Sports massage is a fast-growing form of treatment for athletes. Many trainers believe that sports massage can give their athletes an edge in competition, according to the National Holistic Institute. Sports massage helps athletes to recover from strenuous workouts, increases flexibility, relieves strain and helps injuries heal faster. Sports massage therapists work with athletes to improve performance and rehabilitation.
Students in sports massage therapy courses learn compression massage, cross-fiber massage, deep tissue, Swedish massage, lymphatic and trigger point massage. Courses prepare you for work at marathons and triathlons as well as cycling events. Students learn techniques for pre-event, post-event and maintenance massage when working with athletes. In addition, they study injury treatment, injury prevention and how to apply heat and ice.
Sports massage courses can be taken online through distance learning courses. Because massage is a hands-on field, students must occasionally report to massage therapy clinics during their study. Online courses can be taken as part of a diploma, degree or certificate program. Online sports massage courses include Intro to Exercise Science, Sports Massage, and Business of Massage, Intro to Anatomy and Physiology and Special Client Techniques. These course will teach you about the body and the role of exercise as well as typical conditions and ailments that need rehabilitation.
Sports massage courses are also offered at many colleges and career schools throughout the country. On the West Coast, courses are offered at the Marinello School of Beauty in San Diego, California. You could also attend the Santa Barbara Body Therapy institute. East Coast schools include the Connecticut Center for Massage, as well as the Heritage Institute in Jacksonville, Florida. You could also attend the Lancaster School of Cosmetology and Therapeutic Bodywork in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In the south, you could attend the Atlanta School of Massage, in Georgia, or the National Massage Therapy Institute in Arlington, Virginia. Midwestern schools include the Cortiva Institute in Chicago and the Institute of Natural Therapies in Michigan.