What is sports massage?

Sports massage is an effective therapy for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the muscular skeletal system.

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. Regular sports massage may help prevent injuries that might otherwise be caused by overuse.

Sports massage is designed to help athletes prepare their bodies for optimal performance, recover after a big event, or function well during training.

But you don’t have to be a sports person to benefit from it, as stress and bad postural habits can also cause muscle tension.

When injury to muscle tissue occurs the muscle fibres will often misalign themselves while healing and can cause a build up of scar tissue. This misalignment reduces the elasticity and contractibility of the muscle which means it will be put under more stress when returning to activity, and may lead to repetitive or further injuries in the same place.

Scar tissue can make the muscle feel tight and can reduce range of motion which leads to compensatory actions, poor technique, and further injury. Sports massage encourages the healing tissue to align with the muscle fibres and reduces scar tissue, helping you to return to full fitness.

Muscle imbalances may develop and often go undiagnosed until they are serious enough to cause discomfort or impede performance. Regular sports massage means variations in the soft tissue can be detected and dealt with helping to maintain a healthier physical state.