Sports Massage at the Pan American Games

Dynamic Touch Team Member, Kathy Flippin, recently volunteered her massage therapy expertise at the Pan American Games. Kathy worked as an official massage therapist for athletes on Team U.S.A. While her main focus was on the swim team, Kathy did massages for rugby, track and field, gymnastics, fencing athletes and more.

A typical day at the games involved anywhere from 10 to 30 massages in a day! Of those massages some were for pain management, some were pre-race invigorating massages, and some were post-race flush massages to help manage the lactic acid buildup. Use of massage for recovery at an event of this caliber is becoming more and more in demand.

Kathy describes how the Games were a great learning experience for her. She was able to watch and learn from other practitioners in the medical clinic and they were happy to show her some new techniques. The event was both inspiring and enriching for Kathy, she says that working at events like the Pan American Games “makes me a better person and a better therapist”.  Maybe next year she will have the honor to provide massage at the London Olympics… Stay Tuned, and GO USA!!