Sports Massage - is it relevant?

[skyblacker]

Hi Stephen,
heres the address where you can find the full article. (Edited to preserve copyright, just remove the spaces)


http://www.fht.org.uk/ kt/ sports-massage /cash /

The term Sports Massage had already been used and a book published before Mel published his first book, so he doesnt need to be hard on himself.

The book was titled 'Sports Massage' by a therapist named Jack Meagher written in 1980, 8 years before Mel published his in the UK.

Sports Massage was already widely in use in USA well before it crossed the Atlantic. I actually learned my trade from my mentor who had done all his training in the USA way back then.

A brief history of Sports Massage:

Circa
1900 Finnish School of Massage, originating from Swedish Massage system, develops first system of sports massage.

1924 Runner Paavo Nurmi, the "Flying Finn" from Finland, wins 5 gold medals at the Olympic Games in Paris. This includes the 1.5K and 5K titles, in one day, with only a 30 minute break between events. Nurmi credits special massage treatment as one of the important components of his training program.

1924 to 1930 Dr. I.M. Sarkisov-Sirasini formulates basic concepts for Russian Sports Massage and begins teaching it at the Central Institute of Physical Therapy in Moscow.

Circa 1945 A German POW provides massage to Jack Meagher, U.S. professional athlete and massage therapist. Jack reports "my ability to move while playing was astounding". (Jack had already graduated from a school of Swedish Massage, but had never heard of this technique before.) Jack goes on to learn the technique from a German instructor familiar with the technique.

1950 Russian athletes, competing internationally, get strong support for sports massage from Soviet government. Extensive research programs and proven techniques continue to be developed in Russia today.

1972 Lasse Viren, the other "Flying Finn", sets a world record time in the 10K and an Olympic record in the 5K at the Summer Olympics in Munich. Runners learn that Viren received massage daily.

1980 After 30 years of experience with "sports massage", Jack Meagher writes his classic book, entitled Sports Massage: A Complete Program for Increasing Performance and Endurance in Fifteen Popular Sports. (Book no longer in print.)

1985 The American Massage Therapy Association, as part of a public relations campaign, creates the National Sports Massage Team (NSMT), and offers massage at the Boston Marathon. (NSMT no longer exists.)

As usual, the UK is way behind everyone else!

 

[Mvita]

you took the words out of my mouth ST.

I attended a meeting with SRTC and awarding Organisations yesterday and presented a number of documents evidencing where the policing of their qualifications was falling short of what they said was happening. There is going to be a shake up happening before March 2011, with a major awarding body moving into the Sports Therapy market, they have asked that all potential graduates will be able to register with CNHC, to do that their courses will be aligned with the core curricula that has been accepted by the major contributing PAs to the SRTC.

There was also concern expressed by 2 major AO's about surrounding relationships they currently have with a non contributing PA and the quality control/verification of their training schools, given that the course syllabii do not meet any of the accepted standards currently in place. A concensus of opinion is that this PA is deliberately attempting to keep standards low to eventually dispose of sports massage in order that Physio can reclaim massage, it is currently being reintroduced back or substantially increased ( currently from between 1 and 11 hours) into degree courses starting from sept 2011.

The SRTC has published a response to a letter it sent to SST regarding inaccurate information it has continued to give its current stuents and graduates.

A PA involved in Sports Massage is using ministerial pressure to force SRTC to accept it into its coucil in order that it can verify its own members in order that they can join CNHC. yet it continues to refuse to work with either the lead bodies involved.

BGFL

 

[French Toastie!]

SRTC is writing to all distance learning providers and their awarding organisations informing them where they fall short of the accepted standards.

 

[Pappa Smurf]

hi massage man,
whilst myself and BGFL work on the lead councils, we will always give information on what is going on behind closed doors, after all we are both primarily therapists and everything else we do is supplementary to this, and we dont think anything should be hidden.

There has been some underhand things happen over the past decade, but now we have two things in place, standards and a regulator, so these underhand things will no longer be allowed to go unchecked. Those organisations that are part of the lead bodies have had their standards mapped and verified, those not part of the lead bodies are isolating themselves, and that can only lead to, as what you say "irrelevance". How much better would it be for all PAs to be united in one goal, instead of, as you say, strong personalities (and egos), pulling in different directions.

 

[tatooedpriestess]

Hi Gary,

Will this include the diploma run by Sports Therapy Education/Sports Rehab and Education/Society of Sports Therapists (or whatever they want to call themselves)?

 

[erureddivosse]

its funny that egos have been mentioned on here, I love the part in the Mel Cash article where he mentions that he was responsible for sports massage, when it looks like it has been around probably even before he did his training in 1985 (which he did state at the recent conference was cr*p, so no glowing reference to his LCSP roots!)

The problem is in this profession, too many people believe their own hype, and I agree with massage man, too may strong personalities out to promote their own interests.

 

[YourFriendlyYAStalker ..]

Glad Big G mentioned in post #22:

"A concensus of opinion is that this PA is deliberately attempting to keep standards low to eventually dispose of sports massage in order that Physio can reclaim massage, it is currently being reintroduced back or substantially increased ( currently from between 1 and 11 hours) into degree courses starting from sept 2011."

I always suspected this.

Now I have read Mel Cash's article and 3 things stand out (at least to me):

"I hoped at the time that sports massage would become synonymous with remedial massage and mean the same thing. But I how wrong I was!

The idea that sports people only require deep massage is also quite alarming. A good massage therapist must be able to use a blend of deep and superficial techniques, and not be taught to do one and/or the other as if they were separate types of treatment.

The majority of sports massage therapists work alone in the private sector, and the public perception is that they should be able to treat their minor sports injuries and other muscular aches and pains."

