Sports Massage Therapist Training

Sports massage therapists must undergo basic massage training. According to the United States Bureau of Labor sports massage falls under one of the 80 types of massage, called modalities. Therefore sports massage therapists will often be licensed by the state in which they practice for massage therapy and then specialize in sports massage specifically.

Education

• For students looking to enter the world of massage therapy, sports massage included, it is important to get a proper education. Students must first find out what their particular state requires for proper training because the standards and requirements do vary from state to state. Most programs are found at postsecondary institutions that may require 500 or more hours of training. The subjects typically cover anatomy, the study of organs and tissues, kinesiology, physiology, business management, the study of motion and body mechanics and hands on training of massage techniques. For a student seeking training in sports massage specifically it is important to find a program that focuses on that modality of massage. Most massage training programs require a high school diploma to enroll. And while accreditation can vary from state to state, the student should check to make sure the program is a proved by a State board and/or by an independent accrediting agency like COMTA (Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation).

Licensure

• In the 42 U.S. states that have laws regulating massage therapy aspiring therapists must obtain a license after completing their education and training before then can practice massage. In most of these states students must pass a test to earn their license. The exam could be only a State exam or one of the two nationally recognized massage therapy tests. The two tests are the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) and the National Certification for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB). There may be a fee for the test and license, as well as a fee for periodic renewal of the license. Students are advised to check with their State to find out the exact requirements for becoming a licensed massage therapist.

Earnings

• In order to legally earn a living practicing massage, sports massage included currently 42 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia require massage therapists to complete a formal education and pass a test. For this reason, training is an essential part of gaining employment to make honest wages. According to the US Bureau of Labor in the year 2008 the average hourly wage of a massage therapist, including tips, was $16.78. The top 10 percent earned more than $33.47 while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.01.

Job Outlook

• The US government predicts that the field of massage therapy, sports included, will grow faster than average over the next ten years. In the year 2008 there were 122,400 people working as massage therapists and that number is expected to grow 19 percent to 145,600 in the year 2018. As more people understand the benefits of massage therapy there is an expected greater need for massage therapists. When newly trained massage therapists get licensed they can plan on starting out working part time for spas, gyms or resorts that offer massage therapy. This will continue until the therapist can begin to build a client base and eventually begin to work for themselves. Referrals are the number one source of client growth and for that reason, networking is an extremely crucial part in gaining new clients.

Physical concerns

• The physical nature of massage, and specifically sports massage, can often lead to a risk of injury to the massage therapist. The Bureau of Labor statistics cite that most massage therapists can fall victim to injury from repetitive motion and from fatigue from the long hours of standing. In most cases, not using proper technique is to blame for the injuries. In order to reduce the risk of injury it is important for massage therapists to use proper technique, space out appointments appropriately, exercise and a lot of times, receive massages themselves on a regular basis.