Sports Massage

From The Critics

Reviewer: Kevin T Lehmann, MS, ATC, CSCS(Western Michigan University)
Description: This is a quality guide for sports massage techniques, mechanics, client positioning, and tissue applications accompanied by appropriate and colorful illustrations catering to both new and experienced therapists and healthcare practitioners.
Purpose: Designed to provide the essential tools for sports massage, this book does so in a concise format while providing additional material on the basic pathology of injury, technique indications and contraindications, and functional client assessment.
Audience: This book may be helpful for those currently employed in the profession of massage therapy or for those interested in beginning a client base of their own, particularly for the active population. It is certainly comprehensive enough for experienced therapists to use as a resource, but the author uses her experience in student education to include critical information for less experienced therapists.
Features: Among the full spectrum of information the book offers are the basics like massage venue choices, materials, equipment, and hygiene. Information on soft tissue applications, techniques, positioning, and assessment tools will help more experienced therapists. Colorful illustrations and helpful tips are abundant, while Client Talk textboxes supply insights for readers while providing continuity as they progress. The photo index allows readers to seek out specific body parts with ease and is appropriately categorized by the three body positions. The use of Closing Remarks and Quick Questions at the end of a section or chapter spurs immediate information recall while highlighting important concepts.
Assessment: Well constructed and fluid in arrangement, this book provides beginning therapists with the basic setup, mechanics, posture, positioning, technique, and client assessment as they relate to sports massage. For more advanced or experienced therapists, the book may serve simply as a quality reference. Therapists seeking more in-depth information on techniques or specific target populations or special populations, may have to look to other books to better serve their interests.