Howard "Dr. Bucky" Grace of West Town, Penn., observed that "those athletes who avail themselves of massage seem to derive a greater benefit than their less athletic counterparts." Grace focuses his energies and his "magic" hands on the entire body, and then gives special attention to the part of the body relative to the athlete's sport. For example, runners would get extra treatment for their legs; many athletes indicate to the therapist areas of extra emphasis.
Neal Sherman, an Illinois massage therapist, commented, "I combine a judicious combination of Swedish massage and Rolfing. A lot depends upon the athlete's personality, game (type of sport specialty), and the injury history of the athlete." Some athletes prefer the laying on of the hands prior to an event or practice to prepare for the competition, while others prefer a massage afterward to facilitate recovery.
Some teams employ massage practitioners to work with their players to promote circulation, alleviate stress, and aid overall well being. The University of Florida's women's tennis and gymnastics teams and the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils have utilized such services.
The education requirements for massage practitioners vary according to individual states. Many states do not require certification. However, there exists a growing movement from all massage specialists to have taken training from appropriate schools, and those institutions have proper accreditation.
Sports Nutritionists
For centuries, people engaged in athletics looked for "the edge"-something that would enable them to produce an excellent, competitive performance. This pursuit usually centered on conditioning and stamina, and more recently on weight training, stretching, and mental toughness.
The rapid major advances in nutrition and the growing awareness of them by the public, the medical establishment, and the sports establishment will catapult sports nutritionists into a major role in the years ahead.
Most nutritionists involved in sports serve in a consultation capacity with coaches, teams, and individual athletes. They offer suggestions regarding weight control, pregame meals, and vitamin/mineral supplementation. They usually are associated with a sports medicine center, a clinic, or a college.
Professional sports nutritionists may have backgrounds and education in either medicine or nutrition. Some also may have obtained their training as dieticians, nurses, athletic trainers, and physical therapists. Through additional study and reading, the latter individuals have prepared themselves to serve the sports community as nutritionists. For example, Jim Corea, a physical therapist, undertook additional college studies in nutrition in graduate school. He used the background in developing a Philadelphia radio program as well as in his daily practice.
One individual in this field, Dr. Sarah Short, a professor of nutrition at Syracuse University, developed an interest in computerized sports nutrition. Dr. Short has investigated the nutrition requirements of various athletes (football players, wrestlers, swimmers, and others) in terms of protein, calories, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. The increase of such attention to sports nutrition may encourage allied health personnel to gravitate to the field of nutrition.
Michael Colgan, director of the Colgan Institute in Encinitas, California, has studied the impact of nutrition on athletes, provides nutritional information, and writes regularly on fitness and nutrition. The Colgan Institute has received contracts to investigate the value of diet and mineral, vitamin, or herbal supplementation on conditioning, strength, and performance of athletes.
Another Nutritionist
Dr. Ann Grandsean, founded the International Center for Sports Nutrition in Omaha, Nebraska. "The center encourages scientific research and provides information to athletes and physically active people interested in the benefits of good nutrition," Dr. Grandsean explained. She has also served as the chief nutritional consultant to the United States Olympic Committee and to the University of Nebraska athletic department; in addition, she has worked with the Chicago White Sox. Dr. Grandsean said "there is a genuine need to rapidly translate the most current research findings into easy to understand, useful, and factual information for athletes, coaches, and others involved in the training of our amateur athletes."
Some medical schools offer a medical degree (M.D.) with a specialty in nutrition, and many additional graduate schools provide a doctorate (Ph.D.). For those not wishing advanced study, some schools of allied health science offer a bachelors degree (B.S.) in nutrition.
Some individuals enter this field with a degree in physical education, dietary science, chiropractic science, or nursing. This may provide an initial background, but considerable additional study must be undertaken to understand the complex biochemical needs of the body. Some individuals with training in naturopathic or holistic medicine do well in this field.
Sports Podiatrists
It's a rare sport that does not put great strain on the participant's feet. For the estimated 80 percent of all people who have foot problems, even minor ones, the increase of physical activity can worsen these situations.
These difficulties normally lead the injured party to the office of a podiatrist. These health professionals, usually identified by the initials D.P.M. (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine), specialize in foot care. Utilizing medical, surgical, and physical techniques, they work to prevent or treat foot injuries and diseases.
Dr. Lee Cohen of Morton, Pennsylvania, developed a Cushioned Anti Pronation Insert (CAPI) for athletes. The device serves as a shock absorber and is part of Dr. Cohen s preventative approach to sports medicine. He stated, "It's no fun to see 40 or50 people a day complaining of pain. It's more efficient to take some preventative steps ahead of time." Dr. Cohen further said that "we need to make the change from sports medicine to sports injury prevention."
