Sports Massage

Sports massage can play an important role in the physical and psychological well being of a sports person, as well as reducing everyday aches and pains. The benefits of sports massage are numerous and it isn't just for athletes, it can benefit anyone who feels tight and tense by releasing tension and restoring balance to the muscles, joints and nerves.
 
Our sports massage therapists here at our clinic in Bristol will target their sessions to your injury or tense area, they will look at the mechanical and physical needs of your body. Stretches and exercises are often incorporated in the sports massage session to help maintain the progress from your massage.

Please note, after a sports massage, it is common to experience some physical reactions. These may include increased blood flow and circulation, which can result in a feeling of warmth and flushing in the skin. 

Some people may experience slight soreness or tenderness in the treated areas, but this should dissipate within a day or two (Also known as delayed onset muscle soreness).

It is also important to drink plenty of water after a sports massage, as this can help flush out toxins and aid in muscle recovery. Overall, the physical reactions to a sports massage should be positive and beneficial for the body.
 
When should you get a Sports massage?

Sports massage helps relieve muscle tightness, therefore when an area of muscle is tight, this is the best time to get a sports massage. Tightness can be hard to determine in one’s own body, it can therefore be useful to see a Sports massage therapist to check how tight your muscles are.

Tight muscles can lead to injuries, so getting Sports massages regularly during periods of training, pre-competition and post- competition is recommended. If you are an active individual, Sports massage is a great way to decrease the likelihood of injury.

What is sports massage for?

Sports massage helps to relieve muscle tension that has been building up over a long period of time. Muscle tightness can build up for lots of reasons such as exercise, stress and work. Sports massage can be used to help relieve all types of long standing muscle tightness.

What can I expect from a Sports massage?

The starting point of a Sports massage is a physical examination of the area that requires treatment. Then a plan is put together explaining how Sports massage can help the presenting problem, the plan is comprised of what techniques will be used, the goal of the treatment and the frequency of treatment that is required.

The sports massage sessions themselves can involve a variety of different soft tissue techniques, the clinician will help you gauge the pressure that is being applied to help you get the best therapeutic benefit.

The session ends with the clinician providing home exercises and advice as to how to manage the problem so that care can continue at home to aid what is being provided during the massage sessions.

What is the difference between Sports massage and Deep tissue massage?

Sports massage differs from deep tissue massage in that part of the treatment time is used to give exercises to help relieve the cause of the tightness, usually at the end of the session. A deep tissue massage tends to use all of the allotted time for hands-on deep tissue massage.

How painful is a Sports massage?

Sports massage can be as comfortable or as painful as you like. However, to get the most therapeutic benefit from the session, we recommend aiming for a 7/10 on the pain scale when receiving soft tissue massage.

Remember that everyone’s experience of pain will differ, a 7/10 pain for one person may be different to someone else’s 7/10. This is why it is important to work with your clinician to find the amount of pressure which you both agree is suitable to get the most therapeutic benefit.

Do you wear clothes for a Sports Massage?

Your clinician will need to be able to access the area to be worked on. Therefore, if receiving massage for the whole body, then you will be asked to remove clothes down to your underwear. Though, if the sports massage is for a specific area, such as the legs, then you will only be asked to remove your trousers, footwear and socks.

Clinical gowns are available to use, you are also welcome to wear shorts, vests or sports bras where necessary.

How often should you get a sports massage?

Frequency of Sports massages sessions will differ depending on the requirements of the individual. Your sports massage therapist will discuss their recommendations for treatment frequency. Many factors can dictate frequency, such as severity, chronicity and how much sport you participate in.

Will a sports massage get rid of knots?

Yes, a course of sports massage is one of the best ways to release muscular knots, knots are particularly tight areas of muscle which can often be an acute source of pain and discomfort. Various sports massage techniques can be used to help ease out the knots.

There are other therapies available which can also help keep tight knots at bay, such as Chiropractic. Chiropractic compliments Sports massage well as Chiropractic can help release the joint tension which can also lead to tight knots.

How long should you rest after sports massage?

12-24 hours, Sports massage therapists will usually recommend that you rest from physical exertion following a Sports massage session. It is recommended to also drink plenty of water after a sports massage to help with the flushing through of the tissues after they have been manipulated.

Rest recommendations will vary from person to person depending on the area that has been worked on and the amount of work that is required.