What can Sports Massage actually help with?
It’s a good question and one I’ll try my best to answer here.
I’ve been working as a Sports Massage Therapist since 2014. I can still remember the message I received after treating a friend while I was studying. She had been suffering with almost daily headaches. We had released lots of tension from her upper back and neck and she messaged a few days later saying she had not had a headache since seeing me. This was the first time in months. I knew the skills I was learning were powerful, but at that time I didn’t believe my hands could be quite that effective. Even after all these years I am still often pleasantly surprised by just how effective Sports Massage can be for people. That’s a big part of why I love my work.
So here is a brief run down of the things I treat successfully on a regular basis.
Muscular tension. This can occur anywhere in the body and can be caused by vigorous sporting activities, tough physical work or even life stress. You know the kind that makes you hold your shoulders up around your ears all day long or clench your jaw at night.
Muscular aches and pains. These are often the result of muscular tension or tightness. Whether its your lower back, upper back, neck, shoulders, hips, glutes, knees or ankles that are painful, sports massage can probably help.
Joint aches and pains. If you suffer with aching joints massage can often help by releasing tightness and tension from the surrounding muscles. It also helps to mobilise the joints gently and encourage a greater range of movement. If there is some Osteoarthritis in a joint it has been shown that physical therapy (in other words Sports Massage) and gentle exercise are as effective as anti inflammatory medication in managing the problem.
Improving your posture. So many of the people I see are struggling with shoulder, neck or upper back pain which has its roots in the person’s posture. More often than not this is a result of long hours sat behind a desk rather than a sports injury. By opening up and loosening the muscles on the front of the body you can greatly reduce the problems on the back. Its all about restoring some balance in the tension between the muscles pulling us forward and those working to keep us more upright. Chairs, sofas, work desks and time on laptops and smart phones will all contribute to a poor posture and muscle tension.
Stretched, loosened, more mobile and lighter are just some of the words that clients have used to describe the feeling in their bodies shortly after a treatment with me. I use a range of techniques to loosen and relax muscles. Each session is completely tailored to the individual I’m working with in that moment.
What about after a treatment? Well, at the very best you’re going to see me for a session every week or so. It’s not much time to put things right and although each session can be incredibly beneficial, the real magic happens when you do a little bit to help yourself too! I don’t believe in long rehab routines (people generally don’t stick to them so what’s the point). One or two basic stretches done a few times a week can be all it takes to make a real difference.
I hope this has been useful in helping you decide whether Sports Massage is the right treatment for you. If you would like to know more then please do get in touch via the contact page.
Warm regards,
Lee
