Do you want to know how to become a myofascial release therapist? Then you’re in the right place as we have everything you need to succeed in this how-to guide, including:

• Prerequisites for Becoming a Myofascial Release Therapist
• Finding a Job as a Myofascial Release Therapist
• Where Can You Work as a Myofascial Release Therapist?

Before we get straight to it, you may be interested in finding out more information about our Sports Massage Therapist course to teach you the skills you need.

Find this and many other vocational fitness courses in our downloadable course prospectus.

Prerequisites for Becoming a Myofascial Release Therapist

Before you take a myofascial release course, there are some prerequisites that you should have beforehand. If you already have sports massage therapy or a level 2 fitness instructor courses under your belt, feel free to skip to the myofascial release section here.

Get Qualified as a Level 2 Fitness Instructor

Start off by getting qualified as a level 2 fitness instructor. This is the basic minimum for a career in the fitness industry and sets you up for the myofascial release course and is a way to get you onto the myofascial release course aside from SMT.

This will allow you to work with clients and customers in the fitness facilities and gain some experience working within gyms and with potential clients.

Within this course you will learn things such as, motivating groups and individuals, tailoring training sessions, human anatomy and physiology and more.

This is the very least that you should get prior to moving onto the more specific courses surrounding massage therapy holistically.

Get Qualified as a Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist

After you have established the basics within a level 2 gym instructor / fitness instructor course, you should get qualified as a level 3 sports massage therapist. Again, though you don’t necessarily need the level 2 to take the level 3 in SMT, it can certainly help.

This is one of the first sports massage levels you can complete. Think of this as the next step up from the generalised fitness qualification to a more holistic and in depth overview of sports massage, allowing you to also increase your employment opportunities to become a sports massage therapist.

This has the appropriate foundational knowledge to then branch out and specialise in myofascial release therapy.

Within this, you would learn crucial skills including:

• Anatomy & Physiology for Sports Massage Therapy
• The Principles of Exercise, Health and Fitness
• Understand the Principles of Soft Tissue Dysfunction
• Professional Practice in Sports Massage
• Sports Massage Treatments

These modules will help you to achieve more not just in getting hired within the industry, but also help you excel within the myofascial release course itself. In order to get hired as any kind of massage therapist more often than not you will be required to have a level 3 in sports massage therapy regardless.

Keep this in mind since in order to take a myofascial release qualification, you will need to meet the prerequisites of either a level 2 in gym instruction or level 3 in sports massage therapy, however we would recommend getting both since this is what will benefit you the most.

Take a CPD in Myofascial Release

Aside from the prerequisites that we have spoken about, your final and most important step when gaining the right qualifications is to take a specific course in myofascial release therapy.

This course is how you’ll show potential employers or clientele that you have taken the extra step to make yourself fit for the role. This course includes crucial aspects such as:

• The key role of fascia
• Methods of how to achieve myofascial release
• Advanced techniques for different aspects of the body
  • Skin rolling
  • Sacral and cranial release

These are areas that you won’t see specifically within any other course and makes you more qualified for the job role when it comes to tipping the scale in your favour over any competition.

Finding a Job as a Myofascial Release Therapist

Finding myofascial release jobs can often be a little more difficult than holistic sports massage jobs, which is why many professionals will choose to be qualified in this at the first instance.

Nonetheless, you just need to know where to look. These are two of the main routes to take and how to find more specific roles.

Search for Myofascial Release Jobs Online

Most people’s first point of contact for jobs in any industry is online.

This is where you will find most of the job roles in your area by using the likes of Indeed or Google Jobs. Sites such as Indeed may provide you with more holistic roles that relate or include the specifics of what you’re searching.

For example, this job opening below is a result from our search for myofascial release jobs:

As you can see, though this is a job role advertising for a sports and remedial massage therapist, there is still the requirement for myofascial release techniques.

So, with that in mind ensure that you’re clicking into even the more holistic job advertisements because it is likely that even if it is not specific to the job title, you still have the role of myofascial release within the responsibilities.

Similarly, there are some other options too, including:

• Linkedin: This can help you find job openings and also connect you with relevant people who may at least be able to point you in the right direction.
• Glassdoor: This can provide you with insight into the employer, interview questions and even expected salary.
• Google Jobs: This helps you to narrow down your search and search or international roles as well as in your specific location.

Different online job boards have various features that could help you find jobs you may have otherwise missed, so when it comes to more niche roles like myofascial release jobs, it is a good idea to look everywhere.

Hand Out Your CV to Employers In-Person

You can always take the traditional route too by taking your CV into places that you wish to work.

This should be your second point of contact, utilise the internet first and check out any openings. However if you are local to a job and believe you could sell yourself more by heading in and asking for the manager, go ahead and do it.

This can help to show your eagerness for the role and put a face behind the CV. However, this is probably a better option for more private and smaller sports massage studios since you don’t want your CV to get lost within the masses of paperwork they may have if it is a bigger company.

Your application runs the risk of getting missed if it is a popular job opening so keep this in mind and choose wisely which option is best for the company you’re applying for.

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For some more helpful resources on the sports massage industry, head over to these articles below:

• 5 Exciting Sports Massage Therapist Career Opportunities 
• Sports Massage Contraindications: Examples & What You Need To Know 
• Advantages of Being a Sports Massage Therapist

Where Can You Work as a Myofascial Release Therapist?

Now that you know how to get certified in myofascial release, you may be wondering what you’re able to do with your qualifications and where you can put them to use. Here are some of the popular options that you could choose from.

You Can Work At A Physiotherapy Centre

One of the most popular places to work in for sports massage therapists as a whole and those that practise myofascial release is a centre designed for just that.

A physiotherapy centre offers a range of specific types of massage therapy, all working together to bring in a range of clients. While some practitioners may only work on one type of therapy, you may also be involved in performing a range of them too depending on the demand from the client base.

For example, take a look at the Liverpool Physiotherapy centre below, we have highlighted the range of therapies they offer and of course myofascial release is on there too:

After seeing the huge range of massages that they offer, it is unlikely that every independent physiotherapy centre will have a therapist designated to each type. For example, though you may be a massage therapist who specialises in myofascial release, you may also be required to perform cupping or kneading among other responsibilities.

This is like what we mentioned earlier when it comes to holistic job roles. This is why understanding the levels of sports massage is important since you’re more adaptable to other types if you have a higher level of certification behind you.

You Can Work For A Sports Team

When it comes to sporting teams, there is typically a demand for massage therapists.

Though this isn’t always specific to how to become a myofascial release therapist, it can be a responsibility within the sports team’s therapist role.

For example, take a look at this role below for a sports team therapist:

As you can see, the responsibilities advertised are holistic, they include prevention of injury and overall management. This can include preventative and rehabilitation practices of myofascial release.

Similar to what we mentioned earlier, ensure that you’re looking within each relevant job description as more often than not, you would be able to perform your skills within myofascial release.

Sports Massage Therapy Tutor

Lastly, another sports massage therapist role, you can take is to take the more holistic route and qualify as a sports massage therapist and go on to teach your expertise.

You will need a fitness teaching and assessing certification prior to applying for roles like this, but they can offer a stable career path that sees you earn a full time wage or freelance. If you do decide to freelance which many assessors do, in your spare time you can still utilise your SMT and myofascial release qualifications.

You could work in a physiotherapy centre, or freelance in people’s homes or relevant fitness centres where possible.

This could help to continually further your knowledge and experience while still earning money from both practising and teaching all the while.

Before You Go…

So, what do you need to specialise in myofascial release? Now you have all the answers on where to start and how to progress.

To gain the skills you need enquire today about Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist course here at OriGym.

You can find this and many other health and fitness courses in our downloadable course prospectus here.

If you’re currently wondering what the different sports massage levels are, we’ll break these down and explore where these various qualifications will lead you.

To examine these levels in detail, we’ll cover:

• What Are The Different Sports Massage Levels?
• Why Are There Different Levels Of Sports Massage?
• Are There Level 1 Sports Massage Courses?
• What Does A Level 3 Sports Massage Course Cover?
• What Does a Level 4 Sports Massage Qualification Cover?

But while you’re here, why not take a look at our Level 3 Sports Massage Course? This is the perfect way to start your career and gain an understanding of how to best help client recovery.

Find out more by downloading our course prospectus here.

Sports Massage Levels: Everything You Need To Know

If you’re wondering how to become a sports massage therapist and are looking into the different sports massage levels, it’s important to know why levels exist, what separates each one and what career opportunities they can provide you with.

What Are The Different Levels Of Sports Massage?

The professional levels of sports massage are:

• Level 3 Sports Massage
• Level 4 Sports Massage 
• Level 5 Sports Massage

Level 3 Sports Massage

The Level 3 Sports Massage qualification is the standard level to get started in the industry. It is the minimum requirement to gain employment as a sports massage therapist, and necessary to advance onto the other levels.

Most jobs involving sports massage will list this as a required qualification, such as this one posted on Indeed for a sports massage course tutor and assessor:

There are no prerequisites to gaining a place on a Level 3 Sports Massage Course. These courses are open to anyone with an interest in sports massage and cover a range of topics regarding client rehabilitation, such as advanced techniques to help muscular recovery.

This builds a solid foundation for students to gain confidence as a certified sports masseur by providing them with plenty of suitable skills and knowledge, as well as practical implementation.

Level 4 Sports Massage Course

The next stage is a Level 4 Sports Massage Course which builds on the foundational skills and knowledge developed on the previous level. This 4 qualification provides a deeper understanding of the skills required for sports massage and the application methods.

There will often be a heavier focus on the therapy as a practice and the science behind it, as it looks deeper into the anatomy and physiology when treating client injuries.

For example, OriGym’s Level 4 Sports Massage Courses will also look into more advanced therapies to aid in recovery, such as:

• Soft Tissue Repair
• Cryotherapy
• Thermotherapy

As this is more advanced and builds upon previous knowledge, to gain entry on a Level 4 Sports Massage Course, students must have completed a Level 3 Sports Massage Qualification, prior to enrolment.

This course is suitable for those who wish to gain employment in more professional environments, such as working with large groups or athletes.

While employers will still list the Level 3 as the main qualification, having the Level 4 provides you with even more desirable skills. For example, take a look at this job advertisement for a sports massage therapist in Liverpool:

Although they list the Level 3 Sports Massage qualification as an essential requirement, it also states that working towards a Level 4 Sports Massage is desirable.

This means that, by having this advanced qualification, you’ll have an advantage over someone with just the minimum requirement.

Level 5 Sports Massage Course

To gain entry to a Level 5 Sports Massage course, students require both a Level 3 and Level 4 Sports Massage qualification. This is the equivalent of a university undergraduate degree, providing students with a high level of skills and knowledge.

However, as the level 5 course isn’t as common, the topics covered on this course will vary between each institution. These courses will be offered by university or colleges and can take between one to three years to complete depending on what the institution allows.

There is no professional or legal requirement for those seeking employment to be qualified beyond Level 4.

Even less common is the Level 6 Sports Massage qualification. This is very rare and likely to be attributed to the specific college or university offering it, and not as a nationally recognised qualification.

Why Are There Different Levels Of Sports Massage?

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, or simply Ofqual, is the UK government department responsible for regulating qualifications and their providers. All qualifications regulated by Ofqual are set at one of its eight levels.

The reason there are different levels of sports massage is down to how advanced the content of the course will be. The higher the level, the more difficult it is to gain the qualification.

There are plenty of different individual qualifications within each level. However, to give you an idea of how these levels compare to their other educational counterparts, we’ll break these down:

• GCSE grades at 3-1 or D-G are Ofqual Level 1
• GCSE grades at 9-4 or A*-C are Ofqual Level 2
• A Level or AS Level are Ofqual Level 3
• Certificate of Higher Education or NVQ Level 4 is Ofqual Level 4
• Diploma of Higher Education or foundation degree is Ofqual Level 5
• A degree with or without honours is Ofqual Level 6
• Master degree or PGCE is Ofqual Level 7
• A doctorate or level 8 diploma is Ofqual Level 8

As the Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy Course is the equivalent of completing an A-Level, this is why it’s important to have different levels.

It allows students to slowly build and develop their knowledge by creating the foundation with a general overview and deepening this as they progress through the higher levels, such as the Level 4 SMT course.

Students must build their way from introductory modules to more advanced subjects. Think of it this way – you wouldn’t give someone Grade 8 piano pieces to play during their introductory classes.

This applies to sports massage therapy too, as students must build their way up to level 5 if they want to advance this far. However, most employers will only require level 3, unless the position is something more academic, such as a teacher or lecturer.

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Check out these articles to learn more about working in SMT:

• The Effects Of Sports Massage
• 7 Advantages Of Being A Sports Massage Therapist
• Sports Massage Salary 

Are There Level 1 Sports Massage Courses?

While there are no sports massage Level 1 courses, Level 2 sports massage courses do exist.

However, the minimum qualification most sports massage therapists hold is the Level 3 Sports Massage.

It isn’t necessary for students to study courses below the basic Level 3 Sports Massage as this equips you with plenty of foundational knowledge and skills required for employment.

For example, OriGym’s Level 3 Sports Massage Course doesn’t have entry requirements:

This means students don’t need to have completed any previous courses to enrol on the course. As an entry-level course, this provides students with everything they need to kickstart a career as a sports massage therapist, meaning levels beneath this aren’t necessary.

As discussed earlier, these levels are given by Ofqual and have standard education equivalents, for example:

• GCSE grades at 3-1 or D-G are Ofqual Level 1
• GCSE grades at 9-4 or A*-C are Ofqual Level 2

Although these levels are still recognised, it’s unnecessary for there to be level 1 sports massage courses as all this information can be covered at level 3 without being done separately.

What Does A Level 3 Sports Massage Course Cover?

To understand what sports massage involves, students enrol on a sports massage course to learn a foundational level of knowledge, they will be taught the essentials of providing sports massage, as well as understanding the principles of exercise and human physiology.

The Level 3 Sports Massage Course provides students with basic knowledge, preparing them with an entry level of skills for their career. At this basic level, students will learn about the anatomy and physiology of sports massage, as well as the principles of exercise, health, and fitness.

