Physical Education, Sports Medicine and Doping Studies

Biography

Biography: Jose Garcia Romero

Abstract

Being a massage therapist who specializes in sports rehabilitation, I realized that when an athlete obtains an injury, they don’t necessarily want to heal completely; the goal of the athlete is simply to get to a tolerable level of pain that allows them to return to the field or court, as soon as possible. This realization helped me to develop the Romero brackets with adjustable facilitation and the Romero technique that increases the pace at which an athlete can come back from injury. The Romero bracket with adjustable facilitation is a modality consisting of four brackets that attach to the sides of a massage table. The brackets each have an attached adjustable facilitation band with a strap on the end that goes around each of the client’s wrists and ankles. The adjustable facilitation bands facilitate muscle manipulation and create a kinetic chain movement by adding resistance to the different positions the therapist puts the athlete in. In return, the therapist’s hands are left free to isolate individual muscles, break down scar tissue and release the muscles quicker and more efficiently. My invention and technique stem from my experience in sports massage and a methodology based in kinetic movement and active release. By combining the principles of static stretching with the different elements of sports massage, the Romero brackets increase range of motion and flexibility quicker than if the client was just stretching or just receiving a massage. Using terms like open and close allows the athlete to work with the therapist in changing positions while the therapist focuses on releasing the muscles. Ultimately, the Romero bracket with adjustable facilitation is a new modality that will decrease pain, increase range of motion and allow athletes and clients to return to their daily activities quicker.