When you pick up an injury or a niggle, what’s your first port of call? Most athletes will turn first to rest and ice, before they grow restless and seek something a little more proactive.
Sports massage is, contrary to popular belief, not just for athletes. It can prove highly beneficial for clients who have picked up an injury while partaking in other activities, including gardening and even simply working in an office. The motivation behind booking a sports massage in Chelmsford varies from one client to the next, but what never changes is the benefits.
What Does a Sports Massage Involve?
To understand sports massage and its benefits, you need to know what the alternative types of massage are and how they differ.
Sports massage is a form of deep tissue massage which aims to realign muscle fibres, flush out toxins, and increase joint mobility and flexibility. It is suitable for both recovery and prevention, working deep into the muscles to promote healing and minimise the risk of repeat injury. Most notably, sports massage is targeted and focuses much of the session on the problem area.
It should not be confused with straight deep tissue massage, which aims to work knots out of the muscles and improve the client’s circulation. Deep tissue massage is geared towards relieving tension and typically covers the whole body during a session. It is not something you seek as a remedy to injury – rather, it’s something that many clients factor into their wellness routine.
What Ailments Can a Sports Massage Tackle?
The benefits of sports massage include recovery and prevention. The deep and consistent work into the muscles improves elasticity and makes it far less likely that the muscle will suffer a repeat injury – while also flushing out the toxins which impede recovery.
What’s more, because sports massage is fairly proactive in its approach, it also increases blood flow to the targeted area. Continued treatment will increase and improve the client’s range of movement, again making it less likely that they will suffer a repeat injury while also decreasing fatigue in the muscles and surrounding tissue.
Finally, sports massage – like many other massage therapies – releases endorphins, which helps the client to feel relaxed and balances out any pain or discomfort they may be experiencing. This makes massage therapy good for mental as well as physical wellness, with most clients seeing positive and lasting benefits within just three or four sessions.
When To Book a Sports Massage
With the benefits of sports massage both immediate and long-lasting, we tend to find that athletes schedule their first ever sports massage following an injury – thereby unlocking the long-term benefits of regular massage.
To access the preventative benefits and to safeguard your muscles from niggles before they strike, we recommend regular sports massage to any athletes who want to optimise their performance and protect their body. The same goes for others who partake in different activities – with other types of massage available should the targeted sports massage prove too intense.
For more information and for bespoke advice on your needs, get in touch with us today.