These courses also cover the professional practice of sports massage and the different types of treatment. This is crucial for learning injury management and rehabilitation techniques, and especially so for understanding which techniques should be used for certain injuries.

Knowing the difference between post-sporting and restorative treatments, which these courses will teach you, means you can accurately treat injuries and help clients heal quicker.

Having knowledge of anatomy and physiology is also vital for understanding how to correct posture and treat muscular imbalances in the body. This gives you introductory knowledge to the human body which will be expanded upon from level 4 onwards.

What Does a Level 4 Sports Massage Qualification Cover?

The Level 4 Sports Massage Qualification will build upon your existing theoretical knowledge, teaching you how to carry out specalist test that help to indeitfy causes, signs, and symptoms of common injuries.

Following this, you will advance your practical skills to ensure you know how to apply various advanced massage techniques, such as:

• Frictions
• Tapotement
• Trigger Pointing
• Soft Tissue Release
• Connective Tissue Massage
• Muscle Energy Techniques (METs)

Both of these aspects will develop yoiur clinical understanding and reasoning skills, informing how you create and implement successful treatment plans for injured clients,

Before You Go!

By understanding the differences between sports massage levels and where each one will lead you, this means you can now get started on your career in the fitness industry!

With our Level 3 Sports Massage Course, you’ll gain a greater understanding of the close relationship between sports massage and exercise. Knowing the effect certain exercises have on the body means you’ll be able to treat injuries at a greater level.

Download our course prospectus to find out more or enter your details below.

Whether you’re an amateur or professional athlete – or simply in pain – sports massage has huge psychological and physiological benefits.

In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the effects of getting regular sports massages so you know exactly what to expect.

Table Of Contents:

• Physiological Effects of Sports Massage
• #1 – Relieve Muscle Tension And Pain
• #2 – Extended Range Of Motion
• #3 – Improved Circulation
• #4 – Increased Lymphatic Drainage
• Psychological Effects Of Sports Massage
• #5 – Reduced Anxiety
• #6 – Improved Mood
• #7 – More Efficient Rest
• Potential Negative Effects Of Sports Massage
• #8 – Increased Soreness
• #9 – Medical Complications
• Before You Go!

Are you passionate about SMT and want to help others? OriGym’s Level 3 Sports Massage Course builds foundational skills and knowledge that can launch your career!

 Physiological Effects of Sports Massage

#1 – Relieve Muscle Tension And Pain

Sports massage therapists employ many different techniques during sessions, but one of the most commonly used is the stroking technique.

This stroking action helps to stimulate peripheral nerve receptors. These are nerve endings in the skin that detect changes in the environment such as temperature, pain, or pressure. The body’s response to these sensations is known as a reflex action.

If the stimulus is pain or discomfort, the body’s reflex action will usually be to increase muscle tension. To counteract this, the stroking technique helps to relax the muscles. This is because peripheral nerve receptors interrupt and block pain signals to the spinal cord, hence the brain and the rest of the body.

As a result, one of the main physiological and neurological effects of sports massage is to reduce muscle tension. This relaxes the muscles and causes patients to feel less pain in the long run.

#2 – Extended Range Of Motion

Alongside stroking, two of the most common sports massage techniques are kneading and wringing. These are more rigorous massage movements, which help to stretch and loosen the skin and underlying tissues of the body.

Additionally, putting pressure onto the muscles during these techniques helps generate an increased body temperature, as well as improving localised blood circulation. Tissues become more pliable and muscle fibres are stretched and lengthened, too.

As a result, one of the key effects of sports massage on performance and recovery is that it can increase the range of motion in specific joints and muscles. Any tension or pressure built up within the muscles is released, which helps restore and improve flexibility, reduce the risk of injury and boost performance.

#3 – Improved Circulation

Many sports massage techniques involve compressing and releasing blood vessels. This helps to increase blood flow and improve circulation throughout the body.

Increased circulation has a huge range of positive effects including:

• A greater supply of oxygen for the soft tissues.
• Vital nutrients carried to tissues and organs.
• White blood cells transported throughout the body efficiently to prevent and fight infection.

All these things will help improve recovery time and help prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

#4 – Increased Lymphatic Drainage

Another positive physical and mechanical effect of frequent sports massage is that it can help increase lymphatic drainage.

The lymphatic system is part of the body’s immune system, protecting it by filtering toxins away from the tissues. In this system, lymph fluid flows through lymph nodes, which are situated throughout the body and connected by lymph vessels. The lymph nodes filter out any harmful cells and waste material not required by the body.

Lymph flow can be stimulated through deep kneading and stroking techniques applied to the various lymph nodes within the body. As a result of this increased circulation through the lymphatic system, the body can remove waste products more effectively from tissues.

This process offers a range of benefits, including:

• Reducing muscle fatigue and pain by draining away lactic acid (which causes DOMS), 
• Improving your recovery rate. Having less fatigued and sore muscles means that patients can recover more quickly and are likely to perform better during their next session.
• Reduced swelling. Lymphatic drainage helps remove the waste fluids that cause swelling more quickly, so you can recover quicker and return to regular exercise.

Psychological Effects of Sports Massage

#5 – Reduced Anxiety

Many of the mental effects of sports massage are a direct consequence of the physical effects.

Although the muscle relaxation caused by sports massage is a physical response, when your body feels relaxed, your mind will follow. Therefore, the pleasant relaxation feeling induced by massage can help with the process of mentally letting go.

Sports massage also helps to regulate and interrupt the production of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Scientific studies suggest this is due to the relaxation of the muscle and interrupting our ‘fight or flight’ response that can arise from physical tension.

Finally, lymphatic drainage helps to flush out these stress hormones. As a result, getting a sports massage is a great way of detoxifying yourself of any unnecessary and excess stress hormones.

#6 – Improved Mood

Sports massage doesn’t just reduce stress hormones. It also releases a range of neurotransmitters such as:

• Dopamine
• Serotonin
• Endorphins

This is because sports massage triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). In contrast to the sympathetic nervous system, which drives the body’s fight or flight instinct, the PNS stimulates the rest and digest response.

The production of these neurotransmitters has a range of beneficial effects:

• Dopamine is responsible for the ‘feel-good’ function within your body. The chemical is released when you are performing an activity associated with pleasure.
• Serotonin plays a vital role in the regulation of mood, as well as memory, concentration, and learning.

So, not only will the increase in these neurotransmitters improve your mood, but they may also generally improve your cognitive function.

#7 – More Efficient Rest

The production of serotonin has another significant benefit – it can substantially improve the quality of your sleep.

That’s because serotonin is a chemical precursor to melatonin, which induces sleep in the body.

Melatonin is regularly prescribed to help people when their natural sleep rhythms have become disrupted. This might be people suffering from insomnia or even jet lag.

So, stimulating the production of serotonin will turn into melatonin in the body and help regulate your body’s circadian rhythms.

Potential Negative Effects Of Sports Massage

#8 – Increased Soreness

Though you might think of massage as a predominantly gentle and relaxing experience, sports massage can be much more intense and vigorous than a standard session. 

Although the effects of sports massage on performance and recovery are generally positive, this added intensity means that you may experience some discomfort during the massage and in the days following.

If you’re new to sports massage, this is because your muscles aren’t yet accustomed to being manipulated in this way, and so they will respond with inflammation to protect themselves.

A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that out of 100 people surveyed, 10% of massage clients experienced some form of discomfort in the 12 to 36 hours after their session.

However, as long as you’re aware of the sports massage aftercare you should be doing, any soreness or discomfort shouldn’t last longer than a day or two after a session.

If it does last longer than this, be sure to ask your massage therapist to lower the intensity of the massage during the next session. If the pain is intense or does not improve over time, visit your GP to check there isn’t an underlying issue or chronic inflammation or injury.

#9 – Medical Complications

Certain medical conditions or pre-existing treatments make it inadvisable to get a sports massage. These are known as sports massage contraindications. 

Patients with conditions such as osteoporosis or brittle-bone disease should avoid sports massage, as the weakness of their bones could be further compromised by the vigorous motion of the massage.

Additionally, if you have a low blood platelet count or are on blood thinning medication, sports massage can cause bruising and pain. Although serious side effects are rare in this case, intense massage can cause internal bleeding or nerve damage. A sports massage therapist will do a screening with you beforehand to check your health and readiness.

Clients with cancer generally experience positive physiological and neurological effects of sports massage, but you should always check with a healthcare professional first if you’re undergoing treatment.

This is why it’s vital you’re given the opportunity to reveal any health conditions or injuries before getting on the table.

Before You Go!

Don’t forget, you can develop your own highly lucrative fitness career, helping others to feel these benefits and effects, with our Level 3 Sports Massage Course.

You can find out more about all of our courses by downloading our free course prospectus.

Whether you’re a professional athlete or are completely new to the fitness world, you may have come across sports massage therapy. But you may be wondering, what is a sports massage exactly?

In this article, we’ll answer this question and more! We’ll cover everything you need to know about sports massage therapy.

Contents:

• What Is Sports Massage: Definition
• When To Get A Sports Massage
• Benefits Of Sports Massage
• Who Needs Sports Massage Therapy?
• The Different Types Of Sports Massage
• Other Effects Of Sports Massage

Before we get started, why not turn your interest in sports massage into a lucrative career with OriGym’s Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy qualification? Enquire today or download our free prospectus here to browse the full range of fitness courses we offer.

What Is Sports Massage: Definition

So, sports massage – what is it?

Sports massage therapy is a deep form of massage, which involves the mobilisation and manipulation of soft tissue.

Soft tissue is defined as any connective tissue that hasn’t hardened into bone or cartilage. This includes:

• Muscles
• Tendons
• Ligaments
• Skin
• Fascia (a form of connective tissue that lines other soft tissues)

Generally, a sports massage is used to relax the musculoskeletal system, which helps to warm-up the muscles prior to any form of physical activity. Both of these actions help to prevent injury during exercise.

Sports massage therapy can also be used for recovery and rehabilitation of soft tissue injury, which has been caused through strenuous physical activity and injury.

A sports massage therapist is someone who carries out a sports massage, as well as giving advice and guidance on how someone can prevent injuries from occurring in the future.

Want to become a sports massage therapist yourself? Check out our article on how to become a sports massage therapist for a step-by-step guide for getting into one of the most lucrative SMT careers in fitness!

When To Get A Sports Massage

A sports massage is good for both for specific event training for as part of a more general training programme.

We will explore each of these instances below!

Pre-Event Sports Massage Therapy: What is it & What’s it Good For?

Regular sports massage can be beneficial as part of a normal training programme and can be created by a therapist based on your requirements. The benefits of regular sports massages include:

• Maintaining or improving your range of movement and flexibility
• Assisting with recovery, helping to facilitate the growth and re-building phase of your training
• Preventing injuries, as therapists can target any areas that are likely to cause problems whilst you are training’

Post-Event Sports Massage: What is it & What’s it Good For?

Whether you’ve played a football match, or just completed a marathon, post-event sports massages are always a sensible idea.

This can be done either straight afterwards, or up to 3 days after the event.

A post-event sports massage works by:

• Reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
• Reducing muscle spasms
• Removing any metabolic build-up of waste products that may have occurred during exercise
• Encouraging faster muscle recovery

All of these things can help you prevent injuries, and help prepare the body for future exercise. This means that you can return to training much more quickly!

The Benefits of Sports Massage as Part of a General Training Programme

When thinking about ‘what is sports therapy massage?’, you may not have thought about the possibility of including sports massage as part of a regular training programme.

You may also be wondering what a sports massage is good for if you’re not a professional athlete.

But in fact, anyone who exercises in any form can benefit from a sports massage!

Regular sports massage can be beneficial as part of a normal training programme, and can be created by a therapist based on your individual requirements.

For instance, you may choose for the massage to be concentrated on specific muscle groups, to maintain or improve your range of movement and flexibility. It can also assist with recovery, and help to facilitate the growth and re-building phase of your training.

This means that you’ll perform better during your programme, whether you’re a professional athlete, or an amateur wanting to make the next step in your career!

Getting regular massages as part of a programme can also act as a preventive measure, as therapists can target any areas that are likely to cause injuries whilst you are training.

Benefits Of Sports Massage

Now you know what the purpose of a sports massage is and the different things that it can be good for, let’s dive a little deeper into some of the great benefits they can bring!

#1 – Sports Massage Therapy Can Reduce DOMS

DOMS, or delayed-onset muscle soreness, can be caused by a number of factors during high-intensity exercise, including:

• Muscle or connective tissue damage, caused by microscopic tears in the muscle fibres.
• Muscle spasm, that reduces blood flow
• A build-up of waste products in the muscles

Getting a sports massage can help prevent or reduce the intensity of DOMS.

For example, targeted sports massage helps to improve lymphatic flow and blood circulation within the body. Increased blood flow enables more oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to an area, which assists the repair of damaged tissues.

Plus, sports massages can prevent DOMS as the action increases the temperature of soft tissues, which allows them to relax.

#2 – Sports Massage Therapy Can Relieve Tight Muscles

Another benefit of having frequent sports massages is that they can help to relieve tight muscles.

Knots that form within the muscle as a result of tightness can limit your flexibility, which increases pain and leads to a higher risk of future injury.

A sports therapy massage is good for increasing blood flow through tight muscles, which helps to stretch the muscle fibres and break down knots and inflexible tissues.

Even athletes in their off-seasons can benefit from sports massages, as they help to decrease tightness and tension in muscles that have been over-stressed during the season.

Having sports massages regularly can therefore help to improve flexibility, reduce your chance of sustaining an injury. This will then all help to maximise your sporting performance!

#3 – Sports Massage Therapy Can Reduce Pain

Alongside helping to relieve tightness, sports therapy massage is good for controlling and managing pain.

Firstly, sports massages relieve pain by interrupting the body’s pain signals. These are impulses that run up the spinal cord to the brain.

Sports massages also allow the body to release natural pain killers. These are morphine-like substances, which the body makes and releases in order to override painful sensations.

#4 – Regular Sports Massages Can Improve Sporting Performance

You don’t have to be experiencing any pain or difficulty to participate in sports massage. In fact, regularly scheduled maintenance massages can be highly beneficial for athletic performance!

