Certificate of Applied Sports Massage

This module provides you with a description of  the skills and knowledge required to gather client information, prepare equipment for reflexology, make observations of the feet and then select and use basic reflexology techniques and sequences based on information and observations.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Prepare for treatment
2. Make feet and hand observations
3. Select and use reflexology techniques and sequences
4. 4. Finalise treatment and advise client

This module covers the following key elements of learning:

• principles of reflexology and zone therapy:
• legal and ethical considerations (national and state/territory) for providing relaxation reflexology:
• client information required prior to relaxation treatment
• protocols for conducting reflexology sessions in relation to:
• key features of the reflexology map of hands and feet
• factors to consider in foot observation and how to respond:
• precautions to be taken in reflexology for relaxation
• signs of structural abnormalities, conditions on which to work lightly, often or for a short time
• reflexology relaxation techniques and how to apply them:
• reflexology techniques and sequences and how to apply them:
• use of leverage in reflexology and its appropriate use
• holding and supporting techniques
• factors that affect the level of pressure applied
• basic structure and function of systems and regions of the body and their respective reflexes

Understanding how to market a small business or any business is critical to its success. Knowing who your customer is, where they are and why they would buy your product or service are some of the fundamentals of building a marketing plan.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Develop marketing strategies
2. Determine a marketing mix for the business
3. Implement marketing strategies
4. Monitor and improve marketing performance

This module covers the following key elements of learning:  

• Determine objectives of the business plan, including marketing activity focus
• Evaluate customer base
• Understand what is ethically and culturally appropriate
• Determine a marketing mix according to market and business needs
• Determine marketing strategies, including briefing appropriate personnel on their responsibilities
• Monitor and evaluate activities and performance, and correct performance gaps
• Consult and communicate effectively with relevant people
• Research and monitor ongoing changes and improvements

Managing the finances are a ‘must-know’ for the business owner or manager to ensure its ongoing success. Core to the business are key reports – Profit and Loss, Balance Sheets, Cash Flow and Budgets. Think of them like a doctor’s report – you don’t just want your doctor to take your blood pressure to check if your healthy – you want a full report on your bloods, urine, heart and respiratory functions etc.

The combination of the above financial reports lets you know how healthy your business is and identify possible issues or areas to improve.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Implement financial plan
2. Monitor financial performance

This module covers the following key elements of learning:

• discuss benchmarking
• explain financial decision-making relevant to the business
• summarise significant financial indicators
• outline purposes of financial reports
• clarify preparation and interpretation of budget/actual reports
• identify principles for preparing balance sheets and their interpretation
• outline debt collection procedures or strategies
• characterise principles for preparing profit and loss statements and their interpretation
• discuss stock records and stock control relevant to the business.

This module provides you with a description of skills and knowledge to establish and manage professional one-to-one relationships with clients in the context of providing an ongoing health service or intervention.

This module applies to community services or health workers who have defined responsibilities to work independently with clients within broad but established guidelines.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Establish professional relationship with the client
2. Manage client interactions
3. Provide effective responses to client enquiries

This module covers the following key elements of learning:

• legal and ethical considerations for establishing and managing client relationships and how these are applied:
• modes and techniques for effective communication
• role of motivational interviewing during client interactions to facilitate:
• techniques for motivational interviewing:
• barriers and influences on communication and ways to respond:
• techniques for dealing with difficult communication situations:
• types of information that may be provided to clients as relevant:

This module provides you with a description of skills and knowledge required to work respectfully with people from diverse social and cultural groups and situations, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Reflect on own perspectives
2. Appreciate diversity and inclusiveness, and their benefits
3. Communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and situations
4. Promote understanding across diverse groups

This module covers the following key elements of learning:

• concepts of cultural awareness, cultural safety and cultural competence and how these impact different work roles
• concepts and definitions of diversity
• own culture and the community attitudes, language, policies and structures of that culture and how they impact on different people and groups
• features of diversity in Australia and how this impacts different areas of work and life:
• legal and ethical considerations (international, national, state/territory, local) for working with human rights:
• Universal declaration of human rights
• relationship between human needs and human rights
• frameworks, approaches and instruments used in the workplace
• key areas of diversity and their gender, including transgender
• key aspects, and the diversity, of Australia’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultures,
• resources that support individuals and organisations to embrace and respond to diversity
• influences and changing practices in Australia and their impact on the diverse communities that make up Australian society
• impact of diversity practices and experiences on personal behaviour, interpersonal relationships, perception and social expectations of others

This module provides you with a description of skills and knowledge required to research information about compliance and ethical practice responsibilities, and then develop and monitor policies and procedures to meet those responsibilities.