I can see his point now and where he is coming from. There is a huge confusion out there and I hope that tighter standards makes this clearer. As someone who is more "remedial" generalist, sports is just a subsection of what I do. But I do see the need for sports massage/therapy specialists. So ST and BIG G keep up the good work.

Best wishes

RP

 

[As_It_Is]

Its just a pity it took such a while for Mel to realise this too

Since without his 'backing' that certain organisation would have been dead in the water

The irony is its name as since its onset is seems to be out to 'milk' everything out of the industry it can (IMHO of course!)

 

[mit endorI]

Im not a fan of Mel Cash, and after hearing his talk last weekend, I dont think I ever will be. I find it very hypocritical for someone to say that sports massage doesnt exist, when hes run a school teaching sports massage for the past 20 odd years and wrote books on the subject!

Im glad I didnt train with him when he first set up his sports massage school, only 4 years after undertaking what he describes as a 'cr*p course'.

And the fact that he was heavily involved with Sports Massage Association, again smacks a little of hypocrisy.

Maybe im being cynical, but its funny that he now, after 20 odd years decides sports massage doesnt exist, when we have lots of new level 4 and 5 sports massage qualifications running, and a new level 6 BTEC sports massage course (which isnt his). If I had a London School of Sports Massage diploma I would send it back!

I dont like some of the new qualifications that are around, I too think they are basic, but come on, show some support for the profession that has made your living for two decades!

In my opinion, of course.

 

[Ted T]

Unfortunately there was quite a large carrot at the time

SMA formed in the vacuum left when Frank (FSMT) retired since their was no-one to hold back the lease of a couple of individuals

SMA was was going to 'rule the world' / 'protect the title' etc etc and due to the 'contacts' they had at the time the ill informed believed them

Since SMA would steadfastly only recognise 2 courses (and their offspring) for acceptance (ie SPS and LSSM) (which was quite an incestous relationship if you uncovered a few cracks) Mel was in the position where by both implication and sometimes even outright lies) 'everyone' was being told that unless they did a course run by Viv or Mel the qualification would be useless since SMA could control the title useage

As a result, not suprisingly his courses became very 'popular'

How like most 'marriages', relationships can become strained and Mel (for all his 'faults') has a genuine passion for the industry (and its standards)Once he (finally) realised just how was being manipulated , he smelt the coffee formed and ISRM

re BTEC Level 6 Sports massge qual

A QCF Level 6 qualification is BSc Hons

Since BTEC quals do not appear on the Register of Regulated Qualifications
http://register.ofqual.gov.uk/

they just seem a pick a number one higher than everyone else.
The numbers therefore HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH QUALITY / CONTENT (value?) they are just a 'useful' marketing ploy
and now, with the advent of a level 6 some has managed to play Mel at his on game (live by the sword......


Anyone for a 7 (Masters Degree)
QCF only goes up to 8 (Doctorate) wonder what will happen then?

 

[Carissa]

I’ve read this thread with interest. I was hoping that Paul M would respond to some of the criticisms which have been made of the SMA, but he seems to have disappeared from HP.

I’m glad that Richard has reminded us that sports massage has its origins outside the UK. Although I have been a therapist for 11 years, my background is in athletics rather than in therapy/massage. I first became aware of the benefits of sports massage from Hugh Jones who was the leading road runner in the South London area during the 1980s, and who received regular massage when he was a student in Hungary. My first experience of sports massage was when I was warm-weather training in the Canaries. I wish that sports massage had been more widely available when I was competing in the1980s, and I think that LSSM did an excellent job in promoting the growth of sports massage in the UK during the 1990s.

I don’t have a copy of the Meagher book which Richard referred to, but I do have a 1995 book called ‘The Healing Art of Sports Massage’ by Joan Johnson who was an American sports massage therapist. On the subject of training standards, I was interested that she wrote:



When I trained at LSSM, their basic sports massage course involved 20 days (ie 140 hours) in the classroom, and there was then a ‘remedial massage’ module comprising a further six days (ie 42 hours) in the classroom. This is considerably more than most UK massage courses, but shorter than AMTA courses. As the last two posts have mentioned, BTEC have now accredited a level 6 course in ‘Advanced Clinical and Sports Massage’ run by the Jing Institute in Brighton. The prospectus indicates that the course comprises 50 days (ie 350 hours) in the classroom. I have done CPD courses with Jing: both their principal tutors trained in the USA and I was very impressed by them. So, while I appreciate DFNU’s comments about course gradings, I think that the appearance of this course is a step in the right direction.

Going back to the original question, yes I do think that sports massage has a future. Most of my clients come from the same athletic club. That club has just over 200 adult members. In an ideal world, all of those 200 members would have a sports massage once per week. So, while I am frustrated to hear so much about sub-standard courses (and I did a sub-standard ITEC course myself before training at LSSM), I think that there is certainly scope for any dedicated therapist to make a living out of ‘sports massage’.

Alan

 

[CJ G]

I too welcome any course which sets out the further the development of sports massage (sooner than jump on the 'cashcow' bandwagon)

However, (as far as I am concerned anyway) the claimed standards (content and delivery) has never been in doubt for (almost) any qualification (even V*CT )

It is the quality monitoring systems (IV / EV) strategy which sorts out the good from the bad (ie : can they consistently demonstrate that "they do they do what they say they will do" ~ Validity Authenticity Reliability Sufficiency) )

Using a 'custom made' qualification which does not appear on any nationally recognised framework makes this a 'challenge' to demonstrate.
It may be v.good it may be not so, but the one thing it does not show is that their 'level 6' is better than someone else's level 5, 4, 3 etc.... since it has no pont of reference