We’ve already established that sports massage therapy can reduce pain, DOMS, and muscle tightness. All of these things therefore mean that athletes can train more frequently, leading to a higher level of performance.

That’s why for many professional athletes, having a sports massage therapist is just as important for their career as other members of their team such as a strength and conditioning coach.

Sports massage therapists are also trained to be able to create customised treatment plans based upon their client’s specific needs, injuries, and challenges.

They can therefore identify and treat specific weaknesses before they develop into injury, which can drastically improve athletic performance.

Sports massages have also been proven to help improve and stabilise mood. This in turn can impact how effectively athletes perform during physical activity, including observation and decision-making skills.

People suffering from an injury or pain that is specific to one part of the body cab experience the benefits of sports massage.

#5 – Sports Massage Can Help You Relax

It may sound obvious, but an often overlooked answer to the question, ‘what is a sports massage good for?’, is that it can help you relax!

By this, we mean that it can help you relax both physically and mentally. As well as having strong physical performance, an equally important aspect of fitness is the ability to relax and switch off. And a sports massage can help you do just that!

The action of a sports massage generates heat throughout the muscles, which eases tension and allows them to relax. This is great for those who may be prone to overuse injuries, as the muscles are given a chance to relax and recover before exercising again.

Not only do sports massages help to relax the muscles, but its motion helps to soothe the nervous system and brain too- particularly if your therapist uses a good massage oil to help you relax.

This is what contributes to the overall relaxed feeling that you will experience after a sports massage.

#6 – Sports Massage Can Help You Sleep Better

When wondering, ‘what is sports massage good for?’,  you may not have thought sports massage can be great at aiding better sleep.

Sleep is an often overlooked, but very important element of recovery. As well as giving you more energy for physical activity, getting a good night’s sleep is also essential for muscle recovery, as it is during sleep that your muscles have time to repair and relax.

In fact, improved sleep is one of the best mental health benefits of exercise!

By relieving pain and discomfort in the muscles, sports massage promotes relaxation. This in turn will help you sleep better!

– – – –

Enjoying this article so far? Here’s 3 more that we think you’ll love:

• Advantages Of Being A Sports Massage Therapist
• Become a Sports Massage Therapist
• Sports Massage Therapist Job Description Explained

Who Needs Sports Massage Therapy?

Now that we’ve covered the benefits of sports massage, let’s now take a look at the different benefits for different types of people, from beginners to professional athletes and more!

Sports Massage is Good for Fitness Beginners

Whether you exercise once a week or every day, managing the impact of physical activity is crucial. Beginners, in particular, should take measures to ensure proper recovery. Without it, issues like DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and muscle tightness are likely, increasing the risk of injury.

Benefits for beginners include:

• Reducing the risk of overtraining by relaxing muscles
• Improving flexibility over time
• Lowering the likelihood of injury when starting out

If you fail to do this, particularly as a beginner, you are likely to suffer from things such as DOMS and muscle tightness. This could then make you more likely to sustain an injury as a result of overtraining without sufficient recovery.

For beginners, sports massage is good for reducing the risk of overtraining, since it helps to relax the muscles. In the long term, it can also help improve your flexibility.

All of these factors mean that sports massage can make you less likely to sustain an injury when starting out with fitness.

Sports Massage Can Help Those With Injuries

If you’re dealing with a specific injury or pain, a sports massage can support recovery. A qualified therapist can use targeted techniques to address problem areas.

Common injuries sports massage can help with:

• Runner’s knee
• Plantar fasciitis
• Tennis elbow
• Tight hamstrings
• Neck and back pain

Sports Massage is Good for Professional Athletes

Professional athletes regularly use sports massage to enhance preparation, recovery, and rehabilitation. The therapy helps prevent injuries caused by muscle tightness, which, if ignored, could hinder career progression.

How professional athletes benefit:

• Avoiding permanent injury or damage
• Identifying muscle abnormalities before they cause issues
• Integrating massage into regular training for ongoing performance improvement

Sports Massage Benefits Amateur Athletes

Amateur athletes, whether playing sports as a hobby or competing casually, can also benefit greatly from sports massage. Injuries are just as common, if not more, in amateur athletes, yet they often lack access to the same resources as professionals.

Why amateur athletes should consider sports massage:

• Reduces the risk of injury during sport
• Improves performance, potentially aiding progression to a professional level
• Accessible through self-sought therapists

Whether you’re a beginner, an amateur, or a professional, sports massage offers a range of benefits tailored to your needs, helping you recover and perform at your best.

The Different Types Of Sports Massage

So, we have explained what a sports massage is in general and who can benefit from them. But in fact, there are many different types of sports massage, depending on the type of client and what is being treated. We will explain them all below!

Effleurage

The first stage of most sports massage is called Effleurage. This is the lightest massage technique.

Meaning ‘to flow’ or ‘to guide’, Effleurage involves light touching with a regular rhythm, and is often used as an introduction to sports massage.

Its main purpose is to allow the therapist to gauge an idea of the condition of the muscles and surrounding tissues.

Effleurage also has a calming, relaxing effect on both the muscles and the temperament of the patient, meaning that they feel settled and ready to undergo some of the rougher techniques.

As a gentler technique, Effleurage can also be used as a rest period, and often links together each of the other sports massage techniques.

Petrissage

Petrissage means ‘to knead’, and as the name suggests, is a deeper massage technique than Effleurage.

When wondering ‘what is a sports therapy massage?’, the technique that most likely springs to mind is Petrissage. It consists of manipulating the tissue, from lifting, to squeezing, and moving tissues.

The pressure exerted during Petrissage increases blood flow, allowing waste products to be removed more quickly, and oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to replenish the muscles.

There are a few different forms of Petrissage, including:

• Kneading– The soft tissues in the muscles, skin, and the bones underneath are moved against one another.
• Picking– One hand is used to move, squeeze, and lift tissues, whilst the other hand supports the corresponding limb, to hold it in place.
• Wringing– As the hands move up and down, tissues are lifted from the bone and pushed side to side.
• Rolling– Using the fingertips and thumbs, the therapist gently grips the skin and rolls it. This targets the subcutaneous layer, which is the deepest layer of skin.
• Pressures– The therapist places pressure, or compression, on the soft tissues until they reach a natural stop. They hold for a few seconds, then release the area.

Tapotement

Although sports massage relaxes the muscles, it is also designed to manipulate tissues and aid recovery.

This means that a sports massage therapist is trained to progress from Effleurage, to rougher massage techniques, such as Tapotement.

Tapotement techniques aim to further increase blood circulation, stimulate the contraction of muscle fibres, soften areas of hard tissue, and increase tone.

There are several different Tapotement techniques, such as:

• Hacking– With palms facing each other, the hands rapidly strike muscle tissues in a light, springy, chopping motion.
• Cupping– By forming an arch with the fingers, the hands are brought together in a cup shape. Then, creating a vacuum, they alternatively strike the skin.
• Beating– Using loosely clenched fists, the heel of the hands, and the mid-section of the fingers, larger areas, such as the thighs or glutes, are alternatively struck.
• Pounding– This is a similar technique to beating, but the fists are instead turned inward and are circled over each other as they strike the target area.

What is Friction?

Whereas Tapotement techniques generally focus on larger areas, Friction is a more specific, advanced technique that focuses on small areas at a time.

Using only the fingers and thumbs, friction is performed forwards and backwards across muscle fibres.

As a rough technique, this can cause discomfort and bruising for up to 48 hours post-massage. Therapists should therefore use Effleurage at regular intervals, to give theirs and their client’s joints a break from such an intense treatment.

It may be an intense technique, but it’s also extremely effective at removing adhesions and scarring, improving circulation, and increasing range of motion. After all, that is what the purpose of a sports massage is!

What is Vibration & Shaking?

The final sports massage technique is vibration and shaking, which can be used to either relax or activate the muscles.

If you’re an athlete wondering what pre-event sports massage is like, then you’re most likely to encounter these techniques, as they’re used to improve circulation and relieve muscle tightness before physical activity.

During vibration, either light or speedy strokes can be used.

Lighter strokes activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the ‘rest and digest response.’ This therefore releases tension and helps the muscles to relax.

Speedy strokes activate the circulatory system, and instead of muscles, the soft tissues are relaxed.

Progressing from light to more forceful shaking, the shaking technique consists of lifting and pulling motions. Learn more about the Psychological & Physiological Effects of Sports Massage.

Before You Go!

Feeling inspired? Begin your journey to become a qualified sports massage therapist with our Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy Course.

You can check out the full range of courses we offer by downloading our course prospectus here.

When we’re seeking a career in SMT, it’s absolutely essential we consider all the advantages of being a sports massage therapist, as well as how we can make the most of all the opportunities a career in fitness offers.

In this article, we will cover:

• Why Become a Sports Massage Therapist?
• 7 Advantages of Being a Sports Massage Therapist
• Career Prospects for a Sports Massage Therapist
• Disadvantages of Being a Sports Massage Therapist
• What Do I Need To Become a Sports Massage Therapist?
• FAQ

But before you can experience the advantages of being a sports massage therapist, the first step is to qualify and you can do this with our Level 3 Sports Massage Course.

Find out more about all the courses we offer by downloading our course prospectus.

Why Become a Sports Massage Therapist?

Before we explore all the benefits of training as an SMT specialist, it’s important to look at why we’d choose to pursue this career and become a sports massage therapist.

Firstly, becoming a sports massage therapist is a great way to expand your skills, and your knowledge of health and fitness.

As you’ll be spending most of your time delivering sports massages, this is a hands-on role that’s as challenging as it is rewarding. While the roles of a sports massage therapist are hugely varied, the core ideas revolve around:

• Testing joints for pain and motion range
• Providing pre-event and post-event massages
• Advising on diet, lifestyle, and nutrition
• Conducting client fitness assessments
• Liaising with healthcare professionals, trainers, and coaches

Naturally, one of the biggest advantages of being a sports massage therapist is how rewarding it can be to help your clients, and the job satisfaction this can bring.

Furthermore, it’s a perfect addition to any existing fitness qualifications you have. If you’ve already completed a Level 2 Fitness Instructor Course or Level 3 Personal Trainer Course, it’s clear you have a passion for helping people better themselves.

You’ll be caring for the physical and mental states of clients, providing relief on their journey to recovery, as well as helping others prevent injuries before they occur.

If all of this is of interest to you, continue reading to find out more about the advantages of being a sports massage therapist!

7 Advantages of Being a Sports Massage Therapist

With a vast range of employment prospects, and high job satisfaction, the advantages of being a sports massage therapist are the reason it’s become a popular career choice for many in the health and fitness industry.

If you’re unsure whether this is a job for you, we’ve included 7 sports massage therapist advantages below to help you decide!

#1 – Flexible Working Hours

Perhaps one of the main sports massage therapist advantages is the amount of flexibility you have. For the most part, when you’ve started your own business, you can determine your own hours.

This is similar to many personal training career options, where you can either work contracted hours or on a freelance basis.

With freelancing, you’ll have the freedom to schedule in your appointments whenever is most convenient for you, as the role lacks the commitment of a typical 9 to 5.

However, while many sports massage therapists work part time on a freelance basis, there are also options for full-time work.

While most sports massage therapists are self-employed, typical full-time employers include:

• Health and fitness clubs
• Private health clinics
• Sports injury clinics
• Sports and leisure centres
• Professional or amateur sports teams and clubs
• Hotels, resorts and spas
• Further and higher education
• Research
• Sports science support
• The NHS

This flexibility isn’t just limited to working hours either. If you work on a freelance basis, you can decide whether to travel to clients or have them come to you.

Working this way allows you to pick and choose your hours, meaning appointments or sessions can be rescheduled if important events come up in your calendar.

#2 – Huge Choice Of Work Environment

Not only will you have unmatched choice over the hours you work, but becoming a sports massage therapist also gives you the opportunity to choose your work environment.

Depending on whether you choose to be your own boss, or work for a company, you can decide whether to work from a:

• Gym
• Studio
• Clinic
• Spa
• Doctor’s office
• At home

You aren’t necessarily restricted to one facility or area, either, unlike in other professions. This gives you the freedom to change your place of work if you become tired of a particular area, without having to undertake a drastic career change.

Other alternative places of work include:

#1 – Exotic Places

Another advantage of being a sports massage therapist is that it gives you the opportunity to look for work in more exotic places. In many countries, such as Thailand, Bali, and Singapore, massages are a part of daily life. Many of these clinics are also open until late too.

#2 – Hotels

Hotel chains are often on the lookout for licensed massage therapists too. While this isn’t specifically sports massage therapy, it’s still something to consider if you’d like to change your area of expertise.

#3 – Cruise Ships

Another option is to find work on a cruise ship. This allows you to work while travelling, and many positions will also include accommodation and food as part of your role.

We’ve sourced this example to give you a clearer idea of what’s included, should you decide to experience the advantages of being a sports massage therapist on a cruise ship.

Websites such as All Cruise Jobs have plenty of advertisements work work related to sports massage therapy:

If working in other exotic areas of the fitness industry is of interest to you, check out our article on how to be a personal trainer on a cruise ship here.

#3 – Always In Demand

There are many opportunities for employment as a sports massage therapist. A sports masseuse has varied job prospects such as working with professional athletes, and in spas, beauty salons, nursing homes, and hotels.

There’s a variety of places you can work and because it’s such a highly sought after qualification, there’s usually quite a lot of job ads out there.

Your sports massage qualification means you’re able to deal with rehabilitation, stress management, relaxation, and pain management, which in turn means you aren’t limited in terms of employment opportunities.

Working as a freelancer ensures you’re able to work with people who need rehabilitation or recovery. This is a characteristic that means you’ll quickly attract plenty of business as you gain more experience in the industry.

Many businesses also require you to have at least one year of experience in sports massage. Take this advertisement as a great example of what you can expect from an average job listing.

Even if this experience is listed as a ‘desirable’ quality, it’s likely they will still expect you to have it. We’d recommend taking the time to build your experience up so you can move onto more lucrative work if your goal is to have contracted hours.

