About the Course
A Level 3 sports massage therapist’s role includes planning, providing and evaluating sports massage treatments. Treatments can be carried out for pre-, post- and inter-event, maintenance and restorative purposes, using a range of basic massage techniques.
Scope of practice is restricted to working on dysfunctional tissue and excludes working on recent acute injuries or pre-existing conditions. This qualification is the pre-requisite to the Level 4 Sports Massage Therapy course where you can work with both uninjured and injured tissue and treat someone a lot closer to the acute phase.
This qualification awards 10 CIMSPA points and upon successful completion, you will be eligible to take out insurance as a sports massage therapist and apply for a membership with a professional body such as The Association of Soft Tissue Therapists or The Sports Therapy Association.
Not sure if sports massage is for you? Book on Day One of our next course for £80. This fee will be discounted from the full course fee should you wish to continue with the full qualification.
"Great course! I couldn't believe how much I'd learned from the first day to the assessment. There was a lot of ground to cover, but I never felt under pressure and felt really well supported. My fellow students were brilliant and the number on the course was perfect! I found that the attendance days were really well structured with loads of practical time and plenty of time for individual questions. The location was ideal with parking close by. Thanks for your patience Michelle! I look forward to booking Level 4 with you!"
Payment Plan
To make your qualification more affordable, we offer a payment plan where you pay a non-refundable £125 deposit and choose to repay the balance, interest-free over 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.
All about the course
The Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy is a LIVE course, which involves both distance learning and attendance to course dates.
This LIVE course includes some distance learning plus six mandatory course attendance dates held on a Wednesday over a minimum period of 3 months. All assessments can be completed on the course dates, but theory exams can be deferred to a later date if you wish or even completed prior the the course dates should you enrol early enough.
How long does it take to complete the course?
You have up to 12 months from when you enrol, but it is often completed much sooner than that. As long as you complete the distance learning wither before or during the course dates, and you complete the theory exams and practical assessments during the course, you can expect to be complete by the last attendance date (subject to any re-assessments if required).
What will I learn on the Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy Diploma?
At Fit4Training, we take a modern approach to soft tissue therapy. Thoughts about sports massage have changed considerably over the years and it is now understood that the effects of massage is largely due to neurological responses via our contact with receptors in the skin rather than actually stretching and lengthening soft tissue.
What topics are covered on this course?
Anatomy and physiology for sports massage
Structural organisation of the human body
Structure and functions of the skin, skeletal system, joints, muscular system, nervous system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, lymphatic system, digestive system, urinary system.
The effects of sports massage on the body systems.
Principles of health and fitness
Benefits of an active, healthy lifestyle
Effects of exercise on the body
Components of fitness and the principles of training
Importance of healthy eating
Professional practice in sports massage
Role of a sports massage therapist
Legislation required in sports massage
Scope of practice in sports massage
Standards relevant to the sports massage profession
Principles of professional practice
Producing, storing and maintaining client records
Principles of soft tissue dysfunction
Soft tissue dysfunction
Process of repair of soft tissue
Sports massage treatments
History and development of sports massage
Fundamentals of sports massage treatments - contexts, environment (clinical, pre and post-event), equipment, techniques, client positioning,
How to assess and screen clients for sports massage treatments
Devising sports massage treatment plans combining traditional techniques with recent research findings
What are the course units and how are each assessed?
Unit 1 - Anatomy & Physiology for Sports Massage - assessed via completion of an online workbook and multiple choice exam
Unit 2 - Principles of Health and Fitness - assessed via a written worksheet and short answer question exam
Unit 3 - Professional Practice in Sports Massage - assessed via a written worksheet and short answer question exam
Unit 4 - Understand the Principles of Soft Tissue Dysfunction - assessed via a written worksheet
Unit 5 - Sports Massage Treatments - assessed via a written worksheet, short answer question exam and x3 on-course observations.
What is the entry requirements for this course?
There are no entry requirements for this course - just a passion for helping people, good communication skills, IT skills, an interest in learning about the body and the motivation to learn and practice outside of course dates.
What can I do after completing this qualification?
You can work as a qualified sports massage therapist working with non-injured clients in a sporting or clinic setting.
In order to work with clients who are managing an acute, sub-acute or chronic injury, and utilise advanced methods of sports massage therapy, the Level 4 Sports Massage Therapy qualification is required.
Next Course Dates
Dates: 27th September, 11th October, 1st, 15th, November, 6th, 13th December 2023
Venue: Fit4Training, Telford
Times: 9.30-2.30pm
Your Instructor
Michelle Brown
After initially working up through the ranks in the fitness industry from gym instructor, group exercise instructor to Fitness Manager for a large health and fitness operator, Michelle diversified into both teaching and Sports Therapy studying a Diploma in Sports Therapy with Professor Graham Smith, current President of the Society of Sports Therapists. Over the past 13 years, Michelle has worked with a range of clients from sports teams, individual sports enthusiasts and competitors and now primarily specialises in working with active women, and women through pregnancy, postnatal, Motherhood and menopause. When it comes to massage therapy, Michelle takes a modern, evidence-based approach and works very mindfully with the biopsychosocial model and advances in pain science. She is passionate about educating other massage therapists, sharing her experiences and advocating modern approaches and research that show that we cannot change the structure of someone's body with our hands and we can't treat pain with pain!