Sports Massage (sample manual)

Manual
Sports Massage
Therapy
Version AIQ006956

The structure and functions of the joints
Chapter 3
Joint movement and description
Circumduction – circular movement
of a distal limb or body part so that a
cone shape is drawn in space.
Images of body parts capable of this movement
Rotation – the turning of a bone on
its own axis, either toward the midline
(internal) or away from the midline
(external).
Joint- / region-specific body movements
Lateral flexion – bending the neck
or spine to the side, away from the
midline.
Horizontal flexion and extension
– while sustaining arm(s) in a 90°
abducted position, the arm(s) move
horizontally forward (flexion) and/or
backwards (extension).
Unit 1: Anatomy and physiology for sports massage therapy
Elevation and depression – upward
(elevation) or downward (depression)
movement of the shoulder girdle.
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale 27

CHAPTER
SUMMARY CHAPTER 3
A joint is a meeting point between two bones and has two purposes:
❯ Allows multiple bones to form a larger, important bony structure.
❯ Allow movement to occur between skeletal segments.
Three types of joints are:
❯ Fibrous joint – a fibrous bony connection with no joint cavity,
e.g. sutures, syndesmoses and gomphoses.
❯ Cartilaginous joint – bones connected by central cartilage
with no joint cavity, e.g. synchondroses and symphyses.
❯ Synovial joint – connected bones that are separated by a
small, fluid-containing cavity.
The six synovial joint types include:
❯ Ball and socket – hip and shoulder.
❯ Hinge – elbow, knee and ankle.
❯ Gliding (plane) – mid-carpals, mid-tarsals and acromioclavicular.
❯ Ellipsoid – metacarpo-phalangeal and metatarso-phalangeal.
❯ Pivot – atlanto-axial and proximal radioulnar.
❯ Saddle – carpo-metacarpal joint of the thumb.
Ligaments connect
bone to bone at a joint.
Function:
❯ Enhance joint stability,
guide joint motion, limit
excessive joint motion.
General joint movements that occur in
multiple locations across the body:
❯ Flexion and extension.
❯ Abduction and adduction.
❯ Internal and external rotation.
❯ Circumduction.
Tendons attach muscle
to bone across a joint.
Function:
❯ Transmit muscular
force into bones to
create joint movement.
Specific joint movements that occur in one or two
locations in the body:
❯ Lateral flexion of the neck and spine.
❯ Horizontal flexion and extension of the shoulder joint.
❯ Elevation and depression of the shoulder girdle.
❯ Protraction and retraction of the shoulder girdle.
❯ Pronation and supination of the forearm/hand.
❯ Opposition of the thumb and fingers.
❯ Dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the ankle.
❯ Eversion and inversion of the foot.
Joint movement assessment and reassessment is an
important skill for a sports massage therapist to learn
and master.
30
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale

The structure and functions of the muscular system
Chapter 5
Upper leg (13 muscles)
Unit 1: Anatomy and physiology for sports massage therapy
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale 57

