Sports Massage & Athletic Therapy

Specialize in sports massage and athletic therapy helping athletes with performance, injury prevention, and recovery through specialized techniques

Startup Cost
$10,000-$35,000
Difficulty
Advanced
Time to Profit
4-8 months
Profit Potential
$6,000-$23,000/month

Overview

Sports massage therapists specialize in athletic and sports massage - working with athletes on performance enhancement, injury prevention, recovery, and rehabilitation using specialized sports massage techniques.

You serve active athletic populations.

Sports massage costs $80-$160 per session.

Providing 20-35 sessions weekly generates $80,000-$280,000 annually with 60-80% margins.

Target clients include competitive and recreational athletes, sports teams and organizations, marathon and endurance athletes, CrossFit and fitness enthusiasts, injured athletes in recovery, and active individuals.

Services include pre-event and post-event massage, injury recovery and rehabilitation, performance enhancement techniques, myofascial release and trigger point, stretching and flexibility work, and athletic training support.

Success requires massage license and sports massage training, understanding of athletic biomechanics and injuries, working with coaches and trainers, potentially certifications (NASM, sports massage), building relationships in athletic community, and demonstrating performance and recovery benefits.

Required Skills

  • Sports Massage
  • Athletic Injuries
  • Performance Enhancement
  • Biomechanics
  • Athletic Community

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Work with motivated athletic clients
  • Growing sports and fitness market
  • Can build niche sports expertise
  • Work with teams for multiple clients
  • Athletes invest in performance and recovery

Cons

  • Need specialized sports massage training
  • Seasonal sports schedules
  • Competitive market with athletic trainers
  • Building credibility in athletic community
  • Athletes may have insurance/budget limits

How to Get Started

  1. Obtain massage therapy license
  2. Get specialized sports massage training
  3. Learn athletic injuries and biomechanics
  4. Build relationships with coaches and trainers
  5. Market to athletic and fitness community
  6. Work with sports teams and clubs
  7. Earn sports massage certifications

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