The benefits of Sports Massage
Posted on 4th July 2021 at 11:07
Many people who suffer with physical ailments are surprised to learn that they can actually be treated by a sports massage therapist.
You may believe that you have to be an athlete or sportsperson to be able to see a sports massage therapist, however you couldn’t be further from the truth! What separates sports massage therapists from regular massage therapists is a difference in techniques used during the massage.
Regular massage therapists usually only do light tissue massages, designed to make you feel relaxed, whereas sports massage therapists specialise in deep tissue massages, traditionally needed by sports people to help relieve sports injuries involving their muscles, such as muscular tension.
While this type of therapy is ideal for both professional and amateur athletes, you don’t have to be a sports person in order to benefit from a sports massage - a common misconception!
What is a Sports Physio Massage?
A range of day to day activities, such as sleeping, lifting objects and excessive exercise, can lead to pain and discomfort, examples of which include aches, feelings of tightness in muscles and acute pain when moving or using injured muscles or limbs. Fortunately, there are options available for treatments to help ease those symptoms.
One of these treatments is sports physiotherapy massages, or sports physio massage for short.
A sports physio massage helps to relieve pain and discomfort by massaging the deep tissue that conventional massages and other natural remedies may not be able to get to, such as hot water bottles or heat bags.
Sports physio massages can be used to help a variety of injuries, ranging from sprains and whiplash to back pain and joint injuries.
For those who choose to have a sports physio massage, they may experience a wide range of benefits, some of which are listed below.
The benefits of sports physio massages include:
• A reduction in muscle tension, muscular pain and discomfort
• An increased range of motion
• A decrease in muscle stiffness and soreness after physical activity
• A reduction in recovery time post injury
• Increased levels of relaxation and a reduction in physical and psychological stress levels
• An improvement in sleep quality
How Exactly Does it Help?
When you undergo a sports physio massage, your body starts to increase blood circulation around your body. With fresh blood flow, oxygen and nutrient content can be brought to the exhausted muscles, helping with muscle repair.
When a muscle tissue repairs itself, it uses a protein called collagen to form scar tissue. A sports physio massage can help to influence collagen formation within the muscle, leading to a more effective recovery that may reduce the risk of re-injury.
Alternatively, tightness in muscles often irritates nerve receptors within the muscle, which in turn leads to feelings of muscular pain and discomfort.
By reducing muscular tension, you will also see reductions in nerve irritation, muscular pain and discomfort along with an increased range of motion around the joint. These effects will favour improved sports performance and reduce potential for injury, which is why they’re favoured by sports people so much.
Seeing a sports massage therapist has many benefits, from releasing tense muscles to pain relief. It can aid both people with an active lifestyle and those who are experiencing muscular tension and pain through work related activity, lifestyle or injury.
The greatest benefits will come from regular treatments, especially for long term release! Help take care of your body and book a sports physio massage into your schedule today!
If you would like more information on the services we offer feel free to contact us today either via phone, email or coming into our practice in person! Alternatively, click the button below to book online today.
Author
Kath Birks
Kath has over 13 years experience as a massage therapist and is VTCT qualified. Initially she was trained in Swedish Massage before completing further courses in Sports and Remedial Massage.
During her time as a massage therapist she has assisted a large and diverse clientele including sports people, physios and the general public who enjoy being active.
Kath is passionate about the benefits of Massage Therapy - its role in injury prevention, rehabilitation and pain relief. Her goals are always to assist clients to achieve the best possible outcome for their health.
Outside of the treatment room Kath enjoys off road and distance running, swimming, going to the gym and baking.
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