Sports Massage Therapy
Sports massage is designed to assist in correcting problems and imbalances in soft tissue that are caused from repetitive and strenuous physical activity and trauma.
The application of sports massage, prior to and after exercise, may enhance performance, aid recovery and prevent injury.
It is not just athletes that benefit from sports massage. Muscle tension, stress and fatigue affect the keen gardener, busy housewife and sedentary office workers.
A skilfully applied massage is the most effective therapy for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the muscular-skeletal system.
Received regularly this may help athletes prevent injuries, which might otherwise be caused by overuse. A constant build up of tension in the muscles from regular activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as well as the muscles themselves.
These build ups of tension in the muscles often go undiagnosed until they are serious enough to cause discomfort or affect an athlete’s performance.
As a skilled massage therapist it is possible to detect variations in the soft tissues and by using the correct techniques, help the sports person maintain a much healthier physical state. One of the greatest benefits of sports massage is in helping prevent injury.
Contra-indications for Sports Massage
There are times when sports massage could be detrimental rather than beneficial to you. The contra indications to massage are:
- A raised temperature, feeling generally unwell or presenting cold or flu like symptoms
- Open wounds, recent bruising, burns
- Tumours
- Varicose veins, phlebitis, thrombosis
- Cancer
- Haemophilia
- Infectious skin disease - Bacterial infections, Fungal infections, Viral infections, Herpes
- Diabetes - massage has the same effect as exercise on your blood sugar levels so you need to have appropriate medication available and check blood sugar before and after treatment.
