Active Americans are Driving Demand for Sports Massage

As part of the growing national focus health and fitness, Americans are more active than ever. The Sports & Industry Fitness Association (SIFA) found that in 2024 some 247.1 million Americans participated in at least one activity. This represents an 80 percent participation rate for active Americans and an increase of 25.4 million more active Americans per year since 2019.[1]

However, as more Americans engage in sports and physical recreation, the number of injuries that result from these activities increases. Take pickleball, for example. The SFIA reports that it is the fastest-growing sport In the United States. In 2024, 19.8 million Americans participated in pickleball, which is a 45.8 percent increase from the 2023 figure and an incredible 311% increase from three years ago. [2]

Yet pickleball popularity comes with a price. From 2022 to 2022, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found a 90-fold increase in fractures – most occurring in players age 60-69 – with a noticeable surge from 2020 onward where fractures doubled. [3] And that is just fractures. Other common pickleball injuries include sprains and strains, low back pain due to a lack of core strength, and shoulder and wrist injuries, not to mention bruises and scrapes.

Sports massage demand grows

In its “Massage Therapy Service Market (2025-2030) report, Grand View Research forecasts that the sports massage segment of the massage therapy market is projected to grow at the fastest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4 percent from 2024 to 2030. Grand View attributes the growing demand for sports massage to:

·         A heightened awareness of wellness

·         Advancements in sports medicine

·         The increasing adoption of fitness-oriented lifestyles

With more people engaging in sports, including recreational sports enthusiasts as well as professional athletes, Grand View notes that the need for specialized therapy has grown significantly and sports massage addresses this need.[4]

Understanding sport massage

Sports massage prepares the body for exertion and/or restore it after physical activity.  It helps decrease muscle pain from overtraining and overuse, accelerate recovery by reducing swelling and inflammation and improve overall range of motion and flexibility by loosening up tight, tense muscles.

Unlike a traditional Swedish massage, which focuses on relaxation, sports massage works on muscles that become strained through physical activity. Pressure used during sports massage therapy can be intense because a sports massage therapist deeply works the muscles to enable them to heal and perform their best.

According to the National Association of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NACAMS), techniques used in sports massage to work on muscles and soft tissue, include: [5]

·         Effleurage: Long strokes warm up muscles and increase circulation

·         Petrissage: Kneading and rolling muscles releases tension and encourages blood flow

·         Friction: Applying deeper pressure on certain parts breaks down scar tissue or knots

·         Compression: Pressing firmly on muscles or trigger points eases tightness

·         Stretching: The technique lengthens muscles and improves range of motion. Gently move client’s hands, legs, or other body parts into a stretch. Clients participate by engaging muscles during the stretch.

Massage therapy also seems to provide positive psychological benefits to athletes, according to research. A 1988 study found that massage significantly decreased levels of tension, confusion, fatigue, anxiety, and depression in university students in physical education classes compared to controls.[6]

Several types of sports massage

Depending on where clients are in training or recovery, NACAMS says sports massage will differ and include: [7]

Pre-event massage: Prior to an event, with the goal is to warm up muscles and boost blood flow so clients can perform at their best without incurring injuries.

Post-event or recovery: Helps ease soreness and flush out toxins after a workout or event. Speeds up recovery.

Maintenance massage: Keeps muscles flexible and balanced to help prevent tight spots and strain before they begin to cause trouble.

Rehabilitative massage: Best for dealing with injuries. It targets scar tissue, improves movement, and helps proper healing of damaged muscles.

Job Opportunities for a sports massage therapist

As a sports massage therapist, you have opportunities open to you in addition to treating your current clientele to prevent and treat injuries from sports and strenuous exercise. Hospitals, sports clinics, high schools and universities and gyms may employ sports therapists. And you may even go on the road with a sports team.

Besides becoming nationally certified in massage therapy, additional education, including securing an undergraduate degree in exercise physiology or kinesiology, can help improve your skills for sports massage therapy.[8] You will want to understand what is involved in a specific sport and the type of training it involves and the demands various sports put on the body mentally as well as physically. Continuing education is important to stay abreast of the evolving field of sports medicine.

In a recent development, The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) has partnered with an international credentialing organization, the International Therapy Examination Council (ITEC), to make sports massage available as a specialty at some NCBTMB-approved schools and to give graduates additional credentialing opportunities through ITEC. [9]

Now that more Americans on getting and keeping fit, you can help them keep active with sports massage.