Supporting Male Athletes
In December 2012, our Sports/Injury Specialist, David, was interviewed by DaySpa Magazine to help them understand the needs of male athletes. Their article, “SPA TREATMENTS: Catering to Male Athletes,” likely stems from the trend that women typically take “better care” of themselves and seek professional support & care more frequently…especially in the spa setting.
We were honored that the magazine chose us as industry experts and support their efforts to find ways to encourage male athletes to utilize a massage therapy program. And while massage therapists working in a spa often lack the advanced training in Sports Massage and Injury Rehab techniques, it is refreshing to hear that spas are looking for better ways to support athletes.
Some Quotes from the Article:
“Common complaints for athletes include IT band syndrome, lower back pain, plantar fasciitis, and foot and ankle pain,” notes David Abookire, a sports and injury specialist, and director and owner of Boulder Therapeutics in Boulder, Colorado. “Treatments such as sports massage, which emphasizes the lower back, legs and glutes, can be part of a good maintenance routine.”
When treating athletes, Abookire calls on techniques such as myofascial release, and neuromuscular massage, works on posture and anomalies in the movement path, and addresses imbalance of muscles/range of motion. To attract and retain these clients, he recommends offering treatment packages and aligning with sports centers, physical therapy clinics, yoga studios and chiropractors. “Men aren’t used to getting care—they might seek help reluctantly, and only when something’s wrong,” says Abookire. “But with athletes and their frequent injuries, there’s a real need….”