Dynamic Touch Team Member, Kathy Flippin, recently volunteered her massage therapy expertise at the Pan American Games. Kathy worked as an official massage therapist for athletes on Team U.S.A. While her main focus was on the swim team, Kathy did massages for rugby, track and field, gymnastics, fencing athletes and more.

A typical day at the games involved anywhere from 10 to 30 massages in a day! Of those massages some were for pain management, some were pre-race invigorating massages, and some were post-race flush massages to help manage the lactic acid buildup. Use of massage for recovery at an event of this caliber is becoming more and more in demand.

Kathy describes how the Games were a great learning experience for her. She was able to watch and learn from other practitioners in the medical clinic and they were happy to show her some new techniques. The event was both inspiring and enriching for Kathy, she says that working at events like the Pan American Games “makes me a better person and a better therapist”.  Maybe next year she will have the honor to provide massage at the London Olympics… Stay Tuned, and GO USA!!

How does a goof-around athlete qualify for the Olympics?  By being an excellent Sports Massage Therapist!

Kathy has been working with swimmers since 1999, when one Orange County Swimmer decided to use her for weekly sports massage while he was training for Sydney in 2000.  Through him, she got involved with USA Swimming the opportunities started rolling in.  She’s been to Shanghai for World Championships, and done massage at the Duel in the Pool meet, where the US goes head-to-head against Australia.  And Three Times attended Olympic Trials.

This year, the US National Swim Meet, and Pan Pacific Games are both coming to California!  Not just anywhere in California, but Irvine!  Kathy has been invited to volunteer as National Team Massage Therapist for both meets, which are between August 3 and August 23.   Swimmers know, Massage helps with Recovery, which keeps them strong throughout their intense training and week-long events.

Kathy is well-matched by another therapist at Dynamic Touch.  Katcha Minot, whose resume is just as long as Kathy’s,  is on her way at the end of August to the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center.  It’s run very much like a college campus for athletes in training.  They have dorms, and training facilities for many different sports.  Katcha will be working in the Athletic Training Center doing massage for athletes that reside there, and are visiting for training camps.  It’s a very exciting atmosphere, and a huge privilege.

Congrats to them both for their contributions to the US athletes!  Hopefully the next step will be to provide massage for the Olympic Athletes at the London 2012 games!!