by Selena Belisle, Founder/Instructor, CE Institute LLC & 3x WAF World Arm Wrestling Champion
Sports event massage is usually performed clothed. It can be provided on a massage table, portable chair, regular chair, and I've even worked on some athletes on the ground. In the world of professional athletics, time is usually of the essence so massage therapists must make do with what they've got!
Sports massage therapists must find quick and efficient practical methods when there is little time to practice all required elements, which includes ruling out potential contraindications and observe precautions plus provide the bodywork itself.
Sacral rocking is a great opening ritual to practice when therapists have 10-minutes or less to provide sports massage at a sporting event. Sacral rocking allows a practitioner to view the client's body in passive motion, and observe if any regions are "holding" or not moving as they should. Any form of guarding of any regional area is usually a good indicator that bodywork or additional attention is needed in that region.
While some athletes may have experienced physical impairments prior to their sporting event that would create a loss of motion, it's important to address these losses whenever possible. So whether you're working at a pre-sporting event or post-sporting event, this sacral rocking can be practiced at both.
Here's a free quick youtube instructor explanation and demonstration of what sports massage sacral rocking looks like in the prone position on a massage table:
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