Overview

By the end of this course, you will (1) apply sports-specific soft tissue techniques to manage common athletic injuries and (2) integrate evidence-informed massage protocols into comprehensive rehabilitation and performance programs. Taught by renowned educator and therapist Robert “Bob” McAtee, this course blends theory with hands-on instruction to build practical, clinically relevant skills. Through detailed video demonstrations and real-world guidance, you’ll learn how to identify soft-tissue dysfunction, improve mobility, reduce pain, and support performance for athletes and active clients. Bob’s expertise brings clarity to treatment planning, technique selection, and modifying interventions for different stages of injury, making this course a valuable resource for therapists seeking advanced training in sports massage.

Syllabus

Sports Massage Essentials

Module 1 introduces you to the foundations of sports massage for soft-tissue injury care. You’ll learn the clinical reasoning process that guides effective treatment: understanding client history, identifying signs and symptoms, reviewing anatomy, performing orthopedic and special tests, palpation, and treatment planning.

Sports Massage Essentials: Lower Body

This module focuses on lower-extremity conditions frequently seen in active individuals and athletes, such as Achilles tendinopathy, chronic ankle sprain, fibularis tendinopathy, hamstring strain, adductor strain, and patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee).You will observe real assessment sequences, including visual inspection, functional movement testing, and techniques such as deep transverse friction, longitudinal stripping, compressive effleurage, petrissage, and facilitated stretching. Bob McAtee demonstrates how to integrate manual therapy with client education, self-care suggestions, and exercise recommendations. The goal is not just symptom relief, but encouraging lasting functional improvement.

Sports Massage Essentials: Upper Body

This module focuses on soft-tissue injuries of the upper extremity and builds on the clinical framework introduced previously. Bob McAtee demonstrates observation, palpation, shoulder girdle assessment, active/passive ROM, resistive tests, and condition-specific orthopedic testing. You’ll learn to evaluate and treat common upper-body complaints such as rotator-cuff tendinopathy, impingement syndromes, supraspinatus injury, and dysfunction related to muscular imbalance and postural patterns. Treatment demonstrations include stripping, friction work, facilitated stretching, and contract-relax techniques, always applied within tissue tolerance and supported by clear client communication. Special attention is placed on identifying painful arcs of motion, differentiating contractile vs. non-contractile structures, and determining when pain/weakness indicates supraspinatus involvement. This module emphasizes that sports massage for injury care is not just technique — it is assessment-driven, outcome-focused clinical decision making.

Reflective Learning Exam

This final exam is designed to assess your understanding of the key concepts presented throughout the course. Please review all video lessons and written materials before beginning. A passing score of 70% or higher is required to successfully complete the course and earn your CE certificate. You may reference your notes during the exam. Once you pass, your certificate will be available for immediate download.