Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2026

28 • Massage Therapy Journal

“We coordinate very closely, and communication with our massage therapist is consistent, direct and intentional throughout the season.” —Jose Fonseca, Duke’s Associate Director of Athletic Medicine/Head Men’s Basketball Athletic Trainer

season,” says Fonseca. “We have regular check ins, pre-treatment direction, post-treatment feedback, injury/rehab coordination, and schedule-based adjustments.” Matthews appreciates this approach. “Their support and belief in my work means everything and we are in constant communication regarding scheduling and player needs,” he says. “The staff are clear and precise in what is contraindicated for some players during the course of recovery from injury, but they generally trust me to assess, evaluate and treat players as I see fit.” At the University of Michigan, Williams sits down with the team’s two massage therapists as soon as the team’s schedule is released in the fall in order to book dates when both the therapists can come in. Massages are scheduled once a week for recovery in season. “If there is an athlete that has an active injury or needs more recovery, I contact the massage therapist and schedule a time that works best for the athlete and the therapist,” Williams says. “I always have a sheet that has the athlete’s name, time they are scheduled to be massaged and the reason for the massage. I share this with the two therapists as soon as they come in so they know what to expect.” Williams encourages athletes to communicate directly with the therapists during the massage to let them know if the pressure is too much or not enough, as well as to let them know of any other needs they may have for the session. Massage Techniques Tied to Goals for Elite College Athletes The techniques used during a massage session with the players are typically a combination of sports massage, myofascial, and/or deep tissue,

I also do a standing postural assessment and walking gait assessment before each treatment.” The assessment doesn’t just take place in the massage therapy room. Matthews also watches all the games to have an ongoing sense of how the players move through space and what injuries, surgeries and/or challenges they have encountered on a game-by-game basis. As with most massage therapy that happens in a sports setting, communication between the massage therapist and the rest of the training staff is crucial to success. Sundberg checks in with the team’s athletic trainer before starting any massage work to see if they have any players needing more focus on certain muscles that may be injured. “This could be a more specialized focus with technique or even be the only area of focus for the duration of their massage,” says Sundberg. Communication is a two-way street, so while it is important for the massage therapist to communicate with the trainers, it is also important for the trainers to maintain strong, consistent communication with the massage therapists, as well. “We coordinate very closely, and communication with our massage therapist is consistent, direct and intentional throughout the

“Learning to speak and reflect the language that they themselves use about their own bodies is critical in this regard. I also do a standing postural assessment and walking gait assessment before each treatment.” —Thomas Matthews, LMBT

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