Massage Therapy Journal Spring 2026

66 • Massage Therapy Journal

E very couple of years, the best athletes in the world gather to compete against each other in a variety of sports. This year, as the Winter Olympics swing into gear, athletes such as figure skaters, skiers, snowboarders and hockey players will all be going for gold in Italy.

Treat Yourself Like A Pro We asked two massage therapists who have worked with Olympic athletes to share with us one self-care tip from Olympic athletes they wished everyone would heed, and both gave the same answer: sleep. “In all aspects, everything should be considered for your self-care,” Jarrod C. Fritz says. “But if I had to narrow it down to one specific thing, I would say sleep is the most essential. The body does know how to heal itself, and it needs rest to do so.” Matthew Gavzy is of the same mind. “If I had to choose one factor that stands above the rest, it would be sleep,” he explains. “Olympic athletes prioritize getting sufficient, quality sleep every night because they understand its impact on performance and recovery. Sleep is when the body heals, the brain processes training, new neural pathways form, and existing ones are strengthened. It’s also when muscles fully recover and repair.” From the Archives: Learn more about the role massage therapy can play in good sleep in Massage Therapy Journal’s “Is Massage Nature’s Sleep Aid?,” available at amtamassage.org/mtj-sleep . Or, get better sleep yourself by practicing a simple “Progressive Muscle

The training and recovery regimens are the real story for most elite athletes who want to be in top condition for the relatively small amount of time they perform at the Olympics. Often, these regimens include massage therapy. “Massage therapy has been used by our athletes as a modality for a long time,” says Robyn Hase, senior director of medical operations for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard team. “Research continues to help support the need and use for massage therapy.” Jarrod C. Fritz, owner of Defined: Therapeutic Massage, agrees that massage therapy can play a crucial role in maintaining an athlete’s health. “I believe that all athletes require top-notch maintenance for recovery. Olympic athletes, particularly during the Olympics, require the utmost attention because it is do or die in a way,” he says. “They have a very short timeframe to do the absolute best against the absolute best in the world.” For Matthew Gavzy, office manager and physical therapist assistant at Churchill Orthopedic Rehabilitation, an Olympic athlete’s connection to both their body and sport are an important part of the professional collaboration. “Olympic athletes are remarkably in tune with their bodies,” he explains. “They understand their strengths and weaknesses on mental, physical and emotional levels, and they can sense even the slightest break in form specific to their sport.” Massage therapy can help with more than just recovery, though. “Our athletes use massage for recovery, injury prevention, mobility and mental relaxation depending on the team and need of the individual athlete,” Hase says. For the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team, there are 244 individual athletes

DID YOU KNOW? Did you know AMTA’s Sports Massage CE Program offers massage therapists up to 30 CE credits? Learn essential sports massage skills and deepen your understanding of the science of sports massage from some of the top sports massage educators, medical doctors and sports science educators in the U.S. Start now at amtamassage.org/learn

Relaxation” protocol. Start now at amtamassage.org/mtj-muscle .

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