What is Sports Massage?
Sports massage is a type of massage therapy tailored to the specific needs of an individual suffering from a sports-related injury or aiming to enhance their performance. However, this is not to say that this kind of massage wouldn't benefit anyone else besides athletes.
Sports massage involves manipulative techniques that rehabilitate the soft tissue to speed up its recovery and prevent future injuries. People who perform strenuous exercises or engage in heavy work and succumb to occupational injuries will benefit from a round of intense kneading and trigger point therapy, which aids in pain relief, relaxation and increased muscle flexibility.
Why Study Sports Massage?
If you want to specialise in a brand of massage that works on the core needs of athletes, sports enthusiasts or anybody with a naturally active lifestyle, then taking a course in sports massage will pave the way for your success.
Even if you're new to massage therapy, studying sports massage will benefit you loads as you can use this modality as an adjunct to your primary prescription for optimal health.
What Does it Take to Study Sports Massage or Become a Practitioner of It?
To succeed as a sports massage therapist, you must be a people person and have that can-do attitude. Since you're among the last people that an athlete interacts with before they set out into an event, you must exude positive vibes and be an inspiration to them.
As a student looking to work closely with athletes someday, you should be no different from a qualified therapist. Self-motivation is all it takes to get to your goals. It will help you hone your communication skills, maintain an open mind and improve your organisational skills. These are all important in your future career as you'll be conducting pre- and post-event massage sessions with many athletes.
Course and Study Options for Sports Massage
To be a qualified sports massage therapist in Australia, you have to complete a Diploma of Remedial Massage, which covers all important points of anatomy, deep tissue massage, sports massage, as well as running a massage clinic. If you want to test the waters first, you may take a short introductory course to get a feel of the lessons before diving into the study.
This course will also teach you how to conduct client assessments and develop a treatment plan tailored to the individual needs of each person. It will take you a year to complete a diploma program if you study full-time, but you have the option to enrol in an online course and work your study time around your busy schedule.
How to Choose a School or Course in Sports Massage
The best place to begin your search for an accredited sports massage school is at the top of this page. You'll find an extensive list of course providers that offer an impressive curriculum that will lay the groundwork for your career in the field of sports massage therapy.
The tuition, delivery mode and potential career paths should be among your primary concerns. Raise these to the course adviser of the school you wish to enrol in to get all of the crucial information. You also want to know if they registered with the relevant professional associations that represent certified sports massage therapists in Australia.
Once you have narrowed down your list to the cream of the crop, you can easily work your way to the most fitting one.
