Removing mediums It is good practice to ensure that the massage medium is removed at the end of the treatment. This is particularly true if you are treating an athlete whose performance might be affected by the medium. For example, a gymnast won’t want to work on the asymmetric bars with greasy hands. And for a swimmer, any residual medium might create additional drag during their performance, thus increasing their overall time. Ideally they would take a shower before competing.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES During my training we were given a selection of Biotone products to use and treat with. The tester pack included a range of mediums, including an advanced therapy massage gel, a herbal body cream and a polar lotion. It was a useful range of products to work with because it immediately gave me and my fellow students an idea of which medium to work with in a particular situation. Obviously what products the practitioner chooses will depend on their own preferences as well as experiences of how, where and with whom they work. The Biotone advanced therapy gel was the medium I used both during training and as I developed my first set of clients. This hypoallergenic seed-based gel was an excellent medium for all the techniques I used during a treatment. It seemed to go a long way, which was not only good for keeping costs down but also for reducing the time spent re-applying medium during a treatment! For those of you treating clients who don’t want to be greasy afterwards it is easily removed by washing because it is water dispersible. One of the bottles in my present-day collection is an oil from the high-street chemist, Boots. This particular bottle was bought at a particularly unorganised moment when I forgot to bring any oil when going to treat a client. My only option was to rush into a shop and pick up a bottle of their finest hypoallergenic non-fragranced oil! As a medium it was a bit runny, but that didn’t put me off. The container did not allow the correct amount to be poured out, but I transferred it into a different bottle, so it wasn’t that that stopped me from using it regularly. The real reason is that it cost an absolute fortune and for such a small amount! It was not at all cost effective for a small business! Baseline™ is the main medium I come into contact with

in the physiotherapy clinic. For those of you who haven’t come across it, it is a cream-based medium that can be bought cheaply in bulk. However, the majority of the time during the treatment session is spent re-applying the medium to the client’s skin because it is absorbed so quickly. If it is not regularly re-applied the client starts to complain about their hair being pulled out! More recently I was given some wax to try out. Initially

I was sceptical, but after using it for a few treatments and with varying techniques I began to see the benefits. Although it appears thick and non-lubricating, once warmed in the hand it is a good medium for most techniques. It is liquid enough to allow fluid movement of the hands, yet thick enough to ensure the practitioner’s hands do not slip about and cause an injury. It did need re-applying regularly, but not very frequently.

CONCLUSION This article has summarised how individual practitioners can

10 THE AUTHORS

Amy Woolstenholmes MSMA, SMT, Dip, BSc (Hons) has been a sports massage practitioner for the last 4 years, practising in South Shields, Tyne and Wear. She is currently working with a range of clients through her own business, Optimal Performance Sports Massage, and with other athletes at The English Institute of Sport and Durham County Cricket Club. She also lectures part time at the City of Sunderland College on the Foundation Degree in Sport.

sportEX dynamics 2010;26(Oct):7-10

be led in their choice of medium. Even with the introduction of wax into my practice, it is still Biotone’s advanced therapy gel that I favour personally. It absorbs into the athlete’s skin sufficiently to encourage deep tissue work, but some remains on the surface of the skin to provide a gliding environment for the hands to move on. Although it might sound as if I have a vested interest in the company, this article is just an overview of my personal views and experience with respect to the enormous range of mediums on the market today. The best research and information available to you is obtained by going out and finding different types to try for yourself. Otherwise you could find someone with a large collection of bottles, like me, who might let you have a go with them!

BACKGROUND READING Braun MB, Simonson S. Introduction to massage therapy. 2007 (£33.24) ISBN 9780781773744. Buy on Amazon http://amzn.to/drNzPi Mills R, Parker-Bennett S. Sports massage. 2004 ISBN 9780435456528 Pain T. The complete guide to sports massage. 2006 (£10.44) ISBN 9780713685794 Buy on Amazon http://amzn.to/9oGvOo Watt J. Massage for sport. 1999 (12.74) ISBN 9781861261601 Buy on Amazon http://amzn.to/azb13f

ONLINE RESOURCES www.thebodyworker.com

n What should practitioners consider before using a massage medium?

n Which allergens are commonly found in massage mediums?

n How can different mediums have an impact on a client’s performance?

n Have you tried different mediums?