This is why it may be a good idea to find your own clients first to gain some experience before applying for other companies.

There are plenty of sports massage marketing ideas out there to help you gain as many clients as possible when starting out.

#4 – Expand Your Skill Set

While you may currently be interested in working as a sports massage therapist, there are plenty of skills you can learn within the massage industry, meaning you aren’t limited to just one area of it.

You can go from sports massage therapy and develop your skills in other areas of massage such as:

• Swedish massages
• Deep tissue massages
• Hot stone massages
• Pregnancy massages

The more strings you add to your bow, the more clients you can appeal to and continue to grow your business. This is a great sports massage therapist advantage as there is always something new to learn and continue expanding your opportunities.

This also allows you to expand on the skills you may use in your current role. For example, if you’re already a personal trainer, you can expand upon that skillset and utilise sports massage therapy training to expand your services.

By doing this, you can essentially ‘double’ your client pool. This means you can train clients as a personal trainer and then treat them if they sustain any injuries.

Or, if you’re working as a sports massage therapist, you can refer those clients to your personal training services if they’re specifically looking to improve their overall physical fitness.

#5 – Job Satisfaction

One of the best sports massage therapist advantages is that it can be a relaxing field to work in. The environment is usually quite relaxed, and massages can either be conducted in silence, to gentle music, or you can chat with clients.

This acts as stress relief for both you and the client. Being able to conduct your work in a peaceful environment is great for you mentally, plus it makes clients much more receptive to your treatments.

Although it will still be a job, you may find it a nice break from other careers as it gives you time to relax and converse with people. Talking with clients can help them feel at ease in a somewhat awkward situation.

It makes them more comfortable with your treatments and you’ll also be able to promote any other services you offer such as personal training or yoga.

Clients may be more willing to accept your services if you guide them through the process as you’re talking, rather than feeling pressured into it after an intense training session.

It’s also a good idea to build your connections and get to know other sports massage therapists in your area. Not only is this great for reciprocal marketing, but you can gain new ideas and tips through regular communication with those in your industry.

Sports massage therapists usually receive immediate feedback from clients. Unlike most other healthcare professions, you’ll provide clients with immediate relief from their symptoms, more than what they’d get from simple shoulder stretches or stretches for back pain.

The bottom line is you’ll feel satisfied from doing your job. Rehabilitating clients and helping them recover after injury is rewarding.

While your help with their injury may seem small, it’s the final step to getting clients back on track and helping with this will make you feel great.

#6 – Work As Your Own Boss

Many people desire to be self-employed. While it can be hard work in the beginning, by using successful marketing strategies and appealing to the right people, your earnings could soar!

One of the main advantages of being a sports massage therapist is the ability to work on a self-employed basis. This means you’re entirely responsible for:

• Establishing the hours you work
• The location of your work
• The capacity you work in
• Scheduling appointments
• Organising your finances

When you qualify as a sports massage therapist, you can begin making money right away. You can start looking for potential clients to offer your services too.

If you’re starting your own business, you will have to purchase your own equipment. However, starting your own sports massage therapy business can be achieved without having to spend a fortune on lots of different equipment.

Some basic equipment you will have to invest in is:

• Massage bed (ensure this is portable if you’re planning to bring your services to clients)
• Massage mediums (oils, creams, and lotions)
• Massage ball rollers
• Towels
• Couch cover
• Carry case

You also have the freedom to wear your own clothing. Comfortable and unrestrictive clothes are best for this work, but you might also choose to invest in branded fitness gear to better represent the brand you’re aiming to build.

Other, often overlooked pieces of equipment you will need are:

• A phone
• Reliable transportation if you’re planning on travelling to clients.
• A computer to run your business on.

These are integral to providing a service clients will want to return to, as well as one that they’ll recommend to friends.

If you’d like to find out more about what you need to be successful as a sports massage therapist, check out our essential sports massage equipment checklist.

#7 – A Lucrative Career

As we’ll discuss below, one of the biggest advantages of being a sports massage therapist is that it can also be a rewarding career financially. According to Payscale, the average hourly pay for a sports massage therapist is £19.29.

This means if you’re self-employed and just starting out, you can determine your own prices and charge anywhere around £20 an hour for your services.

Once you begin building your service and gain more clients, you can increase your prices to reflect this. If more clients are referred to you, you can charge on the higher end of the price spectrum which according to Payscale is £35.23.

The ability to find clients and determine your pay means there is greater opportunity for you to earn a nice income. You can take on as many clients as you want, but be aware not to overstretch yourself.

Location is also a factor in how much you should charge for your services. Sports massage therapists who work in cities will charge more than those in more rural areas. For example, Payscale states the average salary of an SMT in London is £35,000.

They’ll likely charge more because it’s much more expensive to rent space or own a clinic in London as opposed to anywhere else in the country.

Sports massage therapy is ideal when it’s done in tandem with other fitness-related careers like personal training or yoga instructing. This can help you gain more client leads and ultimately more revenue.

However, while the money may be nice, don’t let this blind you to the point where you can’t keep track of appointments and double book potential clients. You want your service to be reliable, so always ensure the smooth running of your business takes priority over the pound signs.

– – – –

Still interested in becoming a sports massage therapist? Here’s some articles you might want to look at:

• Become A Sports Massage Therapist
• Sports Massage Marketing Ideas: Ultimate Guide
• Sports Massage Therapist Salary in the UK

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Career Prospects for a Sports Massage Therapist

Most sports massage therapists take a portfolio approach to building their career and often enhance their income with other part-time work. Gaining experience doesn’t mean you just have to become a self-employed sports massage therapist, there are other career options out there for you to pursue too!

#1 – Personal Trainer

After gaining a Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy qualification, you may decide to become a personal trainer to compliment your services. You can go on to complete a Level 2 Gym Instructor Course and then progress onto a Level 3 Personal Trainer Course.

You can also complete a Personal Trainer Diploma and become qualified this way.

By doing this, you may gain clients through both areas of your work. You can offer personal training services to your sports massage therapy clients and vice versa. This means you could prevent injuries from occurring while also helping people train again once they’ve recovered.

According to Payscale, the average hourly pay for a personal trainer is £24.85.

With more experience and clients, a personal trainer salary can increase as you can charge more for your services if you’re freelance or self-employed.

#2 – Working for a Professional Sports Team

You may find you want to work for a professional sports team, providing relief to football clubs, rugby teams, and cricket clubs. Sports massage therapists play an important role in preventing, treating, assessing, and rehabilitating sports injuries.

Through your rehabilitation plan, the main goal would be to help an athlete return to their optimum fitness level in the shortest and safest time possible.

However, some sport teams may require you to have a BSc Sports Therapy Degree, rather than just a qualification in sports massage therapy.

The Football Medicine and Performance Association (FMPA), the organisation that represents medicine and performance practitioners working within football, lists some essential and desirable qualifications for those wanting to become sports therapists for football teams:

As you can see below, you can be a sports massage therapist for different sports teams. However, salaries vary depending on the role and what teams you are working with.

They also require experience, such as in the job advertisement above. It’s likely these kinds of positions would be ones you would need to work your way up to so this is why gaining experience in other areas is important.

#3 – Education

You may find that even teaching can be a career prospect for you. This could be in higher education or you could even become a lecturer.

If this is the career path you would like to go down, it would mean returning to education and graduating with a degree in sport therapy.

For example, take a look at this job advertisement for a lecturer in sports therapy from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan):

As this is more of a vocational course, it doesn’t specify you need a PhD to apply. However, you do require a teaching qualification or must be willing to undertake one. You should also be currently practicing as a Sports Therapist in the industry.

Prospects provides some questions and answers from Emily Davies, a sports therapy graduate working as a part-time sports therapy lecturer. To gain experience, she secured a placement with Bournemouth Rugby Club which helped her secure contacts.

She hopes to complete a Masters in Physiotherapy to work in a hospital setting with patients, highlighting the range of career options avaliable to graduates within this industry.

#4 – Exercise Referral Specialist

Exercise referral specialists are those who are qualified to create tailored fitness programmes for anyone suffering with a chronic illness or physical condition.

Exercise referral specialists usually acquire clients through referrals from GPs, private doctors, NHS professionals, and medical practitioners.

To become an exercise referral specialist, you need to complete a Level 2 Gym Fitness Instructor Course. This means you can then go on to acquire a Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral.

You may find work within the NHS or can find work in private medical organisations such as Nuffield Health and BUPA.

If you’d like to find out more about salaries for this role, check out our article on exercise referral specialist salaries here.

Disadvantages of Being a Sports Massage Therapist

Every job has potential disadvantages, and being a sports massage therapist is no different. When considering a career, it’s good to get the full scope and understand what exactly you’re getting yourself into.

#1 – Hours Can Be Limited

Although we mentioned above how not working a typical 9 to 5 was one of the advantages of being a sports massage therapist, it also means your hours can be less consistent.

As many sports massage therapists work part-time, they may be forced to schedule their appointments for the weekends and evenings if clients are working during the day. This can make it difficult to obtain a steady income solely from sports massage therapy.

If you’re self-employed, you may be at the mercy of your clients if they can’t use your services in the middle of the day. This can be difficult if you have a full time job but also need to spend time working on the weekends.

Even if you have free time at various points of the day where clients could have appointments, it’s pointless for you if they have other obligations.

It’s important to give yourself enough time to relax and engage in activities outside of work. While there are many great mental benefits of exercise, you may want to try things away from health and fitness.

You must also be sure to organise your schedule effectively so you don’t overload yourself with appointments or double book yourself. All this will lead to unnecessary stress, and can begin to look unprofessional on your part if you keep missing appointments or rescheduling.

#2 – Clients May Complain

One of the disadvantages of being a sports massage therapist you should be prepared for is the unrealistic expectations of certain clients.

Those who don’t use sports massage therapy regularly, often believe it will cure them entirely of pain and discomfort, or have an instant benefit on their health.

Some people use sports massage therapists as a last resort after exhausting every other option to alleviate years of physical pain. They may complain about their issues if they still occur after visiting you, expecting the problem to be solved after one session.

The best thing to do is explain during their first session how sports massage therapy works and how it can help them. Remind them how it isn’t a cure, but a way to alleviate tension, and provide relief from chronic pain.

You’ll probably experience upset or frustrated clients from time to time and this is understandable. People who are suffering from injuries will naturally feel irritated and it can be hard to please everyone.

The most important thing to remember in difficult situations is to remain calm and diffuse the situation as best you can. If you’ve done your job correctly, it’s unlikely their frustrations will be a reflection of your work.

#3 – Tough On Your Body

While this may not be the most serious disadvantage of being a sports massage therapist in this list, it’s still worth mentioning. Of course, there is more challenging work in the fitness industry but this doesn’t mean that sports massage therapy isn’t taxing.

Something to keep in mind is that, if you’re working with multiple clients a day, you’ll spend most of your time standing up, repeating the same hand motions. Some clients will need more vigorous muscle work than others, which requires a lot of strength.

Providing massages can take a physical toll on your body and may lead to burn out. Common injuries to your hands include arthritis, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

As you’ll be leaning over a massage table for extended periods of time, it can also be tough on your back. The best way to avoid burning out or injuring yourself too quickly is to avoid scheduling too many appointments in one day.

Take time to relax between sessions to keep your body and mind working efficiently. You could try experiencing the benefits of meditation, or other mindfulness practices to help keep you calm and focused.

What Do I Need To Become a Sports Massage Therapist?

The first thing you need to do before experiencing all the advantages of being a sports massage therapist is to get qualified! To do this, you will need to complete a Level 3 qualification in Sports Massage Therapy.

As this is an entry-level course, you don’t need any previous education, experience, or qualifications to enrol. However, if you’re already qualified as a Level 3 Personal Trainer, or have completed a Level 2 Gym Instructor Course, you’ll have an advantage.

This doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be a better sports massage therapist as someone who isn’t already qualified, but you will already be familiar with some of the content that will be covered on the course.

Having studied these fitness courses means you’ll already have a grasp of subjects like anatomy and physiology, which are also components of the sports massage therapy course.

A great addition to the sports massage therapy course is a taping and strapping course. It provides more information on how best to provide for clients as well as more tailored details on posture and improving athletic performance.

However, this course requires students to be qualified as a Level 2 Gym Instructor, which is why it may be beneficial to complete personal training courses first.

When choosing a course provider to complete your studies with, you should ensure your sports massage therapy course is regulated by an awarding body approved by Ofqual, such as Active IQ and Focus Awards.

If a course has this regulation, it means it has met industry standards as a ‘Level 3’ course. This is crucial as all sports massage therapist jobs will require this, such as in this example below:

All sports massage therapists job listings will require candidates to have some form of a qualification, such as this advertisement listing a ‘minimum Level 3 massage therapy certificate’.

You should also ensure the course you choose is accredited by CIMSPA, the UK’s professional body for health and fitness. This ‘stamp of approval’ means the course you are taking is reliable and meets fitness industry standards.

For example, OriGym’s Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy Course is Ofqual regulated and recognised by CIMSPA, providing you with the highest level of education in the fitness industry.

FAQ

What skills do I need to be a sports massage therapist?

If you want to become a sports massage therapist, it’s important to understand what skills and qualities you need to be successful.

Depending on your career or previous experience, if you have the skills required to become a personal trainer, it’s likely you already have the skills necessary to be a successful sports massage therapist.

Some basic qualities you should possess as a sports massage therapist include:

• Great communication
• Reliable
• Organised
• Empathy and understanding
• Respectful
• Good hygiene and appearance

If you’re entering the fitness industry, these are qualities you should already possess, so it’s important to continue practicing them to ensure success as a sports massage therapist.

While they may seem like simple skills, you shouldn’t underestimate their importance. As you’re working in close contact with clients, you must always be respectful of them and ensure you present yourself well.

Making clients feel uncomfortable and presenting yourself well is crucial to have people return. The last thing you want is word getting out that you’re unprofessional as this will negatively impact your business.

Before You Go!

Now you’re caught up with the advantages of being a sports massage therapist, it’s time to decide if this is the career for you! While it’s always best to be aware of the disadvantages of any profession, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives with this career path.

