The Olympics and the role of Soft Tissue Therapy
Soft tissue therapy, and more specifically, sports massage, has been used by athletes for over a century, playing a key role in their success. Swedish, Australian and US teams set the example and introduced soft tissue therapy as a part of their preparation in 1906. By 1912 British athletes also started to incorporate sports massage into their training and were soon becoming champions. They attributed their increased speed and improved performance on the running tracks to the hands on therapy they were receiving as a part of their training. It became essential for athletes to incorporate soft tissue therapies into their training as a way of maintenance and recovering from their events.
Working at events such as the Olympics for Soft Tissue Therapists can be demanding and challenging. A complete and thorough understanding of the anatomy - how muscle groups work together, where muscles start and finish and how these tissues perform and can be damaged through sport - is essential.
Day of a Soft Tissue Therapist at the Olympics:
Breakfast and team meeting
One our before event - warm up massage and taping where necessary
During the event - various soft tissue techniques to aid performance and enhance recovery
Following the event - Soft tissue techniques post event to increase circulation, reduce muscular tension, aid recovery and calm the athlete.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
If you are interested in Soft Tissue Therapy and would Like to book in an appointment please click the button below