Sports Massage
At Prime Therapy Clinic we offer massage as a stand-alone treatment or to work alongside your Chiropractic care.
Sports massage is not just for the athletes out there, in today’s hectic lives many of us find ourselves suffering from tight, aching, painful muscles. Carrying heavy shopping bags, sitting at a desk daily, or driving for long hours can have a physical effect on the body.
Massage can be a great benefit to those suffering from tight and sore muscles and can be focussed on one particular area or can incorporate the whole body (neck, shoulders, back, glutes, legs, arms)
How does massage work?
Massage introduces physiological changes in the body through two main responses;
- Relaxation
- Mechanical changes
Relaxation
Massage calms your breathing, slows your heart rate and boosts levels of Serotonin
Serotonin has a positive impact on our emotions and feelings, creating a feeling of well-being during and after a massage.
Mechanical response
The manual manipulation in massage therapy has 2 major effects on the body;
1. Increases blood and lymph flow
– Results in an improved supply of oxygen and nutrients to the cells
– Improves tissue function
– Improves elimination of waste products
2. Relaxation of soft tissue (including tendons, muscle, ligaments and connective tissue)
Benefits of massage
- Relieves muscle pain and tension.
- Reduces heart rate.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Reduces recovery time after an injury.
- Reduces anxiety
- Improves mood.
- Increases blood flow throughout the body, bringing vital oxygen and nutrients all over.
- Improves connective tissue healing, which promotes muscle elasticity.
- Stabilizes cortisol levels (a stress hormone, similar to adrenaline).
- Improves muscle flexibility, which reduces and prevents injury.
How Does It Work? Techniques
Some of the same strokes are used as classic massage therapy, but the movement is slower and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on areas of tension and pain in order to reach the sub-layer of muscles and the fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles).
The therapist will use a range of different techniques, building the pressure and may use the fingers, hands, arms and elbow.
- 1 Hour – focusing on one particular troublesome area, or use the time to treat the whole body.
- 30 Minute – suitable for treating one area e.g. back (including neck and shoulders) or legs
General Sports Massage
This is ideal for those who are looking for the benefits of a massage to help them reduce pain in the muscles and promote relaxation.
It can be used to combat the stresses put on our bodies by everyday life, but is also really useful to sports men and women who want to keep in the best condition, recover quickly after training and reduce the risk of injury.
They can be booked as a one off treatment, although many choose to attend regularly to maintain the benefits over time.
Pre event massage
Ideally this appointment should be scheduled 48-72 hours before a sporting event. It is recommended that you have a massage previous to this to check your response and prevent the risk of event day soreness.
Post event massage
Many people book a post event massage as soon as possible afterward; however it will also depend how sore the muscles are. It may be that in order to gain the most benefit, it is better to wait a few days when things are slightly less tender.
How Fast Will I Get Results?
It’s important to be realistic about what one deep tissue massage can achieve. Undoing chronic knots and tension built up over a period of years is more likely to be eased during a regular program of massage, although almost instant relief to a certain degree would be expected after one session.
What to expect during your appointment
At the beginning of the appointment the massage therapist will talk through your medical history and firstly rule out any reasons why you shouldn’t have a massage. These may include, but are not limited to :
- Being in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy
- Having suffered from a deep vein thrombosis or other serious medical condition
- If you are feeling unwell
- If you have an infectious skin condition
They will then discuss with you your reasons for attending, for example, do you want a Sports Massage to focus on a particular painful area or are you looking for help with recovery from a more rigorous exercise routine or sporting event?
A routine will be formulated to target certain muscle groups in order to get the most benefit.
The massage therapist will then leave the room to allow you to get undressed. There is no need to wear anything specific for your appointment, we have shorts available.
During the massage the therapist will regularly check that you are happy with the pressure being used. Certain areas, where the muscles are tight will feel more tender, but it does not have to be really painful in order for you to feel the benefits.
It is helpful to give plenty of feedