Massage Therapy for Sports Injuries

First published August 2016
Updated October 2025

Kids, just like adults, get injured doing the activities they love. While it is common to think that children are “resilient” or that they will “bounce back”, this mindset can sometimes cause more harm than good if appropriate caution isn’t taken when returning to sport. Many of the aches and pains we experience later in life- like sore shoulders, back issues or knee problems- can often be traced back to injuries in childhood.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nearly one third of childhood injuries are sports related. If left untreated, these injuries can affect long-term health and mobility. Some common sports injuries include:

• Collisions during football or other contact sports
• Falls in gymnastics, cheerleading or dance
• Repetitive use injuries from throwing or swimming
• Missteps on the basketball court or soccer field
• Strains during track or volleyball

How Massage Can Help

If your athlete is recovering from an injury, massage therapy can support their healing process. Massage not only addresses the injury directly, but it also helps with compensation patterns that can result from an injury or trauma. The massage therapist will often work as a member of the healthcare team to ensure everyone moves towards the common goal of getting your athlete back in the game.

Injury Prevention Benefits

Massage therapy isn’t just for recovery; it can be an effective form of preventative care as well. Regular sessions can help maintain the health of muscles, tendons and connective tissues by:

• Reducing muscle tension
• Improving range of motion
• Enhancing strength and performance
• Lowering the risk of injury
• Reducing fatigue after practices or events

A skilled massage therapist can often detect tightness or tender spots before they develop into more serious issues. Many kids don’t always admit when they are in pain due to fear of missing competition or may not even know that a spot is tender until it is noticed during treatment.

Regular massage maintenance can also give a greater sense of body awareness to athletes, which helps teach them to become self-advocates for prevention and treatment as situations arise throughout their lives. When young athletes are healthy and feeling great, they can continue to do the things they love to the best of their ability.