| Many therapists offer Sports Massage on their | | | | flexibility protocol and strength-training |
| "Massage Menu" yet few understand what Sports | | | | principles utilized to achieve a specific |
| Massage is about. When a client comes in | | | | goal when treating athletes". He considers |
| requesting a Sports Massage, some therapists | | | | that there are three principles that are |
| merely react by going in deep. Sports Massage | | | | vital to understanding what type of Sports |
| is so much more. | | | | Massage to apply to an athlete at any given |
| | | | time. These principles are: Timing |
| Whilst Sports Massage does have some aims in | | | | Technique and Intent |
| common with other forms of massage therapy, | | | | |
| the usual experience in conventional massage | | | | The timing of Sports Massage is related to |
| is to aim to restore the normal function when | | | | when the massage is applied, is it pre-event |
| someone is injured. But in sport there is no | | | | or post-event, during a maintenance period or |
| 'normal' and athletes are always looking to | | | | possibly post-injury when rehabilitation is |
| improve and gain a competitive edge. Most | | | | required. The technique refers to what |
| athletes aim to reach a level of performance | | | | massage/stretching/strengthening methods the |
| they can never achieve. | | | | therapists employs to attempt to achieve the |
| | | | intent, the desired outcome. |
| A Sports Massage therapist has great | | | | |
| potential to assist the athlete to become | | | | The intent of pre-event massage is to warm up |
| better, rather than merely normal. In | | | | the muscles and to get blood flowing through |
| striving to be better, the athlete attempts | | | | the muscles. The massage techniques generally |
| to systematically increase the level of | | | | used are petrissage, vibration, percussion, |
| training and thereby subjecting the body to | | | | compression, muscle broadening strokes, etc. |
| gradual and controlled overuse. This overuse | | | | With post-event massage, the intent is assist |
| can often create imbalances and problems in | | | | in the recovery process by increasing venous |
| the soft tissues, which if ignored may become | | | | and lymphatic circulation to assist with |
| chronic. Clearly this may hinder the | | | | removal of metabolic by-products and thereby |
| athlete's performance and/or rate of | | | | decreasing muscle soreness so that the |
| improvement. Sports Massage can become a key | | | | athlete can return to full training faster. |
| ingredient in an athlete's success and this | | | | The massage techniques would include |
| is why top competitors incorporate it as an | | | | effleurage, compression, petrissage, passive |
| integral part of their training regime. | | | | movements and light stretching. The intent of |
| | | | maintenance massage is to keep the athletes |
| So what is Sports Massage? McGillicuddy(1) | | | | muscles and tissue in optimum condition and |
| defines Sports Massage as "the specific | | | | is generally scheduled at a regular frequency |
| application of massage techniques, | | | | (be it weekly or fortnightly), closely |
| hydrotherapy protocols, range of motion | | | | married to the athlete's training program. |