Sports Massage in Sarasota That Keeps You Moving
Every sport asks something different of your body.
Runners, golfers, tennis and pickleball players, cyclists, paddlers, over time, the same movements are repeated again and again. Your muscles adapt, your body compensates, and before long, those movement patterns can lead to tightness, restrictions, and soreness that don’t always go away with rest alone.
That’s where sports massage can make a real difference.
Before your session even begins, we’ll talk about your activity, your training, what’s been bothering you, and what you’re working toward. As we talk, I’m already beginning to build your session. I’m listening for patterns, connecting the pieces, and deciding which techniques will best support your body that day.
My goal isn’t simply to help you feel better for an afternoon.
It’s to help your body move more comfortably, recover more efficiently, and support the activities you love for the long run.
Sports massage is one of several Bodywork & Massage Therapy hub ways I work with active bodies here in Sarasota.
How I actually work on an athlete
One of the questions I hear most often is, “Do you work deep?”
The answer is yes, when that’s what your body needs.
To me, pressure isn’t the goal.
Understanding why your body is holding tension is.
A runner’s tight IT band isn’t the same as a swimmer’s cranky shoulder or a golfer’s restricted rotation. They may all feel tight, but they don’t all need the same approach.
Before your session, we’ll talk about your activity, your training, how your body has been feeling, and whether you’re preparing for an event, recovering from one, or simply trying to stay active without pain.
That conversation is where your session begins to take shape.
From there, I choose the techniques that best support your body that day. Some sessions call for deeper, more focused work. Others benefit from slower techniques that help calm the nervous system before working more directly into the tissue.
Knowing the difference comes from experience, training, and listening to what your body is telling us.
I’m dual-licensed in Florida as both a massage therapist and facial specialist, with advanced training in Myofascial Release, CranioSacral Therapy, Spinal Flow Technique, and Brazilian Lymphatic Massage. Before entering this profession, I spent years in healthcare as a Certified Nursing Assistant and later as a phlebotomist in hospital and laboratory settings. That clinical foundation continues to influence how I assess movement, recognize patterns, and personalize every session.
My years at The Ritz-Carlton taught me something just as important: how you feel while you’re receiving care matters just as much as the treatment itself.
Clinical knowledge.
A personalized experience.
Genuine compassion.
That’s what I hope you feel every time you walk through my door.
Above all, my promise is simple. I want you to feel safe, respected, and genuinely cared for. No rushing, no pressure, and no judgment, just thoughtful care that’s built around you.
What sports massage actually does for active bodies
When you ask your body to do the same movements over and over again, it adapts. That’s a good thing, until those movement patterns begin creating tightness, restrictions, or soreness that starts affecting how you move.
Sports massage helps support healthy circulation, improve tissue mobility, and encourage recovery so your body can keep doing the things you enjoy. It can also help calm an overworked nervous system, allowing your muscles to let go instead of staying in a constant state of tension.
You don’t have to be a competitive athlete to benefit from sports massage.
If you enjoy running the Legacy Trail, playing pickleball, golfing, cycling, tennis, strength training, kayaking, or simply living an active lifestyle, this treatment is designed with you in mind.
Sports massage may help:
Ease tension in overworked muscles such as the hips, glutes, calves, shoulders, and forearms
Improve mobility and range of motion
Support recovery after training, competition, or other physical activity
Reduce post-exercise soreness and stiffness
Help your body recover so you can continue doing the activities you love
The American Massage Therapy Association recognizes sports massage as a valuable way to help reduce post-exercise soreness and support recovery.
For me, the greatest benefit comes from building the session around your body and the way you move. Every sport leaves a different signature, and every session is tailored to support those unique movement patterns.
Your sport leaves a signature, and I read it
One of the things I enjoy most about working with active people is seeing how every sport leaves its own signature on the body.
Here in Sarasota, I work with runners, golfers, pickleball and tennis players, cyclists, paddlers, swimmers, and people who simply enjoy staying active. Over time, each activity creates its own movement patterns, and those patterns often show me where your body has been working the hardest.
Golfers, tennis, and pickleball players often develop tightness through one shoulder, one hip, and one side of the back because they’re repeating the same swing over and over again.
