Muscles in Motion Massage Therapy

Located in: Rochester, NY

Shania Dzielak

Professional Licensed Massage Therapist

Personal Narrative

I began attending the Onondaga School of Therapuetic Massage in December of 2004. I was most interested with kineseology and myology, the study of muscles. I had no idea, I would find so much interest in studying the muscles and how they worked together. Suddenly I was combining my knowledge of coaching with my new knowledge of muscles and I had a whole new focus and direction.

Immediately, I knew that I wanted to continue coaching gymnastics and use massage therapy as a way to help athletes gain a better sense of their bodies through better stretching techniques. I wanted to help athletes reduce their pain and increase their performance using this new knowledge that I had been learning. One year later, I graduated and took my boards only to become licensed 3 months later in March of 2006.

Now, almost three years later, I’m glad that I looked into massage therapy. I’m still coaching gymnastics and I have my own massage therapy practice in Cicero, NY.

- Shania Dzielak

Professional Experience

Competitive

I began competing in gymnastics at age six, by age eleven I was traveling to Houston, TX for intensive summer training programs. When I was 16, I was sixth in the nation on balance beam at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. I tore a ligament in my knee when I was in High School and required reconstructive surgery if I was to ever return to gymnastics. Following a year of physical therapy and dabbling in the sport of diving, I returned to the sport I loved, gymnastics. My recovery was painful and difficult but I wanted to compete in gymnastics in college and without a brace. In 1996, I attended SUNY Brockport and won All-American on beam. The following year I was ranked among the top in the nation for Floor and Beam when I tore the ligament in my other knee. Once again after surgery, I tried competing again at age 26 and I won 5 gold medals at the Empire State Games.

Massage Therapy

I graduated from Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage in December of 2005 and was licensed three months later in March of 2006. I developed “Muscles In Motion Massage Therapy”, a sports and injury recovery based massage therapy practice. I have been in practice for 4 years, working with patients daily that have conditions like frozen shoulder, sciatica and arthritis. I have been gravitating back toward my roots of competitive gymnastics, offering clinics and workshops on muscle balance and injury prevention workshops.

Coaching

Sixteen years ago, I began coaching gymnastics when I was in High School, the following year I was the assistant High School Coach. I continued to coach club gymnastics throughout college and began a full-time coaching career upon graduating from SUNY Brockport. I began pre-school, recreation and eventually competitive levels 4-10. I attended USAG Region 6 Conferences and began coaching at The YMCA National Gymnastics Summer Camp in Hugenot, NY. In 2006, I was the Webster, NY High School Gymnastics Coach and choreographed 3 floor routines that competed at counties and one that went on to States. Since then, I have continued to choreograph floor and beam routines for High School and club gymnasts. In 2006, I became a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and began applying my knowledge of muscles to coaching. I gave a workshop at the USAG Region 6 Conference in Boston, MA in 2009 on injury prevention and muscle balance. I have been working at CNY Gymnastics Centre in Syracuse as a gymnastics coach and also providing sports massage to athletes. I am working on sport specific injury prevention program as a massage therapist and gymnastics coach.

More Sports

Shania competed in her first sprint triathlon last year in Syracuse, NY. She finished 31st in her age group at the 2009 Iron Girl. Shania continued training and went on to place 11th at the Sodus Point Triathlon in Sodua Point, NY.

Shania Dzielak competed as a level 10 All-American gymnast.