Sports Massage
Sports Massage is a broad term given to the management, manipulation and rehabilitation of soft tissues of the body including muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It is applicable not just to sports people but to anybody wishing to guard against or recover from a soft tissue injury.
I use a combination of Sports Massage techniques, Deep tissue massage and Myofascial release depending on client needs. The techniques used have been developed to ensure effective and efficient results are gained from each massage given.
Treatment aims to relieve muscular tension, stress, and pain, correct imbalances, and help release holding patterns, which often hold people back in terms of performance or day-to-day living.
I treat the whole body, not just the symptoms. So, rather than just focusing on where you feel sore/tight, I also assess/look to find the cause and/or contributing factors and treat them accordingly.
Overall, you should feel calm and relaxed after your treatment. Tight/ problem areas may feel slightly sore for a day or two. If you have a problem area, these can feel “uncomfortable” during deep work. What most describe as a “good pain”. Yet I will work as deeply as you the client are comfortable with.
Speed up repair and healing.
Improved mobility, range of movement and in turn posture and performance.
Aid recovery from injury, training loads or general work stress.
Help relieve aches and pains, relieve muscle tension and soreness.
General circulation is benefitted.
It helps strengthen the immune system.
Why Sports Massage?
"Sports massage for health and wellbeing, suitable for all." - Simon Griffiths
Sports Massage is especially effective in the treatment of minor soft tissue injuries. These are the most common (and neglected) of all injuries. These injuries often present as tightness/tension and/or pain in the muscles as a result of either:
An acute/sudden onset injury such as from a fall or muscle strain/tear from a specific activity, e.g. running or turning suddenly.
Or, as is often the case, micro-trauma builds up gradually over time from overused/repetitive movements or from being held in fixed positions for too long, e.g. computer work/ driving.
If left untreated, the fibrous tissue and adhesions created as a result of this micro-trauma can bind/glue one muscle fiber to another and other structures. This, in due course, can lead to restricted movement, possible postural problems, the feeling of pain and tightness and the onset of secondary muscle tension in surrounding tissues.
Injury prevention
Regular Sports Massage is great for injury prevention. As a skilled therapist imbalances and damage in muscle tissue can be detected early and corrected before a problem develops.
Pain reduction
Self-awareness – a client becomes aware of tension ‘hot-spots’ and can take appropriate action, e.g. regular massage, stretch/strengthen.
Faster healing
Deep tissue massage helps to break up the adhesions and fibrous tissue created by scar tissue as a result of muscle strain.
The benefits of Sports Massage Therapy can also help relieve the many day to day problems, repetitive strain injury, sprains, tension, fatigue, that everyone experiences.
If you want to find out how sports massage can benefit you, I would love to hear from you.
So whether you are experiencing back or neck pain. Or general muscular/tendon aches and pains/soreness. Feeling tired or stressed or just in need of a good deep tissue massage to help relax, recover or promote well being, then don’t hesitate to get in contact.