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Image: In-Home Pediatric Sports Massage for Gymnasts
Pediatric Sports Massage
Pediatric Sports Massage For Kids in NJ
In-Home Pediatric Sports Massage for Kids: Providing Evidence-Based Recovery On-Site
At Mountainside On-Site Massage Therapy, our practice of In-Home Pediatric Sports Massage for Kids is rooted in clinical excellence; we hold specialized Pediatric Massage Certifications (CPMT) through the Liddle Kidz® Foundation, having trained for over 120 hours (9 college credit equivalent) directly with the world-renowned Tina Allen. We travel to your home to provide Pediatric Massage to your child. We have worked with families all over Central and Northern New Jersey.
We provide New Jersey’s youth athletes with a sophisticated, evidence-based approach to training and recovery that respects their developing bodies, minds, and emotions, honoring the child-athlete as a whole person, while relying on established science to help the most we possibly can. We understand that a young athlete’s musculo-skeletal system is a work in progress. Bones often grow faster than the surrounding soft tissue, creating unique "tug-of-war" tensions. All this, while training to be their best at each kid's particular sport or movement art! That is a challenge some kids gladly accept. Pediatric Sports Massage can also help prevent injuries.
Pediatric Massage As Part of A Child's Sports Training
For serious child-athletes, practice can be grueling, and In-Home Pediatric Massage helps kids recover and gain the most from their training, ready for the next practice. Of course, proper hydration, quality sleep, and a nutritious diet rich in both protein and important dietary fats, are also ways of helping kids during training to recover after dance class or sports or gymnastics practice. Taking a holistic approach to training, relying on every scientifically-proven means possible, is the way a hard-working, driven and focused young athlete, gymnast, or dancer, finds their way to the top, without encumberment.
Optimized Performance For Young Athletes With Pediatric Sports Massage
We understand how seriously both child-athletes, and their parents, consider their meets, recitals, games, and competitions. Many families revolve their lives around their kids' sports, dance, and gymnastics. Many of these children have real hopes of making it to the top, whether it's winning a softball pennant or making the grade and reaching the next level in gymnastics standing.
We help the child optimize their performance in sports, dance, or gymnastics. Regularly-scheduled sessions of Pediatric Sports Massage, including assisted-stretching, can help boost a child's performance. While we do work on the child's entire musculature, we also focus on specific areas that the coach, parents, and/or kids tell us need additional attention, and we're aware when an injury requires medical intervention by your Pediatrician, rather than Pediatric Massage. We also have a specialized understanding of how Pediatric Sports Massage best addresses child-athletes engaging in each type of sport or expressive art, understanding how the physical activity requires of the participant differs for each.
Image: Pediatric Sports Massage for Gymnastics in NJ
Gymnastics: Managing High-Impact Axial Loading
Gymnasts subject children's bodies to extraordinary "closed-chain" weight-bearing forces (using hands as feet).
Muscular Focus: We target the Brachialis and Serratus Anterior to stabilize the shoulder girdle. We also address the Iliopsoas (deep hip flexors) which often shorten from constant tucking and tumbling.
The Frame: The distal radius (wrist) and thoracolumbar fascia take immense pressure. We focus on the Forearm Flexor Group to ensure the wrist joints aren't being compressed by tight musculature.
The Benefit: By releasing the Pectoralis Minor, we help the gymnast achieve a perfect vertical "line" in handstands without compensatory arching of the lower back.
Image: Pediatric Massage For Softball in NJ
Baseball & Softball: Explosive Sprints & Rotational Torque
These sports involve long periods of stasis followed by violent, explosive movements, requiring highly "elastic" tissue.
The Running Mechanics: Moving from a "cold" lead at first base to a full sprint taxes the Bicep Femoris (outer hamstring) and the Gastrocnemius-Soleus complex. We ensure these "piston" muscles are supple and ready.
The Rotational Engine: A powerful swing requires independent movement of the ribcage. We work on the External Obliques, Transverse Abdominis, and the Thoracic Spine rotators.
The Throwing Arm: We address the Teres Major and Pronator Teres to protect the medial growth plates of the elbow from "Little Leaguer’s Elbow" (Medial Epicondylitis).
The Benefit: We correct the "asymmetry" of the sport, releasing the dominant side's Upper Trapezius to prevent neck strain and keep the kinetic chain balanced.
Image: High School Girls Swim Team On The Pool Deck After Practice. Pediatric Sports Massage Helps Young Swimmers Be Their Best.
Swimming: The Hydro-Dynamic Endurance Challenge
Swimming creates a unique "overuse" pattern in the upper body while demanding high-output "flutter" or "whip" kicks.
The Pulmonary System: We work on the Internal Intercostals and the Diaphragm. If these are restricted, breath-holding efficiency and lung expansion are diminished.
The Shoulder Girdle: We go deep into the Subscapularis (underside of the scapula) and Infraspinatus. This is vital for maintaining the "catch" and "pull" phases of the stroke without impingement.
The Benefit: By lengthening the Latissimus Dorsi, we ensure the swimmer can achieve a full "reach" without the lower back arching to compensate for shoulder tightness.
Image: Pediatric Sports Massage For Dance in NJ
Dance & Ballet: Precision, Line, & Proprioception
Dancers require "active flexibility"—the strength to hold a limb at its maximum range of motion.
The Turnout: Constant external rotation taxes the Deep Six Rotators (Piriformis, Gemelli, etc.) and the Sartorius.
The Foot & Ankle: We perform detailed work on the Plantar Fascia, Peroneals, and the Abductor Hallucis to support the arch and prevent "Ankle Impingement Syndrome."