Start your exciting career today with our Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy Course and download our course prospectus to see exactly what else we offer.

Knowing what to expect from a sports massage appointment can help to reduce any fears or anxieties surrounding a first appointment. As a first-time client, you’ll naturally have questions like “does a sports massage hurt?” or “what does a sports massage even do?”.

This article seeks to shed light on this topic, in order to ensure that you’re adequately prepared for a sports massage.

But before we begin, why not enrol on OriGym’s Level 3 Sports Massage therapy course to fully experience everything sports massage has to offer?

Alternatively, download our free prospectus to learn more about every course we have to offer.

Contents:

• Sports Massage vs Regular Massage
• The Different Types of Sports Massages 
• What to Expect From a Sports Massage Session
• How to Prepare for a Sports Massage 
• What to Expect After a Sports Massage 
• How Much is a Sports Massage Session?
• How Long Does a Sports Massage Session Last?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Sports Massage vs. Regular Massage

Before we delve into what to expect during a sports massage, let’s outline what the key differences are between a sports massage and a regular massage.

With a regular massage, you’re likely to receive a light-to-medium intensity, full-body massage. You’ll find that your muscles feel looser and perhaps less sore following this specific treatment.

Regular massages are also an opportunity to feel pampered. Most masseuses will use candles, play soft music and experiment with different mediums (like oils and muscle rubs) to ensure that your experience is relaxing and calm.

But, what does a sports massage consist of?

A sports massage, on the other hand, uses a wide range of techniques to manipulate soft muscle tissue to enhance the performance of someone who engages in regular physical activity.

A qualified Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist can help to rehabilitate muscle or tendon pain, untie aching knots and speed up the recovery time of an injury. For these reasons, sports massages are particularly beneficial for athletes and regular gym-goers.

Each individual’s experience with getting a sports massage will vary depending on where their aggravations lie.

This is because massage therapists will typically focus on a specific region of the body to alleviate soreness, compared with a regular massage which tends to be a gentler full-body session.

But, what else does a sports massage consist of? There are 4 types of sports massage – check out the next point to discover more.

The Different Types of Sports Massages

If you’re wondering what to expect from a sports massage session, you will need to establish what type of sports massage you’re going to have.

If you’re an inexperienced client this process is vitally important, as each different massage type can influence how you can adequately prepare for your session.

There are 4 types of sports massage: Pre-Event, Post-Event, Restorative, and Rehabilitative. Within this section, we’re going to detail each one individually and discuss how they differ from each other.

#1 – Pre-Event Sports Massage

A pre-event sports massage is conducted immediately before, or in the weeks leading up to, a sports event or competition such as a triathlon.

These particular massages focus on the areas of the body that will be exerted during the activity to prevent muscle soreness and injury.

If you’re wondering ‘what does a sports massage consist of during the pre-event period?’, you can expect it to warm up your muscle’s tissue.

For example, massage therapists will use friction techniques to create heat which will warm up the superficial tissue, the layer of tissue beneath the skin. This will promote blood flow to the targeting muscles and help to decrease stiffness and pain.

Meeting with your massage therapist regularly before the event will result in muscles with greater elasticity to undergo intense exercise.

#2 – Post-Event Sports Massages

A post-event massage is typically done within a 2-hour time frame following the completion of sporting activity. These sports massages are not painful but will include light-pressure massage techniques and passive stretching to promote blood circulation to worked muscles.

The post-event massage technique will help to prevent muscle stiffness and soreness, whilst also assisting in reducing recovery time significantly.

Whilst on the topic of recovery, for more information on how you can recover in your own time check out our article on the importance of rest days.

However, to learn how to prepare for a sports massage following an event, you need to be aware of the proceeding evaluation. This is conducted to see if an athlete’s muscles are damaged before deeper pressure is applied.

So, if you want to know what to expect from a sports massage, recognising that a post-event massage must be delivered 2-hours after your physical activity will help you to prepare for your appointment.

#3 – Restorative Sports Massages

Restorative sports massages are regularly scheduled appointments, which will help during an athlete’s training process.

When questioning how to prepare for a sports massage of this kind, you should be aware that the primary objective behind restorative practices is to assist an athlete in reaching their personal best.

During this process, massage therapists will incorporate both light and deep techniques into a session to help reduce muscle soreness. This also helps to improve muscle elasticity so athletes can train more intensely and frequently.

Restorative sports massages, therefore, can help to support an athlete for optimum performance by reducing inflammation in the muscles and increasing endurance.

#4 – Rehabilitative Sports Massage

Rehabilitative sports massages are conducted to treat those who are recovering from an injury. During these appointments, therapists will use a combination of light and deep massage techniques to promote flexibility and blood flow to the injured region.

Upon hearing that this practice is used to treat injuries, many of you may be questioning ‘are sports massages painful when following the rehabilitative process?’.

There is no easy answer to this question, some clients report feeling mild discomfort during their initial sessions, but they are guaranteed ease with time.

Furthermore, please remember that the primary objective is to reduce pain over time, which will ultimately allow you to resume training.

So, if you’re wondering what to expect during a sports massage, you’ll first need to outline your intentions behind the appointment, as this will influence what type of massage you will receive.

What to Expect From a Sports Massage Session

Determining what to expect during a sports massage session can be somewhat challenging, considering that there are multiple variations of the practice. Furthermore, clients will seek out these practices for a variety of differing reasons.

For example, one individual may want to get a rehabilitative sports massage to target a back injury. Whereas, someone else may need a pre-event sports massage to prepare their body for a marathon.

However, regardless of these individual differences, every sports massage session will nevertheless include some of the same general aspects.

This section is dedicated to sharing these commonly occurring similarities, to give you a general understanding of what to expect during a sports massage.

#1 – Consultation

As a client, before you even lay down on a massage table, you’ll be invited to an initial consultation with a qualified sports massage therapist. During this meeting, you can expect to undergo various assessments in preparation for your first sports massage.

Such assessments will involve you performing a range of exercises and stretches, with your therapist observing the following:

• Posture
• Flexibility
• Mobility
• Symmetry

From this, your sports massage therapist will also help to assess any pains, aches or injuries both from the assessment and through a series of general lifestyle questions.

Such questions will cover a variety of topics, such as:

• Existing health issues
• If you’re currently taking medication
• Existing allergies and their severity if applicable
• Your current exercise regime

When determining how to prepare for a sports massage consultation, our best piece of advice would be to be as honest as possible.

This will ensure that you get the necessary treatment that you require. Withholding or giving incorrect information could lead to receiving a sports massage that won’t benefit you in the long run.

For more information relating to this topic, head on over to our article analysing how personal trainers can conduct consultations.

#2 – Pre-Massage

Before the massage begins, you’ll be asked to remove any outer clothing, as massage therapists typically prefer for clients to just wear suitable underwear.

However, if you’re not comfortable with this be sure to bring up this topic during the initial consultation. This will allow your massage therapist to work with you to determine what you should wear for the sports massage.

You can then expect your therapist to invite you to lie on their massage table.

Please note, if your massage has to target a specific area of the body that would otherwise be unreachable, a massage therapist may use essential equipment such as bolsters or pillows to provide your body with better support.

Therapists will also have towels and massage mediums (oils, creams and gels) to use whilst they are massaging you.

Which medium your therapist uses will depend on the type of massage you’re scheduled to have. For example, a post-event massage may use gels for a lighter intensity massage, whereas oils and creams would be used to target deep-rooted knots in rehabilitation sports massages.

These mediums can also be influenced by personal preference and/or allergies, too. Again, this is a topic that should be approached within your initial consultation.

#3 – During the Massage

Now, you’re likely to be curious as to whether sports massages are painful. Unfortunately, to see effective results, the answer is yes – sports massages can be painful, in some regards.

When an individual learns how to become a sports massage therapist, they’re trained to find their pain threshold.

From this, they will aim to work just below it, to ensure that you get an effective treatment that doesn’t put you through an immense amount of pain.

Whilst some sports massages are painful, it’s important to persevere and to recognise that it’s only temporary.

Try to keep the beneficial properties of the massage at the forefront of your mind at all times, it may hurt now but it will be a beneficial

Therefore, when determining what to expect from a sports massage we can say to some degree there will be an element of pain.

However, if this becomes too much of a discomfort inform your massage therapist immediately.

This will allow them to adjust the treatment accordingly, whether that be:

• The amount of pressure they’re applying
• The area they’re targeting
• The massage measure they’re using

Adjusting even the smallest aspect of the massage can greatly ease the pain you feel. But the important thing to remember is to verbalise how you’re feeling to the therapist, if things get too uncomfortable don’t remain silent.

#4 – Massage Techniques

For those wondering ‘what is a sports massage like?’, we can provide some insight into the 3 most commonly used techniques in the field:

• Deep Tissue Massaging
• Trigger Point Therapy
• Soft Tissue Release

To provide you with a greater understanding of these techniques, we’ll take a detailed look at each of them.

Deep Tissue Massaging – For this treatment, a massage therapist will apply intense pressure to specific regions of your body, to target deep-rooted knots.

Deep tissue massages may also require tools, such as massage balls, to assist with this process. Therapists will only be able to do a limited amount of work with their hands alone, so tools can help reach knots that are rooted even further within the tissue.

Trigger Point Therapy – This technique is used to take a client close to their pain threshold, and is executed by applying pressure to a targeted region.

This pressure is then maintained until a client feels like the pain level begins to reduce. This is another technique that is known to speed up the rate of recovery and relieve muscle tension.

Soft Tissue Release (STR) –  Massage therapists often turn to STR to help restore normal flexibility to an otherwise sore or injured muscle.

When a muscle is stiff, it shortens in size, and can become difficult to move. STR can be used in response to this, as it promotes muscle elasticity and helps the muscle to stretch back to normal.

With any of these techniques, as soon as your therapist takes off the pressure, you’ll be greeted with instant relief both from the force of the massage and from a reduction in muscular tension.

Hopefully, you now know what to expect on your first sports massage. Even though this process may alter slightly from client to client, the process will typically always adhere to the same pattern:

• A Consultation
• Massage Prep
• The Sports Massage Itself

Following this, we’re going to provide you with some of our top tips, which you can implement in order to help you prepare for your first sports massage.

How to Prepare for a Sports Massage

#1 – Do Your Own Research

Doing some research before your appointment will help you to get a better understanding of the processes involved in getting a sports massage.

You may have your intentions behind this research, such as wanting to find out more about various massage techniques. However, the primary objective of conducting this should be to ease any fear or nerves that may plague you.

The first place you should always look is the studio’s or massage therapists’ websites. This is where you will find all the information that will be specifically relevant to the massage you’ll receive.

You’ll have a chance to share your wants and needs during the consultation, but research beforehand can help to provide you with a greater sense of clarity on what to expect during a sports massage.

#2 – Check The Studio is Accredited

Another way to prepare yourself for a sports massage is to ensure that the studio is accredited. But, what does this mean?

Business accreditation refers to the process of a business being assessed and evaluated by an accreditation body. This means that a business’s services/products will be reviewed to ensure that they are safe for consumers.

For example, at OriGym all of our courses including the Level 3 Sports Massage qualification are accredited and regulated by Ofqual. This certifies us to be an industry leader, and proves to our customers that we are a trustworthy business.

When a company has been accredited, it will receive an accreditation body stamp. These are typically displayed in their physical place of work, and on their personal/company website.

Be sure to do accreditation research before attending a sports massage appointment as some spas and massage parlours don’t have a governing body’s approval.

We’d advise checking out the Federation of Holistic Therapists’ (FHT) register for any sports massage therapists you intend on visiting. All measures on this list have been fully accredited and regulated, so you can rest assured that they’re a consummate professional.

This may result in you receiving a sports massage from a non-professional, thus wasting your time and money.

#3 – Make Sure You’re Well Hydrated

Whilst discussing what to expect from your first sports massage, you may be surprised to learn that they can be dehydrating. This is due to the pressure and squeezing involved, as this releases fluids from their muscle tissue into the vascular system,

Therefore, it’s important to drink plenty of fluids before any appointment, a factor which even the most experienced massage clients miss.

Additionally, when your body is dehydrated your muscles will cramp and tighten. This effectively makes the job of the massage therapist much more difficult, as they will have to work deeper into your muscle tissues than before.

With this in mind, a physician for Harvard Athletics, Dr. Francis Wang notes: “Athletes who have had muscle cramps may need to drink extra, and may need more electrolytes.” 

This suggests that if you’re prone to cramps already, drinking water, or beverages that are high in electrolytes, will greatly benefit you before the massage.

If you’re looking for a beverage that will boost your electrolytes, check out our article analysing the benefits of drinking coconut water.

While sports drinks are beneficial for replacing the sugars and electrolytes lost through exercise, some drinks still contain excessive amounts of sugar. This can lead to inflammation which can further hinder how well your masseuse performs.

So, if you approached this article wondering “does a sports massage hurt?” – it will hurt more if you’re not well hydrated. Make sure to drink at least 1 litre of water before your appointment to reduce the risk of muscles stiffening and cramping up.

#4 – Wear The Right Clothes

Another way to prepare for a sports massage is to wear the right clothes.

You’ll be expected to remove outer garments before your massage begins, but please note this isn’t a vital necessity. Doing so, simply allows your therapist to access all the necessary muscles to perform an effective and thorough massage.

It’s encouraged to wear suitable undergarments to your session or loose-fitting items such as a tank top or shorts.

You’ll be provided with a sheet or towel to cover areas of your body for added comfort. For example, massage therapists will typically cover the glutes with a towel when they’re massaging other areas of the body so you don’t feel exposed.

#5 – Avoid Heavy Eating

Another way to prepare for a sports massage is to avoid heavy eating.

You’re going to be spending the majority of your session lying face-down on a massage bed. This will be very uncomfortable should you eat a heavy meal before your appointment, and may even make you feel sick.

Another reason to avoid heavy eating is during massages, metabolic processes such as digestion, slow down.

This means that your metabolism isn’t able to break down the foods as easily which means foods will likely be stored as fat.

Instead, opt for having a healthy snack before your appointment. That way, you’ve still lined your stomach with food to have enough energy to see you through your session.

