Sports Massage
My clients include: rugby players, marathon runners, tri-athletes, cage fighters, judo and karate players, footballers, badminton players, tennis players, golfers ....
In all types of massage, the therapist has specific aims in mind, and in Sports Massage I focus on the individual needs of the physically active individual. You don't have to be an athlete in the true sense of the word to benefit from sports massage. Maybe you have a physically demanding job such as a plasterer, waitress or childminder. Anyone who is very active can benefit from sports massage.
What can sports massage do for me?
- it maintains the body in general better condition
- it helps prevent injury and loss of mobility
- helps the body recover from exercise quicker, meaning you can train more effectively
- it helps restore mobility to injured muscle tissue.
- it may boost performance. Some have claimed massage could be as effective as taking anabolic steroids!
- it is excellent for reducing back pain and general relaxation
- it can extend the overall life of your sporting or work career
How is sports massage different from other types of therapeutic massage?
- The client doesn't just lie back and relax. Feedback is required on pressure and comfort and you may be required to move into a number of different positions so the therapist can focus on your problem areas
- In sports massage the therapist may apply the techniques more firmly and deeper than a general massage therapist might
- The sports massage therapist may also make more use for frictioning techniques which involves applying deep pressure to tissues repeatedly to break down adhesions (sticky bits on tendons) and soften scar tissue
- The therapist may do stretches with you on the table. You may remain passive, while the stretch is administered by the the therapist, or be asked to participate in the stretching process
Does sports massage therapy hurt?
- A sports massage needs to be applied deeper * to manipulate muscle tissue more effectively, therefore some massage techniques (not all) may border on the uncomfortable
- However, the important point is that the massage stroke should not be so painful that it causes the patient to tighten up or tense with pain. This is pointless and of little benefit as the therapist is working against the body and not with the body. A good massage therapist will always massage to "the edge" - that point between "ooh, that feels like it's working" to "ouch!!! I'm writhing on the table".
*Kindly note: pre-event and post-event Sports Massage - which focusses on preparing and stimulating the muscles for exertion and then flushing out and relaxing muscles after exertion - will not hurt at all and deep tissue techniques will not be applied.
To find out more about sports massage visit www.sportsinjuryclinic.net