Runners and cyclists tend to carry it through the hip flexors, quads, calves, and IT bands. Many don’t realize how much those patterns affect the low back until they finally slow down.
Paddlers and swimmers often become tight through the chest, shoulders, and forearms from spending so much time reaching and pulling.
One pattern I see across almost every activity is a body that’s been pulled forward. Whether it’s from your sport, your work, or everyday life, the chest gradually tightens, the shoulders round forward, and taking a deep breath becomes harder than it should be.
That’s one of the reasons many of my clients look forward to my signature chest-opening stretch. Using gentle work through the sternum and pectoral muscles, I help encourage the front of the body to soften and open again. People often tell me they leave standing a little taller, breathing a little deeper, and feeling more open than when they arrived.
Knowing how different activities shape the body helps me personalize your session from the very beginning. Instead of treating where it hurts, I’m looking at the movement patterns that may have contributed to it, so we can support your body in a more thoughtful way.
What a session with me looks like
Before your first visit, you’ll complete a health intake form. Then we’ll spend a few minutes talking about your activity, your training, how your body has been feeling, and what you’re hoping to accomplish.
That’s where your session really begins.
As we talk, I’m already listening for patterns and beginning to build your treatment. Whether you’re preparing for an event, recovering from one, or simply trying to stay active without pain, every session is tailored to what your body needs that day.
I usually begin by warming the larger muscle groups before focusing on the areas that need more specific attention. Depending on what your body is asking for, I may incorporate focused massage techniques, stretching, myofascial release, or other approaches to help improve mobility, support recovery, and restore comfortable movement.
Throughout your session, I’ll check in about pressure and comfort. My goal isn’t simply to work deeper, it’s to work smarter. The most effective treatment is one that’s matched to your body, not measured by how intense it feels.
Whenever it’s appropriate, I love to incorporate my signature chest-opening stretch. Using gentle work through the sternum and pectoral muscles, I help release the rounded-forward posture that so many active people develop over time. Clients often tell me they leave standing a little taller, breathing a little deeper, and feeling more open.
The little things matter, too.
The room temperature.
The table warmer.
The music.
The face cradle.
Those aren’t extras, they’re part of creating an environment where your body can truly relax and recover.
My studio, located near the Rosemary District in downtown Sarasota, is intentionally quiet and unhurried. I leave breathing room between appointments because recovery shouldn’t feel rushed, and neither should you.
Before your event, after it, and everything in between
Whether you’re preparing for an event, recovering afterward, or simply trying to stay active and feeling your best, sports massage can support your body at every stage.
Preparing for an event
Before a race, tournament, match, or competition, the focus is usually on helping your body move well. Sessions are often lighter and designed to encourage mobility, healthy circulation, and ease of movement without leaving you feeling overworked.
Recovering afterward
After your event, your body has a different job to do. Recovery sessions focus on easing muscle tension, supporting healthy circulation, and helping your body recover from the demands you’ve placed on it. The timing varies from person to person, depending on the event and how your body is feeling.
Staying ahead of tightness
You don’t have to wait until something hurts.
Regular maintenance sessions can help address the restrictions that gradually build with training, work, and everyday life. Many active clients find that scheduling every two to four weeks helps them recover more comfortably and continue enjoying the activities they love.
If your body is feeling swollen, heavy, or puffy rather than simply sore, your lymphatic system may need more support than your muscles do. In that case Manual Lymphatic Drainage or Brazilian Lymphatic Massage may be a better fit.
If you’re not sure which approach is right for you, just tell me what’s been going on. I’d much rather help you choose the session that’s going to best support your body than have you guess from a menu.
Getting ready for your first session
There’s not much you need to do before you arrive.
Drink plenty of water the day before and the morning of your appointment. If you’re coming straight from a run, a workout, or a game, give yourself a little time to cool down before your session so your body has a chance to settle.
Wear whatever you’re comfortable in, and take a moment to think about how your body has been feeling. Even an old injury, like that ankle you sprained a couple of years ago, can still influence the way your hips, knees, or back move today. The more I understand about your history, the better I can personalize your session.
A few other simple tips can help:
Stay well hydrated.
Avoid eating a heavy meal right before your appointment.
Go easy on heavy lotions or oils before you come in.
