Massage at the Olympics

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Written by Lia Suzuki

Beijing Olympic Athletes Employ Bodywork as Part of Training Regimen

It seems that nowadays it's very unusual to hear of a serious athlete who doesn't employ massage as part of their training regimen and recovery strategy. Indeed, if the budget permits, any Olympic athlete today will receive massage therapy at least once or twice per week - or some (like Michael Phelps) even twice a day! Here's a list of quotes by or about various athletes from the Beijing Games about massage and bodywork.

Michael Phelps

"I have been getting two massages a day and ice baths."

Lolo Jones

"A businessman needs a laptop. Athletes need massages and the right diet."

Sarah Hammer

"The key to her recovery turned out to be Encinitas massage therapist Doug Thralls, who began working on Hammer in June, massaging her three times a week."

Dara Torres

"…and the two proceeded to massage Torres’s shoulders and legs with their feet so their hands wouldn’t tire and they could apply more force…"

Roland Schoeman

"I am very fortunate to be able to go in and see a massage therapist a couple times a week."

Liu Xiang

"Team doctors found an inflamed hamstring was the cause of the pain and recommended massage therapy and stretching to relax the muscle."

David Zabriskie

"The biggest thing I do for my back is massage…"

Stephanie Brown Trafton

"I made sure that I had good rest and had massage and ice bath treatments…"

Rebecca Adlington

"It’s just been about recovering, massage and trying to swim the last race off"

John Dane III

"He also put together a team consisting of a strength coach, a trainer, a massage therapist and three sailing coaches"

Lolo Jones

By Shira Springer, Globe Staff | August 20, 2008

"Richards will work with her massage therapist to resolve the hamstring problem before the US competes in the 4 x 400-meter relay qualifying Friday."

Shalane Flanagan

"She self-prescribed a lot of rest, massage, mental preparation and hydration"

David Davies

"As part of my recovery process since the 1500m final, I’ve had plenty of physio, massages, sleep and grub…"

Sushil Kumar

"...the recovery comes from massages between bouts and after them to relax the muscles and body."

Bob Bowman (Michael Phelps' trainer)

"He always has a massage."

Yin Jian

"…she had spent every night after racing at the Games on the treatment table undergoing acupuncture and massage for muscle strains."

Logi Geirsson

"[The president's wife] massaged me for ten minutes before the game against Spain and it was the best game of the tournament."

Bryan Clay

"A midnight meal of Kobe beef, following a massage and an ice bath Thursday night, helped refresh his body for what turned out to be the most crucial part of the competition on Friday morning."