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If you’re enjoying learning what to expect from a sports massage, we think you may also enjoy these other OriGym articles:

• What Is Sports Massage Therapy?
• The Roles of a Sports Massage Therapist 
• What Sports Massage Therapy Insurance You Need

What to Expect After a Sports Massage

With the information shared within the previous section, you may now be questioning

“Does a sports massage hurt even after the appointment?” 

Once again, whilst pain levels vary from person to person, many clients do report feelings of pain following a sports massage. These achy, stiff pains are caused by how the body metabolises waste products from the soft tissue.

You may also experience inflammation in the muscles that need healing. For example, if you have a sports massage to relieve back pain, you may experience additional tension in your back for a few days.

Whilst discussing what to expect after a sports massage, you should be aware that it can take approximately 48 hours to feel the full effects, and for the aches to subside.

However, you’ll be pleased to know that there are some methods to help relieve soreness after a sports massage:

#1 – Stretching: After your sports massage, you can do some light stretches to help release muscle tension and improve flexibility. Doing a combination of gentle static and dynamic stretches will help some of the aches to subside until the muscles have fully recovered.

For further examples of what stretches you can incorporate into your routine, OriGym has you covered with our definitive list of the 13 best hamstring stretches for back pain and tight muscles.

#2 – Heat Therapy: Heat therapy is another great way of easing tension following a sports massage. You can put this into practice any way you see fit and mold it to your personal preference, this includes activities such as:

• Taking warm baths/showers
• Using a sauna
• Resting heated pads on the sore area

#3 –  Drink Herbal Teas: Many fitness lovers have claimed that regularly drinking these beverages help muscles to quickly recover following a training session. Ideally in order to ease sore muscles and reduce inflammation you should be looking to consume the following flavours:

• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Chamomile

#4 – Use Essential Oils: If you’re still experiencing pain following your sports massage, you should consider using essential oils to help relieve the soreness.  You can either add a few drops into a diffuser or bath, to expose your muscles to the oils healing properties.

There are many different oils available, but the best types for muscle pain are:

• Lavender
• Eucalyptus
• Chamomile
• Rosemary

#5 – Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of fluids following a sports massage is just as important as doing so before. This will assist your metabolism in flushing away any harmful toxins from the muscles.

Plenty of water will also help to promote elasticity back into the muscles, thus reducing soreness while recovering from a sports massage. It may be worthwhile carrying a water bottle with you whenever possible, to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day.

Therefore, whilst we can say that whilst the question “does a sports massage hurt?”, is rather subjective, there are means you can put in place to avoid this pain from becoming too severe.

Once you’ve had your sports massage, consider referring back to the list above for a reminder on how to increase muscle elasticity and shorten the recovery process of your massage.

How Much is a Sports Massage Session?

Before we delve into this section, it’s noteworthy that each massage therapist and/or parlour charges their own rate for their services. For this reason, you may find that the sports massage services you opt for have different prices.

As mentioned in the ‘What to Expect From a Sports Massage Session’ section, you’ll have a consultation before your massage appointment.

Consultations are essential for ensuring that you get the most out of your session, and for your therapist to get an understanding of your needs.

Some establishments charge for the consultations while others include a complimentary one in the price of the massage. For businesses that charge for consultations, these can cost anywhere between £25-£50.

As for the cost of the massage, establishments will either charge for the duration or the type of sports massage you receive.

The following prices are averages taken from several businesses to provide an insight into how much sports massages cost.

The average cost for time of massage:

• 30-minute massage: £30-£40
• 60-minute massage: £40-£50
• 90-minute massage: £60-£70

The average cost per massage type:

• Full body treatment: £70-£90
• Upper OR Lower body massage: £40-£60

How Long Does a Sports Massage Session Last?

Now that you know what to expect on your first sports massage and the average cost per session, you may also be wondering how long a sports massage lasts.

As with costing, sports massage sessions have different durations depending on individual masseuses and parlours. However, the average time per massage service is as follows:

On average, an upper/lower body massage will last between 30-50 minutes.

A full body massage will typically last between 60-90 minutes.

Since the whole experience can take between 1-2 hours altogether, it’s important to ensure you allocate enough time into your schedule for your appointment.

The amount of time that your massage therapist will spend on specific regions of your body will also vary depending on your goals for the session.

If you’re having a rehabilitative massage, your masseuse may spend most of the session on and around the immediate area of injury.

Alternatively, if you’re getting a pre-event massage to prepare for a marathon, the masseuse may spend the majority of the session on the legs and some on the back and upper body.

You can also choose to request that your masseuse spend time on different areas that you want some focus on. This request should ideally be discussed during the consultation, but if you have any requests during the session itself be sure to vocalise it as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Sports Massages Worth It?

Hopefully, you now know what to expect from a sports massage, but does that mean that they’re worth it?

One of the arguments many make in opposition to sports massages is that they can be costly in both money and time.

For example, you’ll need to set a time for a consultation, which could also cost money, before paying for the massage itself.

However, we can say that sports massages are worth it and can be incredibly beneficial for those who are physically active and want to prepare for or recover from a sporting event.

Therapists will put pressure on the worked muscles to promote blood circulation and to relieve tension. This will improve the flexibility in the muscles, thus reducing the risk of further injury and muscular stiffness.

Equally, sports massages are known to be beneficial for those with muscular injuries. Therapists will use a combination of soft tissue release and deep tissue techniques to rehabilitate the muscle so everyday and sporting activities become easier.

Should you have asked “what is a sports massage like?” at the start of this article, hopefully, you now know exactly what to expect and that they’re most definitely worth the time and money.

What Should You Not Do During a Sports Massage?

There are some general, unwritten rules when it comes to receiving a sports massage that you may want to familiarise yourself with before your session.

While some of these may seem obvious, they are worth repeating for the sake of the sports massage therapist’s comfort.

#1 – Turn up late: Make sure to plan so that you get to your massage appointment on time. If you’re running late, be sure to contact the masseuse/parlour to inform them of your new ETA.

Should you turn up late, you may also receive a shorter massage as your therapist will have to be punctual for their clients. Therefore, in reality, the only person being affected in the long run is you.

#2 – Disrespect Policies: When receiving sports massage therapy you should be respectful of any rules and regulations that are in place. Be sure to read up on these before the massage itself, such rules could include:

• Set clothing guidelines
• How to speak to and address staff members
• Following any guidelines on health and safety

You don’t want to risk losing your booking by not looking ahead and/or respecting company policies.

#3 – Ask Your Therapist Personal Questions: Asking your therapist personal questions may make them uncomfortable. It’s important to remember that they are there to provide a service, and are working in their professional environment.

#4- Making Excessive Noises: Massage therapists recognise that you might make noise when they’re putting pressure on a sore muscle or working around an injury. However, it’s also important to be mindful of noise to respect neighbouring clients and to keep your therapist comfortable.

So, as well as an insight into what to expect from a sports massage, you’re also now knowledgeable of what not to do!

Please remember your massage therapist is there to deliver the best quality service that they can, and so if you’re able to help them do so, this will only enhance your own experience too.

Before You Go!

Knowing what to expect from a sports massage may help you to feel more prepared and confident for your first appointment. When receiving a massage for yourself always think of the bigger picture, it may hurt temporarily but the benefits far outweigh the brief pain.

Remember, to learn more about sports massage therapy, you can always enrol on OriGym’s Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage.

You can also download our free prospectus where you’re guaranteed to find a course that suits you and your specific needs.

Learning how to become a sports massage therapist may initially seem overwhelming, but the process can be broken down into 5 easy to follow steps.

Contents:

• What Does A Sports Massage Therapist Do?
• Step 1: Qualify as a Sports Massage Therapist
• Step 2: Choose Your SMT Employment Type
• Step 3: Get Sports Massage Therapy Insurance
• Step 4: Market Your Sports Massage Therapist Business
• Step 5: Progress Your Sports Massage Therapist Career

Before we start, did you know you can take your first step into the fitness industry by enrolling on OriGym’s Level 3 Sports Massage Course?

Alternatively, you can download our free course prospectus to learn about our full range of courses.

What Does A Sports Massage Therapist Do?

Before we discuss the process behind becoming a sports massage therapist, let’s take a closer look at the role itself.

Sports massage therapy (or SMT) is a form of physical therapy which is used to alleviate muscle soreness, reduce inflammation, aid in rehabilitation and prevent further injuries.

As a sports massage therapist, you will therefore be expected to fulfil duties that include:

• Testing joints for a range of motion and pain
• Pre-event sports massages
• Post-event sports massages
• Proving emergency aid during a sports event
• Creating rehabilitation programmes for clients with injuries

The working hours of a sports massage therapist will therefore vary. You may be required to work evenings and weekends to meet the demands of your client’s schedule.

According to Glassdoor Sports Massage Therapists earn between £21k-£84k every year, with the average salary of a sports massage therapist being around £42k every year!

It’s important to note that this salary isn’t set in stone, and your total earnings can vary depending on a variety of factors such as location and experience – e.g. therapists in London will earn more than any other in the country.

Step 1: Qualify as a Sports Massage Therapist

There are different Sports Massage levels to become qualified. Completing a Level 3 SMT course, for instance, will teach you how to become a sports massage therapist in the UK. This is an entry-level qualification meaning you don’t need to hold any previous experience to enrol, we simply ask all students to be aged 16+.

OriGym’s SMT course is taught via blended learning and is typically completed within an average of 12 weeks. When enrolled students will learn through our virtual learning platform, whilst also attending in-person workshops.

When becoming a sports massage therapist you must ensure that your qualification is regulated by an Ofqual-approved awarding body such as Focus Awards or Active IQ.

Ofqual is the government body responsible for regulating vocational training in England. It regulates courses such as the Level 3 SMT Qualification to ensure students across the country are being trained to the same standard, regardless of which training provider they’ve chosen.

All of OriGym’s Sports Massage qualifications meet these standards, ensuring that you’re receiving training to the same national standards.

Step 2: Choose Your SMT Employment Type

Once you’ve achieved your qualification, you’ll then need to consider what type of employment you want to pursue as a sports massage therapist. Your options will include:

• Contracted Work – You will work fixed hours determined by your employer, typically working with a predetermined client base.
• Freelance/Self-Employed Roles – You can determine your hours working with clients you have personally sourced.

If you want to become a sports massage therapist in a contracted role, you’ll need to read different SMT job descriptions to consider what kind of employer you wish to work for, including:

• Health and Fitness Clubs
• Physiotherapy Clinic
• Sports Clubs

This career is ideal for individuals who have just become qualified sports massage therapists, as you will be able to work in a structured environment with a fixed source of income.

If you decide to work as a self-employed/freelance sports massage therapist, you’ll need to decide whether you’ll treat clients from their homes or an agreed mutual location. Note: you may need to rent a space in a gym, yoga studio or clinic.

This role is ideal for those who are looking to be their boss, set their work schedule and establish a brand that’s uniquely theirs.

But be aware, this role comes with an immense amount of responsibility, for example, you will need to source equipment and market the SMT business, entirely by yourself.

Step 3: Get Sports Massage Therapy Insurance

When researching ‘how to become a sports massage therapist in the UK’,  you will learn that you’ll be legally required to hold the following insurance policies as a minimum requirement:

• Public Liability Insurance – to provide you with coverage for claims made against you from injuries and damages suffered by your clients.
• Public Indemnity Insurance – provides you with legal coverage for clients who make claims that suffered injuries or damages as a result of your negligent advice/services.

These types of insurance will cover you in the event a client is injured or suffers a muscle strain during a massage treatment or suffers an allergic reaction to a product.

Regardless of whether you work on a self-employed or contracted basis, investing in insurance is an absolute necessity. Failure to legally protect yourself can result in severe legal fines or even jail time!

To compare providers and find the best policy for your specific needs, check out our article on Sports Massage Therapist Insurance.

Step 4: Market Your Sports Massage Therapist Business

If you’re looking to become a freelance or self-employed sports massage therapist, you will need a strong marketing strategy to make it a financially rewarding career:

• Identifying your target audience
• Building a strong social media presence
• Implementing an effective marketing strategy
• Using Google ads to promote your business
• Develop a referral scheme to reward current clients to refer friends

These strategies will also help you attract clients that are looking for services that complement their fitness goals such as weight loss and building muscle.

It will also inform you how to retain clients and expand your customer base through attractive packages and reward schemes.

To learn more about how these marketing strategies can help you attract clients check out this blog.

Step 5: Progress Your Sports Massage Therapist Career

After becoming qualified as a sports massage therapist, there are still opportunities to advance your career through further training.

For example, you could choose to build on your existing knowledge with a Level 4 Sports Massage Qualification. Whilst enrolled on this course will learn how to develop your practice with advanced massage techniques.

You will also learn how to identify and recognise symptoms and injuries in your clients, to ensure they receive the correct form of treatment.

Other qualifications that can help you progress in your career include:

• Personal Training Diploma– As a qualified PT you will be able to cross-refer clients from one service to another. Creating bespoke workout programmes that help to facilitate their recovery and rehabilitation.
• Lower Back Management– Helps you specialise in treating lower back pain, allowing you to increase your earning potential when you offer this service in conjunction with your SMT services.

Sports Massage Therapist FAQs

How Much Can A Sports Massage Therapist Earn?

Sports Massage Therapists can earn between £18,000 and £35,000 per year in the UK, depending on factors like experience, location, and whether they work for a clinic, gym, or are self-employed. Experienced therapists in private practice or those working with elite athletes can earn even more.

For more insight into this topic, check out our article on ‘The Average Salary of Sports Massage Therapists’.

How Long Does A SMT Level 3 Course Take?

There isn’t one exact answer to this question, as the duration of your course may vary depending on which provider you choose. For example, at OriGym students typically graduate after 8-12 weeks of studying, however, this time is not fixed as our courses are entirely self-paced.

This means you can take as long as little time as you need to complete the Level 3 SMT course, qualifying around your commitments at a pace that’s comfortable for you.

Is The SMT Course Online?

The theory elements of OriGym’s Sports Massage Therapy course can be studied online. This allows students to learn from the comfort of their own home via our interactive eLearning Platform.

