What is Sports Massage?

Sports Massage originated as an advanced form of Swedish Massage. It is the therapy to go for if you are looking for a deep tissue massage treatment, that also treats sporting related injuries as well as eases specific aches, pains, restriction or dysfunction in the muscles, myofascia (muscle covering), tendons or ligaments. These can occur due to your exercise regime, work arrangements, stress, accident, injury, illness or disease.

Sports Massage can also release tight muscles that create nerve issues due to that tightness pressing on a nerve and causing heaviness, pin & needles, tingling, pain, numbness or lack of sensation over the length of the relevant nerve pathway.

To ease the confusion that often occurs around the term Sports Massage, and who it is suitable for, I have decided to also provide Remedial Massage for those concerned that Sports Massage is not the right therapy for them. Ultimately these two massages incorporate the majority of the same techniques, but in the case of Remedial Massage, also known as Therapeutic Massage, the treatment and advice provided is geared around non sports related issues. You can therefore be sure that are in the right hands! Due to this distinction only, the information listed below in relation to What are the main objectives of Sports Massage? list sports related objectives first.

• To loosen, flush and refresh your muscles pre and post exercise
• To help prevent injury when putting your body under duress through light to rigorous training or during intense sporting events
• To speed your recovery time so you can return to training more quickly
• To enhance your performance
• To help your body adapt when aiming to train more intensely or when changing the style of undertaking your chosen sport
• To provide you with general or specific information and advice which relates to your chosen sport or training regime on how to avoid or prevent re-injury such as useful stretching and strengthening advice and referrals to other highly qualified specialists such as Running Coaches or Pilates Instructors where these may be of use

• To reduce any aches and pains in your body
• To aid repair of your tissues post injury
• To reduce muscular tightness, myofascial (muscle covering) adhesions and scar tissue which restrict the normal functioning of your muscles and the range of movement of your joints
• To help your body cope with any exertion you might want to present it with including the rigours of long working hours
• To reduce stress, allow your body to feel lighter and more flexible and help you sleep better at night - especially if your pain levels are preventing good sleep
• Relieve any nerve sensations caused when tight muscles impinge (pinch) the nerves such as pain, pins & needles, excessive heaviness or numbness in the limbs
• To provide you with specific muscular related information and advice which relates to your current working arrangements, stress levels, accident, injury, illness, disease and/or a multitude of other non sports related activities which may have led you to seek massage treatment in the first place
• To provide referrals to other highly qualified specialists such as Physiotherapists or Osteopaths where these may be of use

Over the years I have treated individuals who have undertaken just about every form of sporting activity you can imagine. Some of my Clients are so dedicated to their chosen sport they work professionally as dancers or are competitive athletes, numerous of which have, continue to or are training to compete at semi-pro, pro and even at Olympic level. Many of my other Clients play their chosen sports to keep fit, for stress relief or for fun, whether they have a preference for outdoor sports or are regular gym goers, natural fitness aficionados, as well as yoga and pilates instructors or enthusiasts.

The main sporting treatment experience I have, as well as Clients I treat who are professional, competitive or non competitive athletes fall under the following sporting categories:

I also have a good level of experience treating Clients who undertake the following sporting activities: