Benefits of Sports Therapy and Massage

What is Sports Therapy?

Sports Therapy involves the diagnosis of soft tissue injuries (muscles, ligament and tendons) and the subsequent treatment. These may include some or all of the following: massage, manipulation, stretching and strengthening programmes.

How can Sports Massage Therapy benefit me?

The primary purpose of sports massage therapy is to help alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body’s soft tissues during physical activity. This is where minor injuries and lesions occur, usually due to overexertion and/or overuse. Massage can break these down quickly and effectively. Above all, massage therapy can help prevent those niggling injuries that so often impede performance and achievement. Sports massage is also effective in reducing delayed onset muscle soreness also known as DOMS. DOMS can affect how quickly you recover to train again and is commonly felt as those aches and pains after hard activity.

Who can benefit from Sports Massage Therapy?

This treatment is not just for a professional sportsperson, anyone can benefit from sports massage. This even includes people in physically demanding jobs where occupational, emotional and postural stress may produce many similar symptoms to sports injuries. Sports massage involves the assessment of muscular dysfunction which can lead to muscle tightness or weakness. It can also assist in the breakdown of scar tissue after injury or surgery.

What is the difference between Sports Massage and Therapeutic Massage?

Sports massage tends to be deeper and more intense. It is based on the various elements of Swedish massage and often incorporates a combination of other techniques. These may include stretching, compression, friction, toning, and trigger point response techniques similar to those used in Acupressure and Shiatsu. The skilled therapist brings together this blend of techniques, as well as knowledge and advice to provide during treatment. This allows us to work effectively with the client to help achieve optimum performance or to provide injury-free training and minimise post-event injuries.