If possible, don’t schedule an intense workout immediately before your session.
Most importantly, come as you are.
Whether you’re training for your next race, trying to improve your golf game, getting ready for pickleball season, or simply wanting your body to move more comfortably, we’ll meet your body where it is that day.
Ready when you are
Whether you’re training for your next event, recovering from one, or simply want to move with greater comfort and ease, I’d love to help, book a session, or Contact me first and we will talk through what you need. Either way, you’ll be genuinely well cared for, and I look forward to meeting you.
Meet your therapist
“Tracy was amazing. She took the time to listen to me and tailor my services specifically for me. She had great questions and follow-up questions to make sure I was completely comfortable and satisfied. I’ve had the craniosacral massage, spinal flow technique and lymphatic massage. She has a very relaxing setup and I wish I lived closer to see her more often.”
GT B., Sarasota, FL (Google review)
Tracy Bisaha, Licensed Massage Therapist (MA90791) and Licensed Facial Specialist (FB9776285) I’m the founder and sole practitioner behind Bodywork Elevated in downtown Sarasota.
My journey into this work began in healthcare, first as a Certified Nursing Assistant and later as a phlebotomist in both hospital and laboratory settings. Those experiences taught me to look beyond the symptoms and truly pay attention to the person in front of me. They also taught me the importance of compassion, trust, and helping people feel safe during vulnerable moments. That clinical foundation still shapes how I read a body today.
I’m dual-licensed in Florida as both a Licensed Massage Therapist and a Licensed Facial Specialist. My advanced training includes CranioSacral Therapy through the Upledger Institute Myofascial Release I through John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release Seminars, Spinal Flow Technique with Dr. Carli Axford, Brazilian Lymphatic Massage through the Josie Rushing Method®, and certification in the Emotion Code®, Body Code™, and Belief Code® developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson.
One of the greatest gifts I can give the people who trust me with their care is my commitment to keep learning. Every class I take and every technique I study gives me another way to better support the unique person on my table. I truly believe learning is a lifelong journey, and I never want to stop growing in a profession I love.
My years in luxury hospitality, including The Ritz-Carlton, taught me something just as valuable as my clinical training: how you feel while you’re receiving care matters just as much as the care itself.
A warm welcome.
A peaceful environment.
Never feeling rushed.
Knowing someone is fully present with you.
Those aren’t extras to me, they’re part of the treatment.
Today, those two worlds come together in everything I do. My healthcare background helps me understand the body. My years in luxury hospitality remind me that every detail of the experience matters. Together, they’ve shaped the philosophy behind Bodywork Elevated.
Bodywork Elevated | 330 S Pineapple Ave, Suite 101, Sarasota, FL 34236 | (941) 404-5871
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sports massage the same as deep tissue?
Not exactly. Deep tissue refers to the amount of pressure being used. Sports massage is about choosing the right approach for your body. Some sessions include deeper, more focused work, while others benefit from slower, gentler techniques. My goal is to give your body what it needs, not simply work as deep as possible.
How often should I get a sports massage?
That depends on your activity level, training schedule, and goals. Many active clients find that a maintenance session every two to four weeks helps them recover well and continue doing the activities they love. If you’re training for a race, tournament, or other event, we can also talk about the best timing for sessions before and after your event.
Should I get a massage before or after my race?
Both can be beneficial, they simply have different goals.
Before an event, the focus is often on helping your body move well and feel ready. Afterward, the focus shifts to recovery, easing muscle tension, and supporting your body’s natural healing process.
We’ll choose the timing that’s most appropriate for you, your event, and how your body is feeling.
Does sports massage have to be painful to work?
No.
The goal isn’t to create pain, it’s to create change.
Sometimes deeper pressure is exactly what’s needed. Other times, your body responds better to slower, gentler techniques before deeper work becomes effective. Listening to your body is always more important than working as deep as possible.
Do you work with my physical therapist or doctor?
Yes. If you’re under the care of a physician, surgeon, physical therapist, chiropractor, counselor, or another healthcare provider, I encourage you to continue following their recommendations. My work is designed to complement the care you’re already receiving, not replace it.
The more I understand about your health history and current care plan, the better I can tailor your session to support your overall wellness.