Date Published – 06/10/22 Estimated Reading time – 5 minutes 6 seconds.
Common Questions about Sports Massage, Answered.
Here at Durham Family Chiropractic, we truly believe in our multi-disciplinary approach to health and wellness. Supporting you with a more holistic way to manage pain, ailments, mental health, etc. Our highly trained team comprises experts in fields including acupuncture, chiropractic care, shockwave therapy, and remedial and sports massage. Sports massage has origins dating back over 3000 years, with a long history of supporting wellness and recovery in people. Some sports people contribute it to giving them an edge over their competitors. This is because of the faster recovery times gained from regular treatment. Our qualified therapists have extensive anatomical knowledge and training. This allows them to tailor each treatment specifically to you. In this article, we will answer some key questions about this.
What is Sports Massage?
Sports Massage is a hands-on treatment that manipulates soft tissue to help correct problem areas and imbalances in your muscles. It is a deeper type of massage than others, such as Swedish massage.
What is the difference between sports and deep tissue massages?
A sports massage is specifically tailored to your needs, such as a specific injury or problem area, whereas a deep tissue massage is more of a general full-body massage. Sports massage is also very popular for athletes and those with a very active lifestyle or a very physical job.
Do you keep your clothes on for a sports massage?
Each treatment is specifically tailored to your needs, such as a specific injury or problem area, whereas a deep tissue massage is more of a general full-body massage. Sports massage is also very popular for athletes and those with a very active lifestyle or a very physical job.
Who can benefit from a Sports Massage?
Many people assume that only sports people can benefit from sports massage. However, this is not true. Everyone can benefit from a sports massage regardless of activity level, age, job etc. For example, maybe you have arthritis, and you seek regular sports massage sessions to help ease your symptoms. Another example is you are hunched over a desk all day, spend hours driving or you are on your feet working 12-hour shifts. Think about the impact that this has on our bodies and how this affects our posture. Our car’s need regular servicing and MOT’s just as our bodies do.
For those of you who are more from a sporting background I’m sure you are already aware of the importance of regular maintenance massage sessions as-well as pre-event and post-event sports massage sessions. By keeping your muscles loose and injury free you are allowing yourself to reach your full potential, hit your goals and recover faster. Remember, a tight muscle won’t move or grow like a one that is loose.
What techniques are used during a sports massage?
Sports massage involves a wide range of techniques including effleurage, kneading, wringing, friction, hacking, cupping and also trigger points. The type of techniques used may depend on the type of sports massage you are getting done for example, different techniques are used for pre-event and post-event massage sessions.
What is pre-event massage?
Pre-event massage occurs before an event or competition. Pre-event massage aims to increase blood circulation and flexibility and get the athlete ready for their event. Pre-event massage is a short, quicker paced, specific massage treatment with only light pressure. A pre-event massage uses tapotement techniques such as hacking, kneading, beating, and pounding. A stimulating pre-event massage also prepares people mentally for their event or competition. A pre-event massage can also be a relaxing experience, and the closer it is to the event, the more beneficial it is.
What is post event massage?
Pre-event massage occurs before an event or competition. Pre-event massage aims to increase blood circulation and flexibility and get the athlete ready for their event. Pre-event massage is a short, quicker-paced, specific massage treatment with only light pressure. A pre-event massage uses tapotement techniques such as hacking, kneading, beating, and pounding. A stimulating pre-event massage also prepares people mentally for their event or competition. A pre-event massage can also be a relaxing experience; the closer it is to the event, the more beneficial it is.
How often should you get a sports massage?
The average person is recommended to get a sports massage every 4-6 weeks. For those with a more active lifestyle, it is recommended every 2-4 weeks; however, regular weekly sessions are recommended for those who are athletes or who work out 3-4 times per week. If it is a specific problem area you are receiving sports massage sessions for, you will be seen more every week until you start to heal and get better. Once you have started to improve, these sessions will be dropped down to maybe once or twice per month, depending on your recovery and dropped down again once you are healed.
What are the benefits?
- Reduces muscle tension.
- Improves circulation.
- Improves sleep.
- Eases muscle pain.
- Breakdown of scar tissue.
- Quicker recovery time.
- Stimulates movement of lymphatic fluid.
- Promotes relation and range of movement.
- Improves mental alertness.
- Helps with symptoms of sciatica.
- Helps with tension headaches.
- It helps ease symptoms of arthritis and many more physical issues.
How long should you leave between regular sessions?
It is recommended to leave one week between sports massage sessions if you are working on the same area; this allows the body time to heal before the next session. Many people, especially athletes get multiple sessions every week, however, these sessions will alternate. For example, in one session, the therapist may focus on the back, and a couple of days later, they may get another sports massage, however this time focusing on the legs.
When is the best time to have a sports massage?
The best time to get a sports massage is after training, either on the same day or the day after. I like to advise clients to book in a massage session on a day when they aren’t too busy and on a rest day as clients often feel sleepy after a session.
Whether you simply want to de-stress, have a specific problem area you would like to work on or you want to keep on top of your maintenance massage sessions, message us today and see how we can help you.
We hope we have given you some useful information and how it could help you. If you are interested in this therapy, or any other therapies available at Durham Family Chiropractic, please contact us. You can book a free review here or call to discuss your needs at 0191 375 7600.