Defining Sports Massage

Maya Starbright • November 11, 2025

Sports massage is the specific application of massage techniques, hydrotherapy protocols, range of motion/flexibility protocol and strength-training principles utilized to achieve a specific goal when treating an athlete. Notice my use of the phrase, “specific application … to achieve a specific goal.” So, how do I decide what application and…


Defining Sports Massage

Sports massage is the specific application of massage techniques, hydrotherapy protocols, range of motion/flexibility protocol and strength-training principles utilized to achieve a specific goal when treating an athlete. Notice my use of the phrase, “specific application … to achieve a specific goal.” So, how do I decide what application and goal is appropriate for a particular treatment?


Three Key Principles of Sports Massage


Three specific principles are vital to understanding what type of sports massage to apply to an athlete at any given time. I call these principles the “when, what and why” of sports massage: Timing, Technique and Intent.


Timing refers to when the massage is given: pre-event or post-event; during recovery; during a maintenance period; or when an athlete suffers an injury that requires rehabilitation. Technique refers to what application you utilize, and can include a number of different techniques: effleurage; friction; pettrisage; vibration; shaking; compression; broadening strokes; direct pressure; cross-fiber friction; range of motion; and stretching. Intent refers to your reason(s) for treatment: as warm-up; to increase blood flow; stimulate neurological pathways; aid recovery from exertion; increase flexibility; improve strength; or improve posture.


Let’s look at a few examples of how timing, technique and intent work. For a pre-event massage, and the intent is to warm-up and increase blood flow, I would use techniques such as friction, compression, shaking and stretching. For a post-event massage, and the intent is to aid recovery from exertion, I would use effleurage, pettrisage, compression, broadening strokes and range of motion. If I am working with an injured athlete, and my intent is to assist proper formation of scar tissue, I would use effleurage, compression and cross-fiber friction, followed by ice treatment and movement.


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The Psoas As An Anti-Gravity Machine!

By Maya Starbright • November 11, 2025
A colleague shared this on a discussion forum for its relevance to the psoas muscle. This information was previously published by Whole Body Integration in December of 2013; I am reiterating this article because I believe that the Psoas is so important to our well-being. In the massage therapy world we love to talk about the psoas, which spans two joints and is one of the deepest muscles in the body. Broadly speaking, it’s the “iliopsoas,” with the “psoas” portion going from the femur to the lumbar spine and the “iliacus” going from the femur to the iliac crest of the hip. It’s a hip flexor, and is the first muscle to engage as you flex your hip (raise your knee); it’s also the muscle that stabilizes when you stand on one leg. When it’s spasmed, the back can go out. Ever heard a friend say his back is out and he can’t put on his socks or pants? Well, to do that you have to flex your hip, so this points to the psoas being involved. A tight psoas can also cause many pelvic tilt issues or lumbar sidebends. And not surprisingly – because it travels along the colon and kidneys – there can be a visceral and fascial relationship here too. A happy psoas? An integrated psoas? Watch the lead dancer in this video below and check out the lubrication of that pelvis and how lightly and easily he flexes his hips. All the dancers move well enough, but he stands out for the light quality of his movement. Now Ida Rolf, the founder of Rolfing Structural Integration, was born in 1896, so her reference point was an earlier era. She always spoke of Fred Astaire as having the “perfect psoas.” Watch this video and you’ll see the same light quality, his legs just float under him, so that Gene Kelly seems relatively earthbound by comparison. In working with clients, I very often do some psoas work – a little or alot! While it may seem paradoxical, the psoas can even play a role in neck and shoulder issues. Anatomically, it’s in a different region, but if the psoas is tight and shortening the whole anterior of the body, it will be implicated in a forward-head posture and shoulder-girdle slump. It’s a hip flexor, right? When you sit all day long at a desk, your psoas is in that flexed (shortened) posture all day, and lengthening becomes imperative for proper alignment and integration. How to stretch your psoas? – lunges (yogic or otherwise). So whether it’s back pain from an auto/work accident, a sports injury, or too much yardwork; poor posture; a tight pelvis; or a heavy, clunky quality to the legs, learning about your psoas and getting better psoas length and integration may help put you back in your dancing shoes!

Is Deep Tissue For Me?

By Maya Starbright • November 11, 2025
Deep tissue massage and Swedish, or relaxation massage are two different types of massage therapy. Both use some of the same strokes, but they have different uses and vary greatly when it comes to the amount of pressure used. Here are the key differences between deep tissue massage and relaxation massage: Intended use. Deep tissue massage is primarily used to treat chronic pain and muscle and sports-related injuries. Swedish massage is mainly used to promote relaxation and reduce muscle tension caused by everyday activities, such as sitting at a computer. Pressure. Swedish massage is a gentler form of massage that uses far less tension than deep tissue massage. Both types involve use of the palms and fingers to knead and manipulate your tissues, but the elbows and forearms may also be used to apply increased pressure during a deep tissue massage. Area of focus. Deep tissue massage targets the inner layers of your muscles. It’s used to treat muscle and tendon injuries, pain, and stiffness in your major muscle groups and joints. Swedish massage targets the superficial layers of muscle and focuses on the parts of your body that tend to hold the most tension, such as your neck, shoulders, and back.  I have many clients that prefer a deeper tissue massage for their regular treatment, but also have one or two sensitive areas that need a lighter touch. This is easily accommodated and the two massage techniques can blend together seamlessly, for a very customized and integrated massage.