By: Zach Miller
Adam Cardona is the founder of Elite Healers Sports Massage, a reputable New York City-based massage therapy practice established in 2019. After realizing that traditional massage methods do not work for athletes, Adam understood the necessity of a consistent, science-backed approach to pain relief and athletic performance. As an athlete and trainer himself, Adam aimed to fill the gap between traditional massage techniques and the needs of active individuals, thus establishing Elite Healers. With its innovative techniques and personalized care, Elite Healers has become a trusted destination for practical recovery solutions and enhanced mobility. In this interview, Adam opens up on the behind-the-scenes of Elite Healers and expresses his plans for the future.
Adam, Elite Healers Sports Massage is highly regarded for its innovative approach to recovery. Can you share the inspiration behind its creation and how your journey in wellness led to its founding?
Elite Healers Sports Massage was born out of my deep passion for helping people recover from the physical stress created by their sport, recover from minor issues and major injuries, and move through life with greater mobility.
My journey in wellness began as a personal quest to understand how the body works and how it recovers to help myself and my clients since my early days as a personal trainer. Through my own experiences as an athlete, overcoming muscular fatigue and an injury or two, I realized that traditional methods of massage often fell short for an athletic person.
I wanted to create a space where recovery with massage wasn’t just a routine full-body spa massage but a personalized sports massage treatment that integrates science, skill, and personalized care. This vision, combined with a drive to deliver real results, inspired my founding of Elite Healers—a place where clients get the specific massage they need and ultimately feel restored.
The name “Elite Healers” conveys a promise of exceptional care. How do you define “elite” in your practice, and what sets your services apart in the field of sports massage?
To me, “Elite” isn’t just about creating the best sports massage —it’s about making sure the client knows we strive to provide high-quality massage with every visit. The word “Elite” is used to express the notable standards we set as a team. It means delivering results that go beyond expectations by combining advanced techniques with a deep understanding of the body’s biomechanics in their sport and day-to-day lives. What sets us apart is our client-focused approach.
Every session is tailored, with full intakes and tracking of your progress every visit in order to guide treatments that directly address the root cause of pain or dysfunction. We’re not just about temporary relief; we’re about creating long-term solutions and educating clients on frequency, as well as self-care practices so they can sustain their wellness long-term. At Elite Healers, the team’s focus is on professionalism, expertise, and unwavering dedication to client outcomes.
Elite Healers specializes in advanced techniques like deep tissue and medical massage therapy. Can you discuss the science and benefits behind these methods, especially for athletes?
Deep tissue and medical massage therapy are rooted in evidence-based practices that provide different outcomes for the layers of muscle and connective tissue. For active individuals, knowing how to properly use these techniques is game-changing.
Deep tissue massage helps release chronic muscle tension, improve flexibility, and improve posture by breaking down adhesions that restrict movement. It’s best to use this in the off-season or as an aspect of medical massage because deep tissue massage is not specific to your sport like a sports massage, which focuses on your sport’s muscles.
Now, Medical Massage goes a step further than deep tissue by focusing on specific injuries or conditions with a therapeutic approach to accelerate recovery and restore functionality. To properly recover from injury with Medical Massage, a person usually has to do a treatment series similar to physical therapy, coming in once to twice a week to help reduce scar tissue, improve range of motion, reduce inflammation, and promote faster healing over the course of a few weeks. This treatment method enables athletes to get back in the game sooner, playing the sport they love once again. Our methods are informed by extensive in-house medical massage training, ensuring every stroke has a purpose.
Are there any emerging tools or technologies you have integrated into your practice to enhance the precision and effectiveness of your treatments?
Absolutely. Staying at the forefront of technology is a crucial aspect of maintaining the “Elite” standard. We’ve incorporated tools like massage guns for targeted percussion therapy, which can help break down tough knots, as well as assist in warming up the muscles.
Cupping therapy is another method our team has added to our practice. It aids in loosening connective tissues, breaking down knots and scar tissue, and increasing mobility.
We’re also on the lookout for any new developments that might assist our clients. However, it’s not just about the best tools; it’s also about providing our licensed massage therapists with more in-house sports massage and medical massage education so they can be at the top of their game.
As Elite Healers continues to grow, are there any upcoming innovations, programs, or expansions you are particularly excited about? How do you plan to further elevate the standard of sports massage therapy?
Since day one, we’ve constantly evolved to meet the needs of our clients and improve the quality of our team. One of the initiatives I’m most excited about is launching specialized recovery programs tailored to specific sports and professions, such as running, golf, strength training, and so much more.
These programs will feature our massage therapy in-house educational workshops, which help our therapists understand the nature of each athlete’s sport not just from a massage therapist’s perspective but also with some of the concepts an athletic trainer would have on the specific sport, thus elevating the quality of each and every sports massage treatment.
Additionally, we’re planning to expand our online content, offering video tutorials and stretching guides to make our expertise accessible to a wider audience. You can go to YouTube, Rumble.com, or the video section of our webpage to see some of our helpful content.
Next year, in 2025, we will be moving into a larger space, and we look to double the size of our current team, allowing us to assist more athletes in their sports recovery journey. Long-term, I see Elite Healers setting the benchmark for sports massage therapy hands down. We will do this by integrating the best quality information and biomechanics research to further individualize and optimize every client’s recovery journey. It’s all about elevating the quality of treatment in the sports massage field.
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, nor does it replace professional medical expertise or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.
Published by Charlie N.
