Orthopedic (Sports) Massage

Who Can Benefit from Clinical/Orthopedic and Sports Massage?

Although Clinical Sports Massage is generally associated with various kinds of sports and athletics, truly everyone can benefit from orthopedic massage. Not only those who are physically active, but also people who have desk jobs or professions that include physical labor and repetitive positions and actions. This modality caters also to any type of chronic conditions or injury recovery. Furthermore, orthopedic massage is ideal in working with the elderly population and anyone who has joint replacements, like knees or hips, etc. Even the healthy client can gain from this technique; needless to say, it is a must for top echelon and amateur athletes, as well as professional dancers, those involved in fitness activities (yoga, weightlifting, cross fit and aerobics) and recreational sports (biking, skiing, backpacking, etc.).

In addition, Clinical Sports Massage or Orthopedic Massage techniques, while developed in working with athletes, can be adapted to address common conditions and complaints associated with daily living and any population.

Assessment and Treatment Protocols:

The Clinical/Orthopedic and Sports Massage treatment protocols taught with this in-depth course address the goals of optimizing capabilities for physical function and performance along with preventing and limiting injuries. Students will learn to use assessments to identify restrictions and limitations of the musculoskeletal system, evaluate and assess accident, sports or common injuries, and deliver effective bodywork protocols

to address such conditions within their scope of practice*. Students will learn evaluation skills to help them determine where Clinical/Orthopedic and Sports Massage techniques can help in the rehabilitation process and before when massage therapists need to refer out to other appropriate medical health practitioners (chiropractors, osteopaths, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, MD’s, etc.).

*Students will be trained to understand that ONLY qualified medical personnel can legally diagnose an injury, disease or physical dysfunction.

Lower Body Coverage includes Hip and Pelvis, Knee and Thigh, Foot Ankle and Leg Injury Conditions:

Muscle Strain, Plantar Fasciitis, Morton’s Neuroma, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, Achilles Tendonitis, Lateral and Medial Ankle Sprains, Anterior/Lateral Shin Splints, Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, Turf Toe, Anterior Compartment Syndrome, Dorsiflexor Tenosynovitis, ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL Sprains, Meniscal Injury, Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Patellar Tendonitis, Chondroma- lacia Patella, Illiotibial Band Syndrome, Trochanteric Bursitis, Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction, Hip Pointer, Piriformis Syndrome.

Upper Body Coverage includes Lumbar, Thoracic and Cervical Spine, Shoulder, Elbow, Forearm, Wrist and Hand Injury Conditions:

Muscle Strain, Lumbar Disk Pathology, Spondylolysis, Spondylolis- thesis, Facet Joint Irritation, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Whiplash, Torticollis, Cervical Disk Pathology, Shoulder Separation, Rotator Cuff Tears, Shoulder Impingement Syndrome, Bicipital Tendonitis, Pectoralis Minor Syndrome, Sub-Acromial Bursitis, Glenohumeral dislocation/subluxation, Adhesive Capsulitis, Olecranon Bursitis, Lateral Humeral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow), Medial Humeral Epi- condylitis (Golfer Elbow), Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis and more.

Prerequisites: Therapeutic Massage Level 1 & 2, Anatomy/Kinesiology or Equivalent

Course Objectives: At the completion of the course, students will know and be able to:

• Understand the core philosophy of clinical massage and how it is different from other forms of massage and sport massage.

• Complete an evaluation of the lower body, including APMR testing, postural analysis and hip instability

• Successfully follow a protocol to remove counternutation in the hips and balance them using massage techniques

• Independently use a sequence of PNF stretches to the lower body to set their work

• Effectively apply massage techniques in appropriate areas of the lower/upper body and develop a treatment method that includes history, observation, special tests and palpation.