Sport Massage: Before, During and After Injuries Management

 

By Nazrie Aripin

 

Wherever we go right now, we can hear people discussing about Beijing Olympic. Whether it is about Malaysian proud Datuk Lee Chong Wei (badminton) who won us a silver medal (our nation only medal), the phenomenon Michael Phelps (swimming) who won a record of 8 gold medals in a single Olympic or also the magnificent Usian "lightning" Bolt (Track and Field), people can't stop discussing about it.

 

Many people will only look at the result of the tournament, but what they don't realize is in order for an athlete to achieve a good result an athlete have to be manage  their bodies properly before, during and after the event.

 

Sports massage is a special form of massage and is typically used before, during, and after athletic events. The purpose of the massage is to prepare the athlete for peak performance, to drain away fatigue, to relieve swelling, to reduce muscle tension, to promote flexibility and to prevent injuries. The main purpose of sports massage therapy is to help alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body's soft tissues during physical activity. Where minor injuries and lesions occur, due to overexertion and/or overuse, massage can break them down quickly and effectively.

 

Sports massage can help prevent those niggling injuries that so often get in the way of performance and achievement, whether a person is an athlete or a once a week jogger. According to www.sportsinjuryclinic.net, sports massage can heal both your body and your mind.

 

We can see a good example of use of sport massage therapy in a boxing match. Before the start of a match, boxer will warm themselves up and do stretching to prepare for the game. Boxer's physiotherapist will also help by doing sport massage so that the boxer body will be ready for a match. In the interval of rounds, we can see boxer being massage by physiotherapist.

 

This is to help to relax the muscle and reduce the probability of injury to happen. It also gives a good feeling to the boxer psychologically. After the match, whether the boxer wins, lose or draw, they will receive a massage to prevent an injury from occurring or get worst. 

 

If you're a serious athlete--either one who's competing with yourself and testing your personal limits, or one who's competing for a team at any level--the question isn't whether you'll be injured or not but when. Once you're injured, you can opt to go it alone or get help in your recovery. If you're smart, you'll use sports massage to speed your healing, and you'll incorporate massage into your training regimen. You may even decide to take sports massage courses or to become a massage therapist. 

 

Should you decide to become a sports massage professional therapist, you'll have lots of choices of working either in domestic or international. You might work in a medical clinic or chiropractic office. You might work for an athlete or for a team at the professional or college level. You might work at a massage centre--or just go into private practice.

 

Reputation seems key, as massage careers rest on clientele and referrals. How much you make is based on your skill and your ability to market that skill to the public. A beginning sports therapist might charge RM30 or RM50 for a half-hour treatment. Sports massage specialists who work for sport teams or clinic draw a fixed monthly salary of RM2, 000-RM3, 000.

 

At Massage Therapy Academy (MTA), they offer many types of modern physiotherapy massage trainings which include sport massage training. They have been encouraging proper and professional massage education for the past five years, offering International Standard (ISO 9001:2000) Massage Certification. MTA also has engineered its massage course to meet the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Corporate Development (MeCD) requirements as a franchisor. Besides, MTA is a member of Malaysian Society of Complimentary Therapist (MSCT) which is recognized by Traditional & Complementary Medicine Division (TCM) of Ministry of Health. 

 

With two training campuses throughout Malaysia - Wisma Central (beside KLCC) and Petaling Jaya, MTA also offers students across the nation in Penang and JB the opportunity to gain experience and a massage therapy education at their school. Classes will vary by location but students will have the opportunity to receive a well-rounded education, getting a focus in anatomy, manners, massage theory, practice, and interpersonal communication.

 

Why not mastering this sport massage skill that can change your life? Imagine the desires that are developed enhancing both opportunity for each other even more. Treat this as an investment rather than an expense, so act now to share new found of experiences of training by calling at 019-318 1088 or 03-2161 0200 (KL), 03-7960 0018(PJ) or visit them at http://sport-massage.com.my