Do you ever hear the words ‘think outside the box’ and wonder exactly how you should apply that in your industry? Do we start to treat a client left handed, or blind folded perhaps? To advance sometimes you almost have to adapt to the sur- roundings of what ever it is you visualise yourself doing. The massage industry is evolving, and I believe combining skills with application is an important way to help us move forward and create a unique type of therapist. It may even increase your employability.
As a soft tissue therapist involved in sport, there is always pressure to keep justifying your existence as well as improving your skill base and application.
Multi-skilling is a great way to ensure you have a better chance of preserving or landing that elusive job. Some people may look at Pilates or various flexibility/sta- bility modalities to enhance their skills, while others look at a strength and condi- tioning approach. Regardless of your approach it will hopefully improve your overall knowledge and treatment of your clients' conditions. At the end of the day it's another tool or set of tools to bring out when required. My passion is building things and during my career working in elite sport as a soft tissue therapist at the ACT Academy of Sport, I have subsequent- ly developed two products which have been designed to assist myself and my fellow practitioners to do our jobs better.
sportEX dynamics 2007;12(Apr):21-22
I wanted to share with you the evolution process of these products in the hope that it will inspire fellow therapists to think outside of the box and explore innova- tions that support our practice.
A POOL THAT’S COOL In Australia the big problem with ice baths was that the best facilities were in Canberra or at least at the athlete's home training environment and yet in reality an athlete is most vulnerable when enduring the stresses of travel and intense compe- tition. Portable ice baths were being used increasingly but tended to be bulky and inefficient in terms of both set up time and insulation quality. The obvious start- ing point was therefore an inflatable sys-