BODY SYNC KNOWLEDGE BASE

ABOUT SPORTS MASSAGE

©2001-2008 Andrew Thompson

Sports Massage or Deep Tissue, is sometimes referred to as Remedial Massage, albeit inaccurately since Sports Massage is only one of a large number of techniques which a qualified Remedial Therapist might use.

Sports Massage can be traced back to 776 BC when it was used by athletes of the first Olympic Games. History also records the use of Sports Massage by the Gladiators of Ancient Rome.

During the Middle Ages, massage fell into disrepute due largely to the oppressive religious upheaval in Europe, and it didn't re-emerge until the late 18th century.

Until recent times, modern Sports Massage was largely based on the traditional petrissage, tapotement and friction moves formulated in 1812 by the Swede athlete and healer, Per (Peter) Henrik Ling, and further developed by Dr Merzger early last century.

With the ever-increasing pressures placed on competitors by corporate sponsors, modern athletes must recover more quickly than was necessary in the past. With that in mind, it's not surprising that modern Sports Massage continues to evolve around the needs of athletes, particularly those performing at elite level.

Sports Massage is a very specialised field, and a serious sportsperson should take particular care when choosing a therapist.

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