What is Sports Massage?

Sports massage is a type of massage that involves the manipulation of soft tissue (connective tissue including skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia).

Sports massage is designed to assist in correcting problems and imbalances in soft tissue that are caused from repetitive and strenuous physical activity & trauma. The application of sports massage, prior to & after exercise, may enhance performance, aid recovery prevent & injury.

Sports massage is not only for those who are actively training, it can also help to ease tension caused by excessive screen time, stress and much more.

Massage therapy has been a documented treatment to enhance health for thousands of years and its benefits are accepted the world over and have been since its use in ancient cultures such as the Persians & Egyptians.

So how does sports massage differ from regular massage such as a Swedish massage?

The deep tissue massage will use a firmer pressure work towards the deep layers of muscle and fascia (the connective tissue that surrounds the muscles).

The aim of a sports massage is to break down and scar tissue and adhesions or ‘knots’ in the muscles, these knots can cause pain and inflammation, limiting our movement daily.

Sports massage will begin with a warm-up and then develop into soft tissue therapies (described on this site). Common techniques include stripping the muscle (gliding along the length of the muscle fibers and frictions (cross muscle fiber pressure to break down adhesions) amongst many other techniques.

What could Sports & Remedial massage help with?

You may be experiencing stress, muscluar tension, aches & pains or general lethargy. A sports & remedial massage could be the solution that you need.

There are a range of benefits to having a deep tissue treatment such as a sports massage:

Stress relief: Massage lowers Cortisol (stress hormone) levels and increases levels of Oxytocin, bringing the body and mind back into balance. It can also help with the physical symptoms of stress including tension in the shoulders and stress headaches. It’s all about calming your sympathetic nervous system and encouraging the parasympathetic to kick in!

Pain reduction: Sports massage can be used to treat chronic pain conditions such as lower back pain, sciatica, fibromyalgia, plantar fasciitis, rheumatoid arthritis and so many other conditions. Muscle tension occurs with chronic pain and can intensify the symptoms, massage can be a pharmaceutical free addition to your pain management regime.

Reduction in blood pressure and heart rate: The associated reduction in stress and tension will impact on blood pressure positively. Massage is also linked to an increase in production of serotonin which will make you feel better and in turn, lower blood pressure.

Breaks up scar tissue and increases your range of movement: by breaking up scar tissue there is a reduction in chronic pain and associated stiffness. Regular massage can help break up scar tissue and improves your lymphatic drainage, improving flexibility and removing toxins from the body.

Rehabilitates injured muscles: Sports injuries and day to day muscular injuries can feel tight and painful, limiting movement. Sports massage can help to stretch these muscles, increase blood flow and remove toxins from the muscles. Sports massage is a perfect addition to your rehabilitation process. It will also help with muscle fatigue, increases in biomechanical functionality and injury prevention.

Can aid digestion: Sports massage can help prevent digestive issues by stimulating the motion of the intestine, also helping the body to rid itself of toxins and increase in the release of enzymes which are essential for healthy digestion.