Bobby Fox is not just the “massage guy”
And this is why. When most people hear the word massage, they often think of the “typical” spa or relaxation massage. The massage treatment that you’ll receive from the massage therapists at Fox Muscle & Joint, however—neuromuscular massage therapy, as it’s known—is far different.
How? On the spectrum of massage therapy and bodywork, neuromuscular therapy falls on the medical side of massage, and neuromuscular therapists are expected to have an above-average knowledge base of human anatomy and physiology. This makes perfect sense, given that these therapists are administering highly specialized treatments such as medi-cupping, bioelectric massage, cold laser, and ultrasound.
Bobby Fox, founder of Fox Muscle & Joint along with his wife, Fiona, were, one could say, “called” to do this kind of work; because they’ve both been patients themselves. “I was diagnosed with MS in 2002,” says Fiona, a former Silicon Valley based exercise physiologist and herbalist. “I was in a wheelchair and now look at me. Bobby has had a hip replacement, and he’s due for another one, so we’ve been patients before. I hear from our clients all the time that they think that whatever pain they have, well, they’re stuck with it and just need to live with it. That’s just not true. We’re both proof of it. I want our clients to know and really believe that the body is perfectly capable of healing itself if given the right stimulus in the right place at the right time.”
Bobby’s career in massage therapy began with a love of sports and believe it or not, marketing. “I finished playing college football and received my degree in marketing and graphic design from UT. After UT, I got into personal training and coaching. That led me to massage therapy and my return to UT in their NCAA sports medicine department where I spent nine years developing the treatment processes we now use here at Fox Muscle & Joint,” he says. “It wasn’t long before I found myself working with D1 athletes across the SEC, many of whom are now playing in the NFL.”
As for Fiona, she came to Knoxville and Fox via Nepal, where she lived for 10 years volunteering at the local hospital and orphanage, where she adopted two girls. During that time, she mastered the art of creating Ayurvedic tinctures, products that Fox now offers. “I create them and Bobby does the branding and marketing work. They’re hugely popular right now. Our clients love them and soon we’ll be selling them online.”
Bobby is quick to point out that he can’t overemphasize how critical the brand-building experience has been. Marketing, Bobby knows, can be particularly effective in attracting quality employees. “We do our own marketing, and that’s something that a therapist would never have to worry about; we will market them. I want them to come here, expand their skillsets, and really develop a different career for themselves.”
From higher levels of performance to post-surgery recoveries, from weekend warriors to professional athletes, Bobby and his team are highly trained in treating a wide range of individuals and conditions. “We have clients that are nurses, doctors and executives. We do see a number of UT athletes, of course. But, we’re also starting to see athletes from, well, around the world. We even have an Australian tennis player who stops in from time to time, which speaks, I think, to just how unique we are.”
9051 Executive Park DR, Suite 600 | Knoxville, TN 37923 | (865) 474-0074| foxmuscleandjoint.com