Sports massage therapy helps alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body’s soft tissues during physical activity. Where minor injuries and lesions occur due to over-exertion or overuse, massage can be part of the process that aids recovery and enables a return to activity.
Sports massage can also help prevent those niggling injuries that so often get in the way of performance and achievement, whether you are an athlete, an ardent keep-fitter or a once a week jogger.
Sports massage tends to be deeper and more intense than a relaxing therapeutic massage. It is based on Swedish massage and often incorporates other techniques involving stretching, compression, friction, toning, and trigger point response techniques similar to acupressure and shiatsu.
The massage therapist brings together a blend of techniques, knowledge and advice during the treatment to help achieve optimum performance, injury-free training and to minimise post event injuries.
Anyone can benefit from sports massage. Anyone in a physically demanding job or suffering from occupational, emotional and postural stress may have similar symptoms to sports injuries. Muscle pain and tension, strains and sprains, and minor day-to-day injuries can also be helped with sports massage.
Will it hurt?
Some sessions can be uncomfortable but you should be unable to tolerate the level of discomfort. If you have any concerns, let your sports therapist know so they can adjust their technique.
What should I wear?
You are very likely to have to expose the part of your body that you have a problem with, so clothing such as a loose top, tracksuit or shorts are ideal.
How long is a treatment?
A sports massage is normally 50-60 minutes.
Maintenance Massage
A regular massage treatment programme based on the therapist’s understanding of anatomy and the muscles used and at risk of injury in a given sport. By concentrating on particular muscle groups the therapist can help maintain or improve range of motion and muscle flexibility.
Event Massage
Pre-event treatment is used as a supplement to an athlete’s warm-up to enhance circulation and reduce excess muscle and mental tension prior to competition. It is tailored to the needs of the athlete and the event, and can be relaxing or stimulating as appropriate.
Post-event massage, is aimed at reducing the muscle spasms and metabolic build-up that occur with rigorous exercise. Various sports massage techniques can enhance the body’s own recovery process, improving the athlete’s ability to return to training and competition, and reducing the risk of injury.
Rehabilitation
Even with preventative rehabilitation, muscles can cramp, strain, bruise, and ache after physical activity. Sports massage can aid healing and reduce discomfort during the rehabilitation process.