I love a good sports hub. So usually if I see it involved with athletes that I follow, or teams that I've worked with, I'll share it on Instagram and I'm just now going hashtagging sports hugs. And I've created a little highlight. So all my favourite sports hugs, everyone can just have a look and just give a little Oh, that is so sweet. When they look at it.

Wonderful. I appreciate you sharing that. No, it's it's really great. So you should go check it out. So on that note, then where can people learn more about you and find you.

I am both on Instagram and ex Melissa de underscore RMT mostly posting just personal tidbits of my life. This year on on my Insta Stories, I would post I would run my goal was to run in every city that I travelled to and I was able to do that the last few road trips I had to walk it out because I had a little me flare up but I ran in every away city I posted photos of it and so that was just a fun thing that I did a little challenge for myself usually post an arena shot so people you know are into that they in season that's kind of the content you'll see me share is usually stuff from from from my travels. And on Twitter. Yeah, it's honestly I'm just sharing sports stuff. Nothing exciting if I'm if I'm honest.

Amazing. Well, I really appreciate your time. This has been so lovely to chat with you. And thanks so much for for sharing your experience with the radical massage therapist listeners.

Oh, it was absolutely my pleasure, Krista. Thank you