Sports Massage in Syracuse, NY

Pre-event, post-event and recovery care, with licensed massage therapists.

Reviewed by Kyle Hierholzer, LMT, CPT, owner of Hand in Health. Updated October 2026.

Sports massage helps active people prepare for training and competition, recover faster afterward, and keep working through tight, overloaded muscles. At Hand in Health in Syracuse, NY, our therapists treat Syracuse University athletes, and every licensed massage therapist is trained in sports massage. Sessions run 30 to 120 minutes, and HSA and FSA cards are accepted.

Often booked for: race and game preparation, post-event recovery, training soreness, tight hamstrings, hips and shoulders, and support while you work back from an injury.

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Trusted by Syracuse University Athletics

Hand in Health is contracted by Syracuse University. Our therapists treat the men’s and women’s basketball teams and the women’s field hockey team on site at the university. The same therapists, and the same approach, are available to every athlete who books with us.

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What Is Sports Massage?

Sports massage is massage built around how you train and compete. Your therapist chooses the techniques that fit your sport, your schedule and how your body feels that day:

Assisted stretching, including PNF stretching, where you gently contract a muscle against your therapist’s resistance before a deeper stretch
Trigger point therapy for tight, tender knots
Myofascial release for the connective tissue around your muscles
Pre-event, post-event and recovery techniques, matched to when your event is

Pre-Event, Post-Event and Recovery Massage

The timing changes everything about the session.

Pre-event

When: Within 24 hours before your event, up to the start

Goal: Warm up and prepare your muscles for activity

What your therapist does: Brisk, energizing strokes, joint mobilization and dynamic stretching only

Pressure: Light. No deep work and no static stretching before you compete

Post-event

When: Right after your event, up to 24 hours later

Goal: Calm your nervous system and ease pain, discomfort and cramping

What your therapist does: Soothing work on sore and tight areas, cramp relief and gentle stretching

Pressure: Moderate. More than pre-event, but not deep, since your body just worked hard

Recovery and maintenance

When: Between events, during training blocks, or while working back from an injury

Goal: Support training, recovery and injury rehab

What your therapist does: Focused work on problem areas, assisted stretching, trigger point therapy and myofascial release

Pressure: Whatever you need, up to deep pressure

Youth Sports Massage for High School and Middle School Athletes in Syracuse

Yes, Hand in Health provides sports massage for high school athletes in Syracuse, NY, and for middle school athletes too. Sessions use a lighter, age-appropriate approach for younger patients.

Youth sports massage is built around the sport your athlete plays and the muscles it loads most:

Football: contact soreness and heavy lower-body load in the hips, quads, hamstrings and calves
Hockey: tight hips, groin and lower back from the skating stride
Softball and baseball: shoulder, forearm and upper back recovery from throwing and hitting
Soccer: hamstrings, quads, calves and hips from running and kicking
Lacrosse: shoulders and forearms from stick work, and legs from sprinting
Basketball: calves, quads and hips from jumping, cutting and landing
Track and field: hamstrings, calves and hip flexors from sprints, jumps and distance training
Wrestling: neck, shoulders and hips from grappling, plus recovery through a long season

Timing: On game and meet days, keep it to light pre-event work with no deep pressure. In season, a short post-game or recovery session helps with soreness between games. In the off-season, longer recovery sessions can focus on flexibility and problem areas before the next season starts.

Sports massage supports recovery alongside your athlete’s medical care. For a new injury with swelling, severe pain or trouble bearing weight, see a doctor first. Athletes under 18 are welcome. A parent or guardian signs a consent form and stays in the treatment room for the whole session.

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Who Sports Massage Is For

Sports massage is for anyone who lives an active lifestyle, including:

Runners training for a 5K, half marathon or marathon
Lifters, CrossFit athletes and HYROX athletes
High school, college and adult league athletes
Cyclists, swimmers, hockey, soccer and lacrosse players
Weekend warriors and people with physically demanding jobs

Massage Therapists Who Are Also Personal Trainers

Many of our therapists are also certified personal trainers, including Kyle, Ben, Katy, Margo, Phil, Terrence and Terry, and Patti is a CrossFit trainer. They understand how your training loads your muscles, how your movement patterns affect them, and which exercises support the work done on the table. For athletes looking to improve performance, that dual training is a real advantage.

How Long Is a Session and What Does It Cost?

30 minutes: $80
45 minutes: $100
60 minutes: $120
75 minutes: $140
90 minutes: $155
120 minutes: $200

A 30 or 45 minute session works well for pre-event or post-event work on one or two areas. Choose 60 to 120 minutes for full recovery sessions. We accept HSA and FSA cards and provide superbills on request. Sports massage is covered by membership credits. See our massage memberships.

