Soft Tissue Therapy focuses on the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of the body’s soft tissues, primarily muscles, tendons, and ligaments. While it’s widely used in sport, its benefits extend to anyone looking to prevent or recover from injury, reduce physical tension, or simply move and feel better.

What Can Soft Tissue Therapy Help With?

Soft Tissue Therapy uses hands-on techniques tailored to your needs. Depending on the approach and the individual, it may help to:

• Promote short-term improvements in circulation

• Support relaxation or alertness, depending on the treatment style

• Relieve feelings of muscular tightness or discomfort

• Support flexibility and ease of movement

• Improve comfort around areas affected by scar tissue

• Contribute to mental preparation before physical activity

Whether you train for fitness or compete internationally, therapy can help you stay active, reduce injury risk, and improve how you recover.

Safe, Skilled, Individualised Care

SMA-registered therapists are trained to assess each person and apply the most appropriate techniques. They are also equipped to recognise when massage may not be suitable, and will guide you toward other forms of care if needed.

By choosing an SMA member, you can feel confident you’re receiving safe, high-quality, and individualised Soft Tissue Therapy.

What's in a name?

There’s long been discussion within our profession about what we call ourselves. Should it be Sports Massage Therapist? Soft Tissue Therapist? Remedial Massage Practitioner? The titles vary, but the skills and professionalism remain consistent.

We’ve listened to feedback from clients, members, and the wider health community:

• The term “Sports” feels too narrow and may deter non-sporting clients.

• “Massage” doesn’t always reflect the full range of therapeutic techniques used.

• Some clients respond better to more functional or clinical terminology.

Over time, many of our members have developed advanced skills beyond traditional massage. Their client bases are broad, ranging from elite athletes to office workers, manual labourers, and beyond. We’ve also welcomed interest from professionals in physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic care, and sports therapy.

Still, we recognise the value of continuity. Since 2002, The SMA, our logo, and the MSMA post-nominals have become trusted identifiers of professional Soft Tissue Therapy in the UK.

We encourage our members to use the terms Soft Tissue Therapy or Soft Tissue Therapist, as these best reflect the breadth of their skills and are widely recognised, particularly within elite sport. However, we also respect individual choice. Since there’s no protected title in this field, members are free to describe their work in the way that best suits their practice.

Whatever title they use, if they’re SMA-registered, you can be confident you’re receiving safe, skilled, and professional treatment.