What is Sports Massage?

Sports massage is concerned with the management, manipulation and rehabilitation of the soft tissues of the body and has many benefits
IMPROVES TRAINING
- increasing blood flow through the tissues can improve the recovery process allowing the athlete to train more effectively and safely
- it assists the removal of waste products and helps supply the tissues with essential nutrients to aid recovery
- increasing the knowledge of the deep tissues means advice can be given on specific stretching, training and equipment to help improve performance
PREVENTS INJURY
- imbalances and damage in deep tissues can be detected earlier and potentially corrected before an injury develops
IMPROVES SELF AWARENESS
- through deep tissue massage, an athlete can learn to monitor their own condition and adjust their training accordingly
IMPROVES PERFORMANCE
- pre-event sports massage can stimulate circulation, calm nervous tension and help prepare the athlete for optimal performance

Sports Massage in the UK

The English Institute of Sport along with other home country institutes and sports governing bodies found there was a significant demand for sports massage among sport participants. There was however a great deal of confusion as to who was appropriately qualified even among other health professionals working within sport.

In 1999 a Sports Massage Advisory Group was established to investigate the area chaired by chartered physiotherapist and sports massage practitioner Joan Watt.

In January 2002 the Sports Massage Association was launched as the governing body for Sports Massage Practitioners in the UK with the aims of:

  • setting minimum training and examination requirements for members
  • supporting training establishments to meet these minimum standards
  • Support and promote our members and their profession
We are working towards protection of title, but currently anyone can call themselves a Sports Massage Practitioner or Therapist.

BEWARE - standards of training and practice vary enormously - at the best your treatment could be ineffective, at worst it may cause injury.

TERMINOLOGY - Under current law anyone is able to call him or herself a sports massage practitioner or sports massage therapist. It is very important that any practitioner you visit is a member of the Sports Massage Association - they will have the letters MSMA after their name

ENVIRONMENT - Sports massage practitioners work in a variety of settings, in clinics, leisure centres, at clubs and events and many are also prepared to travel to your home.

REMEMBER - always ask if your Sports Massage Practitioner is a member of the SMA - if so they will have a current membership card, certificate and also an insurance document provided by us.