Runs, Bike Rides, Walks & Triathlons

We decided to separate out this category of service from the rest for several reasons. The sporting events we are discussing actually spill over into the fundraising section as many of the events are linked to raising money to benefit one or more charities. Also, these events can and do have a very large number of participants numbering into the thousands so the incorporation of massage therapy into the logistics of the event poses unique challenges in terms of therpists needed, space requirements, and traffic management.

A nice thing from our point of view about this category is that massage services are already included in many such events; more than 60% of the bigger events by my estimate, not so many for the smaller events. The physical nature of the events make them a perfect fit for massage services.

Before, During and After plus Multi-Day

The most common way for massage to be incorporated in a sporting event is to offer a post-event massage. These last 10-15 minutes and help the athletes to calm down and begin to recover from the event. A nominal fee is charged either to the athlete or to the race organizers should they choose that option. Therapists are available from 4 to 7 hours after the first participants finish the event depending upon the event type and the number of participants.

Again depending upon the type of event and number of participants, pre-event massage or group warm-up and stretching can be offered. If we are providing both pre-event and post-event massage, we like to make massage available during the event to those spectators waiting at the finish area presuming that the event is long enough for us to accomplish that and still be set up for our post-event services.

In the case of multi-day events, most notably bike tours, we can make arrangements to have a massage area set up at the completion of each day's segment. Because there is much more planning and preparation that goes into providing services for a multi-day event, we ask that you start talking with us far in advance of your event. Swim meets, baseball & softball tounaments, track & field competitions all represent multi-day events where massage services could make a significant difference in performance, recovery, and endurance.

Massage at other Sporting Events and Venues

Massage and sports have had a partnership for a very long time. Many professional sports teams and individual athletes employ a massage therapst full time to provide therapy between games or competitions. Sometimes these therapists are on call for the athlete or travel with the team. It is simply a part of the training and conditioning regimen. We frequently find that this type of service is reserved only for the highest levels of sporting competition because it is costly and time consuming.

Massage on the Move can offer similar services on a local level and at affordable prices. Rather than a dedicated, full time service, you contract for part time shared service. Rather than receiving the services year round, we focus on delivering services during preparation for and during the season. As we are also Certified Personal Trainers, we can prescribe and supervise specific programs for strengthening and injury avoidance along with attending to some soft tissue injuries that do occur and the recovery period that follows. Sports teams at smaller colleges, even high schools, who cannot normally afford to carry a trainer or massage therapist can have us come to their facility and provide those services on a weekly or more frequent basis. Sports clubs such as soccer or rugby clubs can similarly contract with us for a similar set of services. And in either of those instances, we would suggest that massage is an excellent vehicle for raising funds for the school, the team, or the club.

If increasing attendance at your sporting event is important to you, Massage on the Move can arrange to have a team of Massage Therapists at the venue to offer massage to the fans at a reasonable price before, during, or after the event. Distribution of the proceeds would be determined by contract on an event by event or on a seasonal basis. Utilizing massage therapy in this way as a promotional tool for your organization is a terrific and very healthy way to build your fan base, increasing attendance, and raising some extra money for the team. This applies to everything from professional sporting events all the way down to Sunday afternoon's pee wee soccer or Pop Warner football leagues - and don't forget your bowling league either.