Your Sports Massage Therapists

Every licensed massage therapist at Hand in Health is trained in sports massage. Therapists who work with Syracuse University athletics and specialize in sports massage include Brian, Hollie, Jason, Jessica, John, Katy, Josh J., Maria, Natalie, N’zinga, Renee, Sarah, Terrence, Terry, Walker Porter and Kyle. Josh R. is also recommended for sports massage, as are Ben, Margo and Phil, who are also certified personal trainers, and Patti, a CrossFit trainer. You can choose your therapist when you book online.

Sports Massage for Races, Teams and Events

We regularly provide free post-event sports massage for runners at the Syracuse Half Marathon and the Mountain Goat Run. It’s one of our favorite ways to give back to the Syracuse running community.

We also bring licensed massage therapists to races, team practices, tournaments and athletic events, for pre-event, post-event or both. Tell us about your event and we’ll follow up with options and pricing.

Sports, Deep Tissue or Therapeutic Massage?

Sports: built around your training and events, with assisted stretching and pre-event, post-event or recovery techniques.
Deep tissue: slow, firm pressure into the deeper muscles for stubborn knots and chronic tension.
Therapeutic: a blend of lighter and firmer techniques for general tension and relaxation.

Not sure which to book? Tell us how you train and what you’re feeling, and your therapist will adjust as you go.

Sports Massage FAQs

What's the difference between pre-event and post-event massage?

Pre-event massage warms up and prepares your muscles, with brisk strokes, joint mobilization and dynamic stretching, and no deep work. Post-event massage calms your nervous system and eases soreness, cramping and tight spots, with a little more pressure than pre-event but nothing too deep.

How long before a race or game should I get a sports massage?

Pre-event massage is done within 24 hours before your event, up to the start.

How soon after a race or game should I get a massage?

Post-event massage works best right after your event and up to 24 hours later. After that, a recovery session helps with lingering tightness and gets you ready for your next block of training.

Is sports massage only for athletes?

No. Sports massage is for anyone who lives an active lifestyle, from runners and lifters to weekend athletes and people with physical jobs. Your therapist builds the session around how you train and move.

Does sports massage hurt?

It shouldn’t. Pressure depends on the timing: light and brisk before an event, moderate after, and firmer during recovery work if you want it. You are always in charge of the pressure, so tell your therapist anytime you want lighter or deeper work.

Do you work with CrossFit and HYROX athletes?

Yes. Many of our therapists work with strength and functional fitness athletes, including CrossFit and HYROX. Several are also certified personal trainers, so they understand your training and the muscles it loads.

Can sports massage help with a sports injury?

Sports massage can support recovery and rehab alongside your medical care. For a new injury with swelling, severe pain or trouble bearing weight, see a doctor first. Tell your therapist about any injury at intake so they can adjust the session.

Can you provide sports massage at our race or team event?

Yes. We bring licensed massage therapists to races, team practices and athletic events for pre-event and post-event massage. Fill out the request form on this page and we’ll follow up with options and pricing.

Do you treat athletes under 18?

Yes. Patients under 18 need a parent or guardian to sign a consent form, and the parent or guardian must stay in the treatment room during the massage.

Do you offer sports massage for high school athletes in Syracuse?

Yes. We provide youth sports massage for high school and middle school athletes in Syracuse, NY, including football, hockey, softball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, track and field and wrestling athletes. Sessions use a lighter, age-appropriate approach, and you can book online.

Do parents need to be present for minors?

Yes. Every patient under 18 needs a signed consent form from a parent or guardian, who stays in the treatment room for the whole session.

How much does a sports massage cost?

A 60-minute sports massage is $120. Sessions are $80 for 30 minutes, $100 for 45 minutes, $140 for 75 minutes, $155 for 90 minutes and $200 for 120 minutes.

Can I use my membership for sports massage?

Yes. Sports massage is covered by membership credits. The 60-minute membership pays in full for a 60-minute sports massage, and the 90-minute membership pays in full for a 90-minute session.

What Our Athletes Say

4.9 stars on Google

“I love how easy it is to book and modify an appointment. Holly’s sports massages are technical and truly make an impact on my muscle health and improve my fitness training ability. She listens to my needs and adopts that to her technique.”

Lisa Marie, Downtown

“Josh has been fantastic at working with me on pain and tightness while training for a race. Beyond his specific services, the office is clean and quiet. Highly recommend!”

Sherry Fuller, Downtown

“I finally found a massage place that cares about my well being. My therapist helped me work through a lot of old scar tissue and informed me of new stretches I should be doing. I had a great experience!”

Meagan Fandrich, North Syracuse

Read our Google reviews: Downtown Syracuse · North Syracuse