Massage Therapy in North York – Jane & Sheppard

Massage therapy at Jane and Sheppard

Welcome to Jane and Sheppard. This is a small clinic where Maria Luiza Alde, our Registered Massage Therapist, works alongside our physiotherapists in a few rooms off Jane Street, and evenings until 7pm suit people coming home on the 35 Jane bus. If you have never had a massage before, this is an easy place to start.

New to this treatment? Learn about registered massage therapy and what to expect.

Our Jane Sheppard clinic is at 2526A Jane Street, a short walk south of Sheppard Avenue West in the north-west corner of North York. It serves Downsview, the Jane and Finch neighbourhoods to the north, Humber Summit and the streets east towards Keele, and it is one of the easiest of our clinics to reach without a car: the 35 Jane bus stops outside, and the Sheppard West routes connect to the subway at Sheppard West station.

This is a compact clinic with one registered massage therapist working alongside the physiotherapy team, which means the same face each visit and treatment that is planned together rather than in parallel. Hours are 10am to 7pm Monday to Thursday and 12pm to 4pm on Friday; the clinic is closed at weekends, so if you can only come on a Saturday, our Finch Avenue West clinic is the nearest with Saturday hours.

Types of massage therapy we offer at Jane Sheppard

Book massage therapy rather than a technique, and let your therapist choose after assessing you. The approaches available here include:

• Deep tissue and trigger point work for persistent neck, shoulder and low back tension
• Swedish massage for general tension and recovery, at a pressure you set
• Remedial massage after injury, coordinated with your physiotherapist’s plan
• Myofascial release for long-standing stiffness in the connective tissue
• Massage for work-related strain, common here among people in warehousing, healthcare and the trades, whose bodies do the same movement thousands of times a week
• Massage after a car accident, billed through your accident benefits

What massage therapy does

Registered massage therapy assesses and treats the soft tissue: the muscles, tendons and fascia that tighten, shorten and refer pain when they are overworked, injured or held in one position for too long. It reduces pain and restores movement, and it works best alongside the strengthening and posture changes that stop the problem returning, which is why we place it inside a rehabilitation clinic rather than on its own.

It does not fix a joint that has locked, a nerve that is compressed or a structural injury. If your assessment points to one of those, your therapist refers you to the physiotherapist in the next room, and the two plan your care together.

Your registered massage therapist at Jane Sheppard

Massage here is provided by Maria Luiza Alde, a Registered Massage Therapist with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, who also works at our Woodbridge and Vaughan clinics on other days. Because there is one therapist at this clinic, book ahead for the time you want, and if you need a day she is not here, the front desk can offer another clinic or the next available slot.

What happens at your first appointment

Your first visit is longer than a regular one. Your therapist goes through your health history, asks what you want from treatment, and assesses the area, which may include watching you move and checking range of motion. You agree the plan before hands-on work starts. You undress only as far as you are comfortable and are draped with a sheet throughout. Ask for forty-five or sixty minutes the first time so the assessment does not eat the treatment.

Coverage and direct billing

Most extended health plans cover registered massage therapy, and we bill most major insurers directly so you pay only what your plan does not cover. Bring your insurance card. Some plans require a doctor’s note before reimbursing massage; check yours. Massage therapy carries 13% HST in Ontario. After a car accident it can be funded through your auto insurance accident benefits when it is part of an approved treatment plan, and after a workplace injury it can be part of a WSIB program of care for an allowed claim; tell us at booking and we handle the forms.

Questions we get asked at Jane Sheppard

What are your hours? Monday to Thursday 10am to 7pm, Friday 12pm to 4pm, closed Saturday and Sunday.

How do I get there by transit? The 35 Jane bus stops on Jane Street by the clinic, and Sheppard Avenue West buses connect to Sheppard West subway station. From Jane and Finch it is a ten-minute bus ride south.

Is there parking? Yes, at the plaza on Jane Street.

Do I need a referral? No. Book directly. Check whether your insurer wants a doctor’s note for reimbursement.

I have a work injury. Can I come here? Yes. Once your WSIB claim is registered, massage can be part of a program of care alongside physiotherapy. Bring your claim number.

Can I see the massage therapist and a physiotherapist on the same day? Yes, as separate appointments. They share notes and plan around each other.

Will it hurt? Firm work can be uncomfortable in a useful way but should never make you brace. Tell your therapist and the pressure changes. Expect mild soreness for a day after a deep treatment.

Do you offer massage in languages other than English? Our front desk and team at this clinic serve a very multilingual neighbourhood; ask when you book and we will tell you honestly what we can offer.