This module applies to people working in roles with managerial responsibility for legal and ethical compliance in small to medium sized organisations. There may or may not be a team of workers involved.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Research information required for legal compliance
2. Determine ethical responsibilities
3. Develop and communicate policies and procedures
4. Monitor compliance
5. Maintain knowledge of compliance requirements

This module covers the following key elements of learning:

• legal responsibilities and liabilities of managers and others in different types of organisation
• legal and ethical frameworks (international, national state/territory, local), how these apply in the workplace, and the responsibilities of managers in the development and monitoring of policies and procedures
• sources of information and advice on compliance including:

• local, state/territory or commonwealth government departments or regulatory agencies
• industry associations
• plain English documentation that explains legislation

• functions and operating procedures of regulatory authorities of particular relevance to the health and community service sectors
• methods of receiving updated information on requirements
• use of policies and procedures in managing compliance and ethical practice in both internal work practice and external service delivery
• formats for policies and procedures and what they should include
• techniques for monitoring compliance

As a therapist you may be faced with the possibility of a client presenting at your clinic with some degree of infection. It is important for you to know how to control infection and also prevent infection from occurring within your workplace.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Establish framework for infection prevention and control
2. Establish procedures for hazard identification and risk control
3. Implement and monitor infection prevention and control practices
4. Evaluate infection prevention and control performance

This module covers the following key elements of learning

• key features of infection prevention and control regulation and guidelines and compliance requirements:
• principles and processes of planning
• systems and procedures needed to meet compliance and quality requirements for infection prevention and control:
• links between infection prevention and control systems and other management systems:
• for the specific work environment:
• sustainability considerations for development of infection prevention and control systems and procedures

This module provides you with a description of the skills and knowledge required to establish, maintain and evaluate work health and safety (WHS) policies, procedures and programs in the relevant work area, according to WHS legislative requirements.

This module applies to workers who have responsibility for WHS as part of their role, including workers with obligations under WHS legislation, persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs), or their officers (as defined by relevant legislation).

The core sections to this module are:

1. Establish work health and safety practices
2. Facilitate consultation, cooperation and communication
3. Monitor compliance with risk control processes
4. Evaluate and maintain WHS

This module covers the following key elements of learning:

• state/territory legislation and how it impacts on workplace regulations, codes of practice and industry standards
• hazards common to the work environment and strategies for minimisation
• requirements for WHS policies
• principles of hazard and risk management

This module provides you with a description of the skills and knowledge required to obtain and interpret information about client health status and to check a client s physical health. It requires a detailed knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

This module applies to individuals working directly with clients and who assist in the provision of health care services. Some disciplines may be subject to state/territory regulatory determination regarding delegation and supervision.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Obtain information about physical health status
2. Check physical health status
3. Identify variations from normal physical health status

This module covers the following key elements of learning:

• role responsibilities and limitations for different members of the care team in relation to checking client health status
• concepts underpinning human anatomy and physiology structure and function of human body systems and their interactions:

• anatomical and medical terminology:

• common disorders, problems and complaints and their signs and symptoms, associated with each body system and its components relevant to the area of work
• basic pharmacology in relation to cautions and contraindications for relevant health procedures
• causes of disease physical, mental and emotional, and key features of each cause:

• major types of cellular adaptation
• processes of metabolism, nutrition, body temperature regulation, biological maturation, inheritance and ageing
• Oral health disease of the mouth and teeth including edentulous (no-natural teeth) and dentate (having natural teeth)
• variations from normal functioning and appropriate responses

Developing your sports massage practice requires a broad range of knowledge that creates a sound foundation upon which to build your business. It is an exciting and important aspect of your practice.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Establish foundations of massage practice
2. Represent the massage framework
3. Determine requirements for sustainable massage practice
4. Develop approach to own practice

This module covers the following key elements of learning

• historical development of massage
• different types of sports massage treatments and their key features and purpose, including the difference between relaxation, therapeutic, sports and remedial massage
• key features of complementary therapies used in conjunction with massage
• key features of allied health services and their relationship to massage
• place of massage practice in the broader health care system
• professional massage networks and industry bodies
• different models of professional massage practice and their employment opportunities
• components of sustainable practice:
• legal and ethical considerations (national and state/territory) and how these are applied in individual practice:

This module provides you with a description of the skills and knowledge required to gather client information, make a physical assessment of the body and determine massage treatment options.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Determine scope of client needs
2. Make a physical assessment
3. Determine and communicate treatment approach

This module covers the following key elements of learning

• legal and ethical considerations (national and state/territory) for client assessment:
• referral options for massage practitioners
• factors and barriers that may impact on massage assessment:
• factors that affect individual health status:
• client information required prior to physical assessment
• considerations for performing physical massage assessments:
• physical assessment techniques, how and when they are used
• contraindications to treatment and possible indications for referral
• major muscle anatomy

This module provides you with a description of the skills and knowledge required to prepare for and provide sports massage treatments using a defined range of techniques and sequences.

The core sections to this module are:

1. Prepare client for treatment
2. Use sports massage techniques and sequences
3. Monitor treatment
4. Provide advice and resources to the client

This module covers the following key elements of learning

• massage techniques and how to apply them
• endangerment sites, where they are and the limitations of touching these depending on scope of practice:
• potential reactions during treatment and how to respond:
• potential reactions following treatment and appropriate client advice to provide
• methods of monitoring treatment progress:
• types of advice and resources that can be provided to clients for their use outside the clinical environment
• documentation requirements for recording treatment details