In commissioning the sports massage services of someone who is not qualified and experienced you run a risk that you may be wasting money and not receiving the correct treatment.

Until January 2002 anyone could set up as a sports massage practitioner whether they were qualified or not as there was no single governing body to regulate sports massage courses or sports massage practitioners.

To resolve this situation the National Sports Medicine Institute of the United Kingdom gave funding to create the Sports Massage Association. The Sports Massage Association acts as a main governing body, in order that you may find a qualified, approved sports massage practitioner.

The Sports Massage Association maintains the standards for sports massage practitioners and sports massage training organisations. This has provided regulation and a National Register for sports massage practitioners.