The Benefit: We focus on Proprioceptive Awareness. By clearing fascial restrictions, we help the brain "map" the body better, leading to sharper pirouettes and safer landings from jumps.
Image: Pediatric Sports Massage For Soccer in NJ
Soccer: The Multi-Directional Engine
Soccer is a sport of high-volume aerobic endurance punctuated by "anaerobic" sprints and sudden, violent changes of direction (cutting).
The Agility Chain: We focus on the Gluteus Medius and Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL). These are the primary stabilizers of the hip during "cutting" maneuvers. If the Medius is weak or tight, the knee often "collapses" inward (valgus stress), putting the ACL at risk.
The Striking Mechanics: Kicking a ball creates a massive pull on the Rectus Femoris (the middle quad muscle) and the Iliopsoas. We also address the Adductor Group (inner thigh), which is prone to "groin pulls" during lateral movements.
The Benefit: By performing myofascial release on the Intermuscular Septum (the "groove" between the quads and hamstrings), we ensure the leg moves with maximum efficiency and less internal friction, reducing the risk of "overuse" tendonitis.
Image: Pediatric Sports Massage For Track in NJ
Track & Running: The Linear Powerhouse
Whether your child is a sprinter or a cross-country runner, the "repetitive impact" of running creates a specific "stacking" of tension in the lower leg.
The Posterior Chain: We address the Biceps Femoris (hamstring) and the Gastrocnemius/Soleus complex. In growing runners, tight calves pull on the calcaneal growth plate, often leading to Sever’s Disease (heel pain).
The Shock Absorbers: We work on the Tibialis Anterior (the shin muscle) and the Peroneals to prevent "Shin Splints." We also look at the Thoracolumbar Fascia; a runner’s "arm swing" starts in the back, and a tight back limits the stride length.
The Benefit: We focus on Ankle Dorsiflexion. If the ankle cannot flex upward properly due to a tight Achilles, the body compensates by over-pronating (flattening the foot), which leads to knee and hip pain. Massage restores this vital range of motion.
Image: Pediatric Sports Massage For Wrestlers in NJ
Wrestling: The Total-Body Isometric Grind
Wrestling is a sport of "high-tone" guarding, where the child’s body is often in a state of maximum contraction.
The Cervical Chain: We focus on the Splenius Capitis and Sternocleidomastoid (SCM). The neck takes the brunt of the "grind" on the mat and must remain mobile to avoid injury.
The Grip & Core: We address the Brachioradialis and Erector Spinae, which are often chronically tight from grappling and holding positions.
The Benefit: Wrestling keeps a child in the "Sympathetic" (fight or flight) nervous system. Massage triggers the Vagus Nerve and the Parasympathetic response, allowing for hormonal reset and the deep sleep required for muscle repair.
The "Mental Game": Turning Pressure into Fun
For many kids, the joy of the sport is dampened by the "booing" or the high-pressure expectations of game day. This stress causes "Muscle Guarding"—a physical tightening that makes injuries more likely.
Our sessions of in-home Pediatric Sports Massage are a "Safe Harbor." There is no coaching, no judging, and no scoreboard. By lowering Cortisol (the stress hormone) and increasing Dopamine, we help the child remember why they loved the sport in the first place. A relaxed body leads to a focused mind and a much higher "fun factor" at practice.
For Track and Soccer, the "mental game" is often about pacing and performance anxiety. Track, in particular, is a "metric" sport where the clock is the enemy.
Our Role: For these athletes, our Pediatric Sports Massage session will include time spent on Rhythmic Compression. This helps the child synchronize their breathing with their muscle tension, teaching them how to "relax into the effort"—a skill that is vital for the final kick in a 1600m run or the 90th minute of a soccer match.
Image: Girls Playing After Gymnastics Class. Pediatric Sports Massage Helps Young Gymnastics.
Professional Safety & Contraindications
As Tina Allen-certified specialists, we follow strict clinical protocols and know what's safest for children.
Growth Plate Safety: We avoid sustained deep pressure on the Epiphyses (ends of long bones) to protect developing skeletons.
Acute Trauma: We do not massage over fresh fractures, grade 3 sprains, or undiagnosed persistent "night pains."
Dermatological Health: For contact sports, we screen for mat-borne infections (Ringworm/Impetigo) to ensure the safety of the athlete and our community.
Invest in Your Athlete’s Longevity
Whether they are gearing up for the NJ State Championships or simply want to feel "light" and mobile for practice, Mountainside On-Site Massage Therapy provides the professional edge with our Licensed and Certified Pediatric Massage Therapists in New Jersey.
Pre-Tournament Prep: Neurological stimulation and circulation.
Post-Season Reset: Deep tissue flushing and postural re-alignment.
Ready to help keep your young athlete working at peak performance? Call us today and we can answer all of your questions. 877-480-8038
Please Tap for Details on Our Mobile In-Home Kids Massage in NJ Services.
Pediatric Massage is also well-studied and indicated for many pediatric health conditions, from Childhood Autism and ADHD to sleep issues and bed-wetting. To learn more about how Pediatric Massage can help children with specific health issues, please visit our page concerning Pediatric Massage and Childhood Health Conditions. Extensive clinical research demonstrates that Pediatric Massage is both effective and safe for kids.
Please Tap Here for Pediatric Massage and Childhood Health Conditions Info Page.
Image: Girl Soccer Player Reading Soccer Plays Instead Of Doing Her Homework
Pediatric Sports Massage | In-Home Pediatric Sports Massage For Kids NJ | Pediatric Sports Massage NJ
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