Adult & Higher Education

The Level 4 Certificate in Sports Massage Therapy is a technical qualification aimed at developing the knowledge, understanding and technical skills needed for a career as a Sports Massage Therapist working with recent non-acute injuries and/or pre-existing conditions. Applicants to this course should have completed a Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Sports Massage or equivalent qualification.

You will need to complete a maximum of 10 hours per week additional study (variable throughout course) and be able to practise on a willing body outside guided learning hours to consolidate knowledge and techniques. Attendance at offsite sporting events may also be required to gain experience.

This course will build on the skills learnt at Level 3 and develop the candidate's subjective and objective assessment skills, to include clinical reasoning and the use of a wide range of special and functional muscle tests. 

On completion the candidate will be able to give advice on treatment modalities used to support soft tissue repair at each stage of injury. In addition, the course will explore a wide range of pathophysiology and acquire a deeper understanding of anatomy and physiology through the practical application of the newly acquired objective tests.

Students will study practical anatomy and physiology for sports massage and applying massage methods to prevent and manage injury. Learners will develop a range of advanced skills and massage techniques to prevent and manage injury in sport and develop the skills needed to critically evaluate their massage strategies and methods to inform future treatments.

Candidates should be over 16 years old and must have completed the Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy or equivalent to undertake this qualification. This includes bridging courses from Complementary Therapy Massage/Swedish Massage courses.

Students will need a uniform and text book. A massage couch and materials to take to external events would also be useful. You will also need current Professional Indemnity Insurance. Please also note that you may be asked to attend weekend events to gain practice and experience. Further information will be provided at interview. 

Graduates of this qualification will be able to gain employment as a Level 4 Sports Massage practitioner, providing a range of advanced sports massage techniques for recent non-acute injuries and for pre-existing conditions. This may include working in clinics, for sporting teams, or as a mobile therapist, in either an employed or self-employed context. 

You could also progress onto the Level 5 Certificate in Sports Massage, which will build upon the skills, knowledge and understanding gained at Level 4, introducing more advanced massage techniques (myofascial, PNF and active isolated stretching), assessment techniques for ligamentous and neural conditions.