However, practical assessments and in-person workshops are required to be completed at designated OriGym centres, these are located across the UK. For your convenience you can choose a date and venue that suits you best.

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Are you looking to become a sports massage therapist and want to get qualified fast with an intensive sports massage course? Researching exactly what the course entails and what the best route to success is can be a long process, which is why we have done all the hard work for you.

In this article we will cover:

• What Is an Intensive Sports Massage Course?
• Are Intensive Sports Massage Courses for You?
• Are Cheap Intense Sports Massage Courses Worth It?
• Are Intensive Sports Massage Courses Accredited?
• Blended Learning VS Intensive Sports Massage Course
• Jobs You Can Get With a Blended SMT Course VS Intensive Sports Massage Course
• FAQs

Before we begin, why not kickstart your career with OriGym and take our Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy course. Or, download our FREE course prospectus here to find out more about what we offer.

What Is an Intensive Sports Massage Course?

An intensive sports massage course is a qualification that acts as a route to become a sports massage therapist. These courses, like it states in the name, are an intense way to study, with courses lasting as little as 5 days.

It may seem questionable to take a basic sports massage course in just 5 days and feel industry ready, which is why we have done some digging into the various kinds of massage courses to see if that is the case.

There are pros and cons to every kind of course, intense or not, and whilst getting qualified in a matter of days can sound appealing, many professionals will argue that sports massage training should take weeks. It is also an industry standard that a good SMT course should include a practical assessment to prepare you for working on clients.

For example, here at OriGym, our blended learning sports massage course takes an average of 12 weeks to complete and includes modules that cover all areas of massage from anatomy and physiology to understanding the principles of soft tissue dysfunction.

Of course that isn’t all, and you can find a description of each module on our Level 3 Sports Massage course here.

When searching for intensive sports massage courses, one thing to know is that some courses are more trustworthy than others, something which is typically indicated by the endorsement of recognised bodies – but we will get into a little more detail about this later.

For now, all you need to remember is that an intensive sports massage course consists of a short course, fast tracking through to the qualification – that’s if there is an awarding certification at the end.

If you’re thinking that completing a qualification and starting a new career in 5 days sounds too easy, you’re not wrong. There are a couple of other elements of fast track sports massage courses that you’ll need to consider, all of which we’re about to discuss below.

Are Intensive Sports Massage Courses for You?

Some may think due to the nature of intensive sports massage courses being so short, that the fee requirement matches up, making for a cheap way to get qualified. Yet, this isn’t typically the case, as the answer to the central question is more often than not, no – in fact some intense courses are even more expensive than a course that lasts longer.

That being said, there are of course beneficial elements to this route of qualification which many are willing to pay a premium for. If you have limited time and are interested in getting qualified fast, then paying a bigger sum might well be justified.

As with a lot of things in life, whether the extra cost is worth it is subjective to each individual, their budget, and whether the price sizes up to the service they desire.

For example, you could work at your own pace and complete a blended SMT course and feel as though you have absorbed more information, this due to the lack of pressure and increased understanding that you receive from taking your time. However, if you view yourself as a fast learner and want the qualification quickly, there is no problem in investing into an intense course – particularly if you think you are capable.

You will need to research exactly what you’re getting into before you invest into a course, particularly if you are paying a large sum of money. This being said, it is likely that you will be aware of the level of education you receive based on the price tag.

To use an example of an intense course that requires prior education, this intensive sports massage course allows you to get through your qualification in just 6 days.

However, once you read into the details of the course, you will learn that this is only possible if your education history permits it. So, completing this intense course requires you to have an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree in a chosen field, or, already be a qualified fitness professional.

Without the correct educational requirements, which is an additional expense and time-consuming in itself, you would not be eligible for this course.

This isn’t a minor expense either, as university degrees are much more costly, more time consuming and are a real commitment. Compare this to a blended SMT course like the one we offer here at OriGym, which you can begin with no prior experience or qualifications, and you’ll see that intense courses are neither cheaper or faster than higher quality alternatives.

In fact, as long as you’re over the age of 16, you can learn everything you need to know and be industry ready with our recognised level 3 diploma in SMT.

Are Cheap Intense Sports Massage Courses Worth It?

So, we’ve discussed the pros and cons of paying more for an intense sports massage course, but what about the super cheap options that are advertised online?

For the intensive sports massage courses that cost significantly less than an average SMT course, be aware that these are not always Level 3 qualifications. It is always good to dig into any training course provider that is offering overwhelmingly low prices, as these low costs typically reflect a bad service, no accredited certification, and a lack of level attached to the qualification.

For example, we did some digging and came across one company offering a sports massage practitioner course that rewards you with CPD points rather than an accredited course certificate, due to them not being Ofqual regulated qualifications.

The low quality of the course and the fact that it does not result in a qualification that enables you to become a sports massage therapist is reflected in the price, sitting at just £29.00, a sale reduction for a price of £147.00.

A vital thing to remember here is that you will not be able to get a job in the industry with this kind of ‘qualification’. If you are looking for a preparation course before you hit the recognised SMT qualifications, or you just want to know more about sports massage without pursuing it as a career, this would be a good option. Otherwise, these cheap courses are almost always a waste of time!

The most important thing to take into account is that if it seems too good to be true in regard to the price tag, it probably is!

Are Intensive Sports Massage Courses Accredited?

Depending on the company, an intensive sports massage course should grant you accreditation from a reliable company, however, it can sometimes be difficult to find a provider that is fully transparent with what they are offering.

Some course providers do state that you may only get a certificate of achievement rather than an accredited reward, and are able to almost mislead customers into a course that won’t actually help them get a job in the industry.

For example, providers of some intensive courses offer the knowledge that may be useful in preparation for a level 3 diploma in sports massage, but the only benefit of the course is knowledge, not recognition or a direct route to a career.

Sports massage courses that you can trust should always be endorsed and regulated by an Ofqual-approved awarding or governing body. These awarding bodies include:

• Focus Awards
• Active IQ
• YMCA Awards
• NCFE
• VTCT
• ITec

Ofqual are The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, the governing body that ensures that qualifications received are regulated and are reliable. Ofqual set the frameworks and Levels for qualifications, and so in order for an SMT course to be advertised as a Level 3 qualification, it must be regulated by one of the companies listed above.

Employers and companies who provide sports massage insurance will ask for proof of a regulated qualification, and so ensuring that your course is approved by an awarding-body is essential.

If the sports massage training course that you are looking at is awarded by one of the above governing bodies, you can feel confident that your money is in safe hands.

For more resources on getting started as a sports massage therapist, read our articles below:

• The Effects of a Sports Massage Therapist
• Roles of a Sports Massage Therapist
• 5 Exciting Sports Massage Therapist Career Opportunities

Blended Learning VS Intensive Sports Massage Course

If you’re stuck between studying an intense sports massage course and spending less money yet more time on a blended learning course, here’s where you can weigh up the pros and cons of each.

For this comparison, we will only discuss courses that provide level 3 sports massage courses, whether this be blended learning or intensive, ignoring courses that are unregulated and extremely inexpensive.

A level 3 diploma in sports massage therapy is among the most popular options when trying to get into the industry of sport rehabilitation and massage. As previously mentioned, compared to the blended learning level 3 diploma, an intense course is typically more expensive and arguably more stressful.

Taking your time when trying to learn such an intricate skill is vital in this instance. The role of a sports massage therapist requires you to deal with clients who are looking to walk away refreshed with their soreness depleted, so you want to ensure you have taken every step to be prepared.

Often, if courses are rushed you will not be able to give your clients the service they deserve. Instead, allowing time for the information to set in and putting your knowledge into practice is a good idea. So how can you go about this?

Here at OriGym, we provide an extensive course that you can start immediately due to the blended learning method. Using e-learning and online lectures, you can fit the course in around your schedule. Aswell as this, you receive 50 hours of workshop time, giving you the hands-on experience necessary to succeed.

How does this differ from an intense sports massage course? Well, many fast track courses are based solely online, disregarding the importance of hands-on learning. Though you may be provided with videos, nothing is comparable to the educational value of a teacher correcting your mistakes and ensuring you get it right.

Price point is a huge factor in deciding between the two, and understandably it may be tempting to chance a cheaper course. However, you should look at a sports massage course as an investment – something that is legit and will benefit your career, rather than undermine your ability, is well worth putting the time and effort into.

To summarise, the main pros of an intensive sports massage course are:

• Flexible
• No deadlines
• Get qualified quickly

The main pros of a regular level 3 diploma in sports massage are:

• Longer time period to learn
• Support from tutors
• In person teaching / interactivity
• Credible qualifications
• Career support
• Lower prices

Overall, opting for the course that suits you is dependent on what you require as a learner, and the qualifications necessary for your dream career.

With the help of OriGym, you can also learn how to write a sports massage business plan here!

Jobs You Can Get With a Blended SMT Course VS Intensive Sports Massage Course

Taking a short sports massage course can still land you a job as a sports massage therapist, taking into account that it awards you with an accredited certification. Equally, completing a sports massage course here at OriGym can certainly ensure that you are industry ready and qualified to work as a sports massage therapist.

After carefully assessing the options available for an intense sports massage course and finding a fit that provides you with a recognised qualification, there is no doubt that you could achieve a job role as sports massage therapist (provided you have the necessary prerequisite qualifications).

In regard to intensive sports massage courses, be sure to remember that it is the quality that matters. That is why it is so important to look out for stamps of approval from recognised educational bodies and to do thorough research before choosing a provider.

Ultimately, the key thing to look out for with any sports massage course is that it is a Level 3 qualification. The bottom line is that no matter how long it takes you to complete a course, if you have a level 3 diploma in sports massage therapy at the end of it, you are eligible to get a role in the industry and get to work!

Further Opportunities with a Sports Massage Qualification

Not only that, but OriGym also offers a range of fitness qualifications to complement your sports massage career. Many of our students pair the Level 3 SMT qualification with the likes of a level 2 fitness instructor or a personal trainer course and go on to lead successful careers offering both services in tandem.

The sports massage training course can prepare you well for your fitness instructing journey that would follow comfortably. Getting qualified as a fitness instructor can not only up your game in the sports massage industry, but it also is a good way to get a job in a gym setting. Working in a gym typically requires a minimum of a level 2 in gym instructing, therefore getting your foot in the door with this is going to boost your reputation as a sports massage therapist.

When being in and around the gym, you’re bound to meet friendly faces, get to know the regulars and talk to your community. All of this relationship building is great for your business whether that be personal training clients after you have achieved your level 3 in personal training, or gaining sports massage clients through a build in rapport between you and potential clients.

So, to get the edge over your competitors and show why you are the best fit for the job, from personal training to sports massage, get as many relevant fitness qualifications behind you as possible! If you’re just getting started however, why not check out our article on sports massage therapy salary and industry facts here.

FAQs

What Qualifications are Needed To Be A Sports Masseuse?

The minimum requirement to be a sports massage therapist is a level 3 diploma in sports massage. This covers all aspects of sports massage and practical workshops to get comfortable with techniques that are required for a happy client.

Though a level 3 diploma is a great starting point, you can go on to complete a level 4 and even dip into personal training. Delving into the world of fitness instruction and personal training is a great option to have under your belt, it means that not only are you more knowledgable on the body, but you can also gain another revenue stream.

Do you need a degree to be a sports masseuse?

No! While some fast track courses require a degree to get onto the course, as long as you have a qualification of a minimum level 3 in sports massage from a reliable provider, you are ready for the industry.

What skills are needed as a sports massage therapist?

To be a successful massage therapist, you should have skills that not only make you a sociable worker but also be somebody who can concentrate and work with precision.

You’re working with people who may have injuries, so you need to be gentle yet effective with your work.

Some skills that are necessary for becoming a sports massage therapist include the following:

• Good communication skills.
• Listening skills.
• Patience.
• Customer service skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Care and compassion
• Calm attitude to work.

You should enjoy being self motivated as being self employed can be a rollercoaster so be prepared for hard work!

Before You Go…

Now you should have come to a decision on the best route for you to head down, whether that be an intensive sports massage course or one you can study at a slower pace..

Whatever it may be, we hope your career takes off to a flying start! If you find completing your course in around 12 weeks seems like a realistic thing for you, check out our Level 3 Sports Massage Course. Alternatively, you can browse through our course prospectus here.

Before jumping into a new career, it’s important to cover every area of this role. This certainly includes finding out everything about the average sports massage therapist salary and the factors that will affect how much you earn.

Below, we discuss exactly that, covering:

• What Is The Average Salary For A Sports Massage Therapist In The UK?
• How Type Of Work Will Determine Sports Massage Salary
• How Where You’re Employed Influences How Much A Sports Massage Therapist Earns
• The Impact of Location on Your Salary As A Sports Massage Therapist
• How to Earn More With Additional Qualifications

If you’re excited to start your career as a sports massage therapist, check out our Level 3 Sports Massage Course or download our entire course prospectus to see exactly what we offer.

What Is The Average Salary For A Sports Massage Therapist In The UK?

According to Payscale, the average hourly wage for a sports massage therapist is £19.29 an hour:

Glassdoor states the average salary is £42,443 a year (based on 16 salaries):

Although rough estimations of salaries are a good point of reference, these are based on the declared salaries of industry professionals but don’t take into account:

• Experience – You can charge more or ask for a higher wage if you have extensive experience
• Location – Wages are higher or lower depending on where you work
• Qualifications – More qualifications means you have more services and experience to offer clients
• Hours – How many hours the professional works
• Employment type – Freelance or self-employed therapists typically earn more than those who are employed

Type Of Work Will Determine Sports Nutritionist Salary (UK)

Before you become a sports massage therapist, you should be aware salaries differ depending on how an individual is employed. Types of employment sports massage therapists can take include:

• Freelance work
• Opening their own clinic
• Full time employment
• Part time employment

These routes can be combined, for example by working contracted hours at a sports massage clinic but also earn running a freelance mobile business on the side.

Using Survey Monkey, OriGym conducted a survey of over 300 sports massage therapy graduates to see what route people chose for a year after qualifying:

This chart highlights that most therapists work on a freelance basis.

Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each employment type, and how that affects the salary of a sports massage therapist.

#1 – Working Freelance Hours As A Sports Massage Therapist

As a freelance sports massage therapist, you’ll be able to decide how many hours you put in and how often, especially if working as a mobile SMT. When going freelance, you will get out the effort you put in. This makes it difficult to definitively provide an average freelance SMT salary, as it’s totally subjective.

This means the amount of work you put in will directly impact your sports massage therapy salary (UK), so take into account how much more or less than the aforementioned average salary (£42K) you expect to make given your availability.

Benefits:

• Take holidays as often as you like.
• You choose the hours you want to work.
• Unlimited earning potential.
• Get to choose your own sports massage therapy hourly wage.

Cons:

• It’s up to you to source your own clients.
• You’re responsible for all marketing and administration.
• It takes time to build up your client base.

#2 – Self Employed Sports Massage Therapist

Being a self-employed sports massage therapist is appealing to many as it provides plenty of freedom, flexibility, and the ability to potentially increase your sports massage therapist salary however much you choose.

Similar to the example above, you can either choose to be a mobile sports massage therapist or rent a space to have clients visit you. Of course, the latter will incur costs which you will need to take into account as you build clients.

This doesn’t need to be a room already dedicated to massage therapy as you can bring your own equipment and set it up there. However, an ideal room would be like the one below posted on Gumtree:

As you can see, this is where a lot of your early sports massage therapist income will be going. This is why it may be a good idea to begin as a freelance or mobile SMT as you build your clientbase and save up income to use on equipment and rental space.

For example, Lucy J Massage offers a mobile massage therapist service with a range of different massages of varying times from 30 minutes to 90 minutes:

Depending on the times and type of massage, these prices also range from £30 to £80. This highlights how when starting out as a self-employed massage therapist, you should expand the type of service you offer to increase your sports massage therapist salary.

Benefits:

• Option to increase or decrease hours when you want.
• Allows you to build your own sports massage therapy business.
• More control over your income as you alone decide how many clients to take on.

Cons:

• Unstable income, especially when just starting out.
• May have to work anti-social hours to fill gaps in schedules.
• If you’re sick or take holidays, you won’t be earning any income.

#3 – Employed Hours As A Sports Massage Therapist

According to Prospects, the average full time employed position offers 37 hours a week. Depending on the clinic you work at, the structure of those hours may fluctuate from standard 9 to 5 work. You may find you’ll work early hours or late ones depending on when clients are available.

Working employed hours is much more stable than being freelance or self employed and provides more of a guaranteed income each week. Gaining a sports massage therapy qualification means you can apply for jobs such as this one below:

As you can see, this job has set working days from Monday to Friday with some weekend availability. This means you’ll have the freedom to take on extra clients around your scheduled working days if you wish to further increase your sports massage therapist salary.

Gaining experience in roles such as this allows you to offer your services to professionals and increase your SMT salary. According to Prospectus, a massage therapist for sports team salary either privately or with a professional team means you can earn up to £35,000.

Benefits:

• More of a stable sports massage therapist salary.
• Holiday and sick pay entitlements.
• Clients are generally sourced for you.
• Work with other like-minded therapists.
• Don’t have to focus on setting up advertisement, marketing, or administration.

Cons:

• Capped earning potential.
• Working set hours.

– – – –

Aside from finding out about the a sports massage therapist salary (UK), here’s a few more articles to help you see why this career is for you:

• What Is Sports Massage
• 7 Advantages Of Being A Sports Massage Therapist 
• 5 Sports Massage Therapist Career Opportunities

Where They’re Employed Influences How Much A Sports Massage Therapist Earns

Many different types of employers hire sports massage therapists on freelance, contracted, and employed salaries. So you can see what sports massage therapist role is best for you, we’ll break these different areas of employment down.

We further surveyed employed or contracted sports massage graduates on the company they currently work for:

As you can see, 65% of sports massage graduates ended up working for a clinic, compared to only a combined 2% working for an insurance or event company.

The reason for this difference in percentages is down to a couple of factors. The first is that there are thousands of clinics across the UK compared to insurance and event companies, making these jobs more visible.

Secondly, many people are likely unaware that both event and insurance companies even hire sports massage therapists. Many clinics also offer more hours to be covered at convenient times, providing more stability for sports massage therapists.

Let’s breakdown sports massage therapist earnings and salaries you will typically find at different institutions:

#1 – Find Employment In Gyms To Increase Sports Massage Therapist Salary

Certain gyms hire sports massage therapists on both freelance and full time basis. This role is often found in larger, more prestigious health club chains looking to offer their members more value with their membership than traditional gyms do. As a gym is more stable employment, the average salary would be anywhere between £21,0000 to £42,000. Gyms frequently have space or room hire available where you could set up a freelance business with rent pricing typically being around £400 – £600 per month.

#2 – Insurance & Private Medical Care Companies

Insurance companies hire both personal trainers and sports massage therapists which they deploy as part of their insurance programme to help with client’s rehabilitation. Insurance companies tend to hire on a contracted basis for a set period of hours in between and come with a sports massage pay of £25 to £35 per hour.

#3 – Employment With Events Companies Can Provide A Higher Sports Massage Therapist Salary (UK)

Have you ever done a Total Warrior or Tough Mudder? This often involves warming up with a personal trainer, completing the race, and may involve being offered post-race sports massages at certain locations. These are usually contracted positions but can pay a sports massage rate of £30 – £40 per hour.

#4 – Increase Sports Massage Therapist Salary By Working In Sports Clubs

Both amateur and professional sports clubs, cricket, rugby all need high quality sports massage therapists for post-match aid and for players with injuries and undergoing rehabilitation. Professionals tend to pay sports massage therapist salary (UK) on a full-time employment basis, and depending on the club, can pay up to £40,000 per annum.

#5 – Injury Rehabilitation & Sports Therapy Clinics Will Hire SMTs

One of the most common employers on full time, part time, and contracted hours are clinics specialising in rehabilitation or sports therapy. Most clinics are independent institutions as opposed to national chains and hire therapists on full time, part time, and a freelance basis.

#6 – Spas & Wellness Centres Employment Can Raise Sports Massage Therapist Wages

Spas are now broadening their services from beauty, relaxation, and Swedish massages into offering sports massage which has created demand for qualified therapists across the UK.

Location Can Impact Your Salary As A Sports Massage Therapist

A large factor affecting sports massage therapist salary in the UK is location. However, this doesn’t mean it necessarily pays better to be an SMT in a particular city.

A sports massage therapist career salary will be higher in major cities such as London. However, this is because of the high cost of living there compared to other cities.

As you can see below, this sports massage therapist job in London is between £27 – £35 per hour, far above the average mentioned earlier:

However, if we compare this to a job as a massage therapist in Manchester, this is between £9.50 – £12 an hour. This is lower than the average mentioned above but highlights the difference working in London and in other areas around the UK:

While salaries may be higher in London, there’s also much more expense and other issues sports massage therapists are expected to deal with. Working in a busy major city like London means available space can be more difficult to come by if you’re a freelancer.

If you find available space to rent as a freelance sports massage therapist, you will have to factor in these extra costs. For example, this massage and beauty room available to rent in London is £500 per month:

While this does come with facilities you can use, as a sports massage therapist it’s unlikely you’ll require most of them as this room is for more general massages. However, this is still the kind of room you’ll be considering if working as a freelance sports massage therapist.

Additional Qualifications Means A Sports Massage Therapist Can Earn More

An important way to increase your sports massage therapy salary is to consider expanding your services by gaining additional qualifications. This means as a sports massage therapist you’ll be able to command a premium as you’ll be able to charge more or combine services.

Take A Level 4 Course To Increase Your Sports Massage Therapist Salary

One of the best ways to increase your salary is to take a Level 4 Course in Sports Massage Therapy.

This course builds on the skills and knowledge from your Level 3 qualification, giving you a deeper understanding of sports massage.

You will learn more advanced sports massage techniques to be able to treat clients with a wider range of injuries and rehabilitation needs.

You can therefore justify charging more for your treatments, since you are offering a higher level of service to your clients.

As well as charging more for the clients you already have, a Level 4 qualification will also help you attract new clients!

People are more likely to choose a more highly qualified therapist over someone with just a Level 3 qualification, as it shows that they are a more capable and skilled therapist.

Offer Fitness Coaching To Increase Sports Massage Therapy Salary (UK)

Fitness and sports coaching in every discipline requires massage therapists, whether that’s football, hockey, rugby, or horse riding. As every athlete will encounter muscular strains and tissue damage, there is a ready market to expand your business and increase your sports massage salary.

By combining your fitness coaching with SMT, this is a great way to increase your sports massage therapist salary. You can coach people and refer them to your sports massage services after to help with recovery.

For example, this is what Oli from McBride Fitness has done successfully:

He combined his interests of fitness and the human body to help clients with both hitting their fitness goals and dealing with the recovery of meeting them.

You may also decide to follow the example of Katie Ditchman who founded Perform Sports Therapy and has helped both clients and been a massage therapist for sports teams:

This is a great way to earn a greater sports massage salary (UK) as it opens many opportunities for you to be recommended to different sports teams. Katie would have built her impressive list from networking, beginning with treating clients and preparing individuals for events or competitions.

Combine Services With Personal Training As A Sports Massage Therapist

The most common career path to combine with sports massage therapy is by becoming a personal trainer. This is likely due to the similarities in how you earn income, such as sourcing clients and how both services complement each other.

This is also because the same clients who purchase personal training sessions will also likely want to follow up with sports massage therapy.

For example, Rebecca Jo is a qualified Level 3 Personal Trainer who offers a mobile sports massage service:

Those who purchase her personal training packages are entitled to a sports massage at a reduced rate. This is to enhance recovery and reduce injury, highlighting how she can refer clients between her services:

Clients are more likely to use your service if you offer both as it means they don’t need to seek someone else. They will also feel more comfortable receiving a sports massage from you as they have built a relationship with you already and understand you know how to properly help them.

Become A Sports Massage Tutor To Earn More Income

Once you’ve completed your course to become a sports massage therapist, you could consider passing on your knowledge by teaching the next generation of sports masseurs. Most available work is on a freelance basis, such as in the job advertisement below:

As you can see, this sports massage career salary is £150 which is standard for a role such as this, teaching and assessing at Universities, Colleges, and Training Providers.

This is something that could be done around your sports massage therapist work as it’s on a freelance basis and would most likely be during the day.

Offer Physiotherapy To Increase Sports Massage Therapist Salary

Although physiotherapy requires a degree, many physios are qualified in sports massage or offer it as part of their services. As these two are both forms of injury rehabilitation, these services can be combined to increase your sports massage therapist salary.

Before You Go!

Now you’re up to date on the average sports massage therapist salary, enquire about our Level 3 Sports Massage Course or download our course prospectus to find out more.

Whether you’re looking to start your sports massage therapist training or are looking to refresh your knowledge on the roles of a sports massage therapist, we’ve got everything you need to know!

We’re going to go through everything you should be aware of before stepping into your new career, including what does a sports massage therapist do across each of the different work settings.

Table of Contents:

• Physical Roles of a Sports Massage Therapist
• Knowledge and Skill-Based Roles of a Sports Massage Therapist
• What is the Difference Between a Sports Therapist and a Sports Massage Therapist?

Before we begin, if you’re keen to become a sports massage therapist, enquire about our Ofqual-regulated Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist here.

Want to learn more? Download our free course prospectus to learn more about OriGym’s industry-leading health and fitness qualifications.

Physical Roles of a Sports Massage Therapist

Pre-event Massage

For a pre-event massage, the SMT will conduct treatment on the day of the event, usually not long before it begins. The massage will last for approximately 10-15 minutes and will aim to stimulate and energise the muscles rather than relax them.

The closer the massage is to the beginning of the event, the less intrusive it should be. The movements should be focused on outer tissue massage and light stretching and stimulation, as opposed to massaging too deeply and straining the client.

The SMT roles for a pre-event massage include:

• Using minimal oil or cream (as too much can clog the pores and reduce sweating, which isn’t good before a sporting event)
• Using friction to heat the soft-tissues
• Compression techniques to encourage blood to flow through to the muscles
• Tapotement to gently stimulate the muscles (rather than relaxing them)
• Moving the joints through their ROM to aid lubrication and remove stiffness
• Preparing the muscles for activity through minimal stretching

Post-event Massage

In the case of a post-event massage, the main roles of a sports massage therapist are to ensure that the client can begin training again as soon as possible and to prevent them from suffering from DOMS.

Along with this, other roles include using deeper sports massage techniques to flush out lactic acid buildups and to relax tight muscles/promote blood flow to strained areas.

However, something extremely important to note is that before any of this, an SMT should judge the situation appropriately. They must check with the client to decipher whether they are in any sort of pain, as this could be something that should be left for an on-site medical professional to check out. They should also allow them time to re-hydrate before the massage begins.

If a pre-event massage happens there and then after an event, it should last around 10-15 minutes and focus on:

• Soothing the nervous system with effleurage
• Relaxing the muscles with petrissage to prevent any tightness or soreness
• Using compression to promote blood flow to the muscle fibres and body in general
• Incorporating compressive effleurage to finish, so that the body is left soothed by the treatment

An SMT should always be mindful of any injuries the client could have sustained and refrain from massaging them if they discover anything beyond their expertise.

It’s normal for a client to experience muscle cramping and an SMT can go ahead with the massage if this occurs in single muscles, but should always stop if it becomes too painful or the cramping occurs in various muscle groups. This could be a sign of dehydration and the SMT should seek the advice of a medical professional.

Massage During Injury Recovery & Rehabilitation

Ever wondered what is a sports massage therapist’s role when it comes to treating injuries?

If you’re interested in becoming a sports massage therapist, then you’ll want to know more about this one.

The first thing to note is that before administering sports massage to a client who is injured, it is the role of a sports massage therapist to ensure that it’s safe to do so.

We’ll talk more about this in the knowledge section but for now, let’s continue to explore what is the role of a sports massage therapist during recovery or rehab, assuming that it’s fine to go ahead with the treatment.