Scope of practice and referral in sports massage
Chapter 16
Condition Description Condition Description
Pregnancy Pregnancy is the period of foetal
growth following conception and
is split into three equal periods
or trimesters. Abdominal and
deep tissue massage should be
avoided in the first trimester, and
only light massage is suitable for
the second and third trimesters.
Vigorous or progressive flexibility
work should be avoided
throughout pregnancy and 6
months post-natal. Pregnancy
combined with hypertension is
contraindicated for massage.
Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is a disorder
characterised by widespread
muscle pain and tenderness.
Other common symptoms
associated include fatigue,
tension headaches and cognitive
difficulties. Medical advice and
guidance needed. Massage
needs to be adapted to the
current symptomology, adjusting
pressure accordingly. Often
lighter pressure is required;
mobilisation and myofascial
release can be beneficial.
Table 16.2: Contraindications: conditions of medical consent of express permission
Contraindications / cautions: local restriction only
Massage treatment may be performed but massage treatment methods and techniques must be adapted to the
specific needs of the client and the local conditions present. This may include the avoidance of massage treatment
on specific affected body parts.
Condition Description Condition Description
Localised swelling
or inflammation
Recent strains,
sprains or
fractures
The symptoms of inflammation
are heat, pain, redness,
swelling and loss of function.
Inflammation is a general sign
that may indicate infection,
injury, soft tissue damage, an
allergic reaction or a chronic
condition. Medical advice
needed to determine the cause.
Massage may proceed, but the
local area should be avoided
while inflammation or swelling is
present.
Damage to the muscles, tendons,
ligaments, fascia or bones
requires time to heal (from weeks
to months). Treatment of the
local affected area should be
deferred, but other non-affected,
healthy body parts may be
treated. Local massage should
not occur during acute or subacute
repair phases, and while
signs of inflammation and pain
are still present. Fractures must
be avoided for a minimum of 3
months post-injury.
Recent visible
scar tissue
Extensive
bruising, cuts,
abrasions or
sunburn
A scar is an area of fibrous
tissue that replaces normal skin
after an injury. Avoid massage
on the local scarred area while
the wound is still visibly healing,
and while pain and tenderness
continues. Once healed with no
pain, begin with gentle, multidirectional
massage for a short
duration on and around the scar
tissue. Avoid irritating the scar
through excessive manipulation.
Significant damage to the skin
will be painful and wounds that
have penetrated the skin are
prone to infection. Area must
be kept clean and sanitary.
Treatment of the local affected
area should be deferred, but
other non-affected, healthy body
parts may be treated. Once
healed and pain-free, sports
massage treatment may be
applied to the local area once
again.
Unit 2: Professional Practice in Sports Massage Therapy
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale 157

Assessing active joint range of motion
Chapter 30
Joint /
region
Assessable movements
(target norm – for reference)
Client position
for assessment
Hip Flexion (110–120°) Lying supine on
the couch
Examples
Extension (10–15°)
Lying prone on the
couch
Abduction (30–45°)
Adduction (15–25°)
Internal rotation (30–40°)
External rotation (35–50°)
Side lying on the
couch
Sitting upright on
the couch
Knee Flexion (135°) Lying prone on the
couch
Extension (0°)
Ankle Plantarflexion (40–50°)
Dorsiflexion (15–20°)
Foot Inversion (30–35°)
Eversion (10–20°)
Big toe Flexion (20–30°)
Extension (70–80°)
Sitting upright on
the couch
Lying supine on
the couch
Lying prone on the
couch
Lying prone on the
couch
Unit 4: Client consultation, assessment and treatment planning for sports massage therapy
* Physiopedia (2023), Berryman Reese & Bandy (2017), Clark et al (2014)
Table 30.2: Active joint range of motion assessments
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale 289

Chapter 32
Assessing the palpatory characteristics of body tissues
Follow a carefully structured palpation sequence to ensure a thorough examination of each body part without too much
repetition over the same area. Start from larger, broad regions and gradually move towards smaller, more specific
areas. Knowing the origin and insertions of a muscle and where they connect to bone is vital to effective palpation of
specific muscle tissues. Exploring the length of a muscle between origin and insertion points is a fundamental tenet
of palpation. Communicate regularly with the client to gauge their comfort level and response to palpation, as well as
obtaining feedback regarding what they feel or sense within their own soft tissues during palpation. Ask about any local
and referred pain or discomfort that they are experiencing during the assessment. Identifying areas of tenderness
and pain is one of the purposes of palpation, but care should be taken during this phase of assessment not to cause
anything more than light to moderate discomfort that is well within the client’s tolerable limits.
Palpation techniques
The following table outlines a range of different palpation methods and techniques that may be used by an SMT
during a client’s palpation assessment.
Palpating gastrocnemius using a fingers-and-thumb
technique to feel deeper tissue quality.
Palpating the latissimus dorsi with the palms of the
hand to sense the shape and texture through upward
tissue displacement.
Palpating the hamstrings with the back of the hand (or
fingers) to determine surface temperature.
Palpating rhomboids with reinforced fingers to
determine the level of muscular tension.
Palpating the borders of the medial malleolus using
the tips of the fingers.
Palpating the upper portion of the Achilles tendon with
the pads of the fingers.
Palpating the common tendon of the hamstrings near
the ischial tuberosity using a light pinching of thumb
and fingers.
Palpating the origin of gluteus maximus along the
posterior iliac crest and sacrum using a combined row
of fingertips.
Palpating both sides of the descending portion of the
upper trapezius with a row of fingertips on the outer
muscular edge.
Palpating both vastus medialis with the palms of the
hands to sense the shape and texture.
Table 32.1: A range of palpation techniques
310
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale

CHAPTER
SUMMARY CHAPTER 36
❯ Full contraindication is where massage that is avoided entirely
(whole body or specific part) due to high risk of causing harm.
❯ Medical consent contraindication is massage which may
proceed after formal medical permission has been provided.
❯ Caution is where massage is permitted, but modification of
massage techniques is usually required to meet client needs
and work around ongoing local conditions.
❯ A massage indication is a condition where massage would be
beneficial for health, treatment or supporting other modalities.
Five key reasons for applying
therapeutic massage:
1. Promotes relaxation and wellbeing.
2. Reduces anxiety and depression.
3. Decreases perception of chronic pain.
4. Improves mobility and flexibility,
enhancing performance.
5. Reduces delayed onset muscle
soreness (DOMS) after exercise.
Various conditions have shown statistically significant positive effects from massage:
❯ Anxiety – reduces anxiety and depression.
❯ Athletic recovery – provides benefits post-exercise,
especially in untrained individuals.
❯ Cancer – alleviates pain and anxiety
(light massage only).
❯ Dementia – reduces agitation and improves
behaviour.
❯ Fibromyalgia – reduces pain, anxiety and
depression.
❯ Hypertension – lowers blood pressure.
❯ Multiple sclerosis – improves fatigue, pain and
anxiety.
❯ Low back, neck or shoulder pain – relieves pain
and improves function.
❯ Osteoarthritis – short-term improvement in pain
and stiffness.
Cautions and contraindications relating
to massage techniques:
❯ General massage (effleurage, petrissage) –
contraindicated in conditions like deep vein
thrombosis (DVT) or skin conditions.
❯ Stimulating massage (tapotement,
oscillations) – avoid in cases of acute
muscle injuries, inflammation or severe
hypertension.
❯ Fascial release (frictions, trigger point
therapy) – contraindicated for acute injury or
soft tissue issues (bursitis, haemophilia).
❯ Flexibility work (passive stretching, METs)
– contraindicated for acute strains, joint
instability or recent surgeries.
❯ SMTs must demonstrate good clinical judgment in
handling cautions and contraindications.
❯ Seek medical consent if unsure or when dealing with
medical conditions.
❯ Adapt techniques based on the client’s condition to
ensure safe and effective treatment.
352
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale

Select effective sports massage therapy techniques and mediums Chapter 40
Sports massage mediums
Figure 40.3: Sports massage therapy typical treatment journey
Sports massage therapists may choose from a range of mediums to enhance the efficacy of the therapy they deliver
and to cater to specific client needs. Each massage medium has unique properties, making them suitable for different
types of massage and for specific treatment objectives. It is important for an SMT to understand the different properties
associated with each type of massage medium, along with their suitability for different sports massage techniques:
Massage oils – provide effective lubrication to the skin, allowing for smooth, continuous massage strokes. Bespoke
massage oils are often made from a blend of carrier oils like grapeseed, almond, coconut or jojoba oil, which may
then be mixed with essential oils for added therapeutic benefit. It is not uncommon for SMTs to simply use a basic,
cost-effective carrier oil by itself during treatment. Oils vary in thickness and absorption capacity. Thicker oils with
the highest lubricating properties can be greasy and may be more difficult to wash off the skin.
Massage creams – offer a moderate level lubrication, less than oils but more than lotions. They are often thicker
than oils and can be absorbed fairly well by the skin, providing hydration and nourishment to the tissues. These
properties make creams a good all-round choice.
Unit 5: Sports massage therapy treatment, aftercare and remedial exercise
Figure 40.4: Sports massage mediums
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale 403

Quorum Park
Q6 Benton Lane
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE12 8BT
T 01480 467 950
F 01480 456 283
info@activeiq.co.uk
www.activeiq.co.uk
Active IQ wishes to emphasise that whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the material contained within this document is subject to alteration or amendment in
terms of overall policy, financial or other constraints. Reproduction of this publication is prohibited unless authorised by Active IQ Ltd. No part of this document should be
published elsewhere or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Copyright © 2025 Active IQ Ltd. Not for resale.