SPORTS MASSAGE OILS

allowing the practitioners to have the best of both worlds! The main features of each type of medium are summarised in Table 2.

WHAT WE ARE TAUGHT ABOUT MEDIUMS During my time as a student we discussed the effects and benefits of the various mediums available. This gave us some indication of which ones would be good in which situation. The following issues need to be considered: n Fragrance n Allergy n Techniques n Environment n Perspiration n Removal.

Fragrances One of the main issues I recall is about using oils that smell. To produce fragrant mediums, essential oils can be added to the base oil. These essential oils are distilled from plants, trees, roots and seeds. People with experience of aromatherapy will appreciate the potential impact of these substances on the client – both good and bad. If you are not trained in the use of these oils or aware of their impacts, you may not achieve what you set out to do. For example, lavender is known for its relaxation properties. If a practitioner uses this on an athlete before he or she performs in an event for a combat sport, he or she may not leave the treatment with the right preparation! Even if the practitioner has delivered a perfect pre-event treatment, the essence may have had the opposite effect!

Allergies Another area we need education on is allergies. When choosing what medium to use with clients, you should also know about the increasing number of allergies that are affecting the population currently. A hypoallergenic medium will help to reduce the risk of a client reacting to the treatment, but it does not guarantee they will have no reaction. Bear this in mind at all times. It is good practice to discuss the issue with your client before commencing treatment. Find out whether they have any known allergies. Using a medium that has traces of nuts (they get everywhere!) on someone who is allergic to nuts could cause major difficulties both during and after treatment for the client.

COMMON ALLERGENS FOUND IN MEDIUMS n Almonds

n Lavender

n Peanuts n Jasmine

n Sesame seeds n Cinnamon

Techniques Knowing the correct medium depends on the techniques that will be applied during the treatment. When using oil, the practitioner must ensure that only the required amount is distributed onto the client’s skin, otherwise there may be issues with hand control! If varying degrees of pressure are needed during the treatment, applying oil may be detrimental. For instance, when the thumbs are used to apply pressure to the upper trapezius, they should not slip because that might injure the client or the practitioner. Talcum powder would be

www.sportEX.net TABLE 2: MAIN FEATURES OF DIFFERENT MEDIA

Mineral oils n Not good at penetrating the skin n Do not allow deep treatment

Creams n Absorbed quickly by skin

n Can contain allergic substances

Talcum powder n Provides grip for compressions or frictions

Gels and lotions n Combine cream with oil n Good manoeuvrability

Wax n Fluid movements possible after warming

n Cannot be used on sweaty skin n Irritating to the nose and eyes

n Good absorbency n Prevents slippage n Re-application required frequently

the best medium in this situation because it provides grip and so helps to hold the soft tissue. However, if you are using compressions or frictions just as part of a treatment that generally requires a slippery medium, then it may not be practical to use powder mid-treatment. In this case it is best to use a towel over the appropriate area of the body, and this will give adequate grip to the soft tissues.

Environments The medium you use may also differ according to the environment you are carrying out the treatment in. When treating at events, the temperature and weather conditions may affect the available mediums. Table 1 shows that some oils (like coconut) and some creams need to be warmed to be effective. Therefore if you are standing at an endurance event in the cold, this is going to be difficult to achieve. What you need is a medium that is pliable in the cold, like a base oil or a mixed gel–oil substance. If you are in an environment where the temperature is the opposite – very hot – the mediums can become very runny and cause problems with hand control. Here, a thicker medium such as a cream would be more suitable.

Perspiring clients You also need to consider the client. If he or she is sweaty, having just completed some sporting activity, then an oil-based medium will give little control to the practitioner. However a cream or gel-based medium will give more hand control when treating specific areas of the body. It makes sense to ask the client to dry him or herself off first with a towel, or even better to have a shower, but obviously these facilities are not always available!

A HYPOALLERGENIC MEDIUM WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE RISK OF A CLIENT REACTING TO THE TREATMENT, BUT IT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THEY WILL HAVE NO REACTION

9 n Leave skin slippery n Tend to cause allergic reactions n Require repeated applications