SPORTS MASSAGE
What's a sports massage?
Sports massage is designed to help individuals before, during and after training. It is useful for anyone who exercises to prevent injuries, increase flexibility, and help with healing after an injury. "It's like a reset button if your muscles are tired and achy" SMART client.
Sports massage is specifically tailored to your specific sports, exercise, gym or life routine. It is not a relaxing form of massage and can often be quite strenuous. It works by stretching tight muscles, stimulating inactive/fatigued muscles and improving the condition of the soft tissue.
The aim of sports massage is to reduce the stress and tension that can build up in the soft tissues of the body during exercise or movement. This form of massage is used to:
increase endurance
improve performance
reduce the chance of injury
reduce recovery time after an injury
reduce muscular pain and discomfort
What to expect & Benefits
Before the massage begins, your therapist will talk to you about your health and lifestyle. They will ask you to lie on a massage table and will cover you with towels to protect your privacy and to keep you warm.
Sports massage does not have a specific technique. It depends on the training the person is doing and the nature of the injury or condition. It borrows from techniques used in other disciplines like Swedish massage, physiotherapy.
Techniques include:
soft tissue release: locking and stretching the tissues and muscles
neuromuscular technique: targeting trigger points in the nervous system to get rid of pain and tension
positional release: used to relax hyperactive muscles
fascial release: deep, slow kneading used to release the connective tissues around the muscles
You will communicate continually with your therapist so they can respond to how your body is feeling. You might feel some discomfort during a sports massage.
Always tell your therapist if you are in any pain.
Benefits
The benefits of sports massage is that it can prevent sore muscles after exercise (known as 'delayed onset muscle soreness). It also helps someone to exercise more efficiently and prevent some of the common ailments that go with exercise.
Sports massage may also improve heart rate and blood pressure, increase circulation and lymph flow.
Sports massage is often safe after an injury, although there are some injuries for which it is not suitable. This will be assessed at your pre appointment consultation.
If you are using sports massage for any health condition or injury, talk to your therapist, doctor or physiotherapist first.
Cupping
If you feel like you need a bit more tension released why not add cupping to your sports massage?
Hot Stones
Hot stones can be added to your massage for a deeper, warming and more intense sports massage.