This one day course will introduce you to the range of Paralympic sports and athletes, to the concomitant range of issues and considerations relevant to working with this special sporting group.  

You will discover the range of Paralympic sports and the main disabilities with which competitors may present. We will consider issues relevant to the sports massage practitioner when working with this varied population including common problems and how to deal with the unfamiliar/unknown!  There may also be an opportunity to work with and hear from some Paralympic athletes.  

Although this course will be most suitable for those who have little experience of working with athletes with disabilities, those who do have some experience are also most welcome as it is important and invaluable to share experiences and ideas.

The aim is for this to be a fun and informative day which will challenge your thinking, allay any fears you may have and build your confidence to undertake this type of work.

Chris Salvary has been practising sports massage in a variety of contexts for almost 20 years having qualified in 1992, and has taught the subject for many years in private schools and on university degree programmes.   

She has extensive experience within disability sport, having worked with the GB team at the first every IPC World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 1994, and at many other national and international disability events since.  She worked with the GB Paralympic Athletics team at the Paralympic Games in Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and was a member of the core medial team at the pre-Beijing 2008 holding camp in Macau.  She also worked with the team Wales Elite Athletes with Disabilities at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006.

Chris is currently excited to be working with the GB Paralympic Football teams (Cerebral Palsy 7-a-side and Blind 5-a-side) for our own 2012 Paralympics!