Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1037165
EDUCATION IN ANATOMY AND KINESIOLOGY High-level athletic endeavors require an exceptional level of support for performance and recovery. Depending on a therapist's background and individual aptitude for sports massage, a standard massage education may not be sufficient to meet the needs of a body that is put through the intense physical demands of an elite athlete. In fact, many sports massage therapists find it necessary to continue pursuing additional training and education even after they've obtained their career goals to keep them abreast of the constant advances in the science of athletic performance. In contrast to many other therapists' educational paths, Kenneth Pitts's massage education came in reverse order, in a sense. Pitts, a former sports performance coach for the Boston Bruins professional hockey 76 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k n o v e m b e r / d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8 team, was already working as an NFL strength and conditioning coach when he realized the impact massage therapy could have on the work he was doing. "In 2007, we did not have a massage therapist on staff," Pitts says. "Because of this, the strength and conditioning staff performed all soft-tissue therapy with the use of foam rollers, massage sticks, tennis balls, etc. As I worked with these tools, I realized that it might be beneficial to become licensed as a massage therapist for those hard-to- reach areas and for a deeper understanding of what was occurring physiologically." Pitts didn't stop there. Like many other sports massage therapists, he's made it a rule to continue learning about the body and movement. After he became an LMT, he earned a graduate degree in rehabilitation science, and he's currently pursuing a degree as a physical therapist assistant. This focus on anatomy and movement education is not to say it's impossible for a massage therapist without formal training or education in kinesiology to join a sports team. For some hiring managers, as in any other job, direct experience in a specific area is less important than an open, positive attitude and a strong work ethic. Rachel Voyles, a massage therapist who works with professional cyclists, says, "I knew absolutely nothing about cycling or that world, and I was surprised that they kept asking me back and eventually hired me full time. I was told that everything I didn't know was teachable, but what was more important was my ability to get along with everyone and my strong work ethic and desire to give my all in my work (things that aren't teachable), plus the array of knowledge I had in both massage and rehab." Detailed knowledge of anatomy equips sports massage therapists to address imbalances in the bodies of elite athletes. Here, Florida Panthers massage therapist Mike Valcy performs a trapezius stretch on a client. Right: Valcy assists an athlete in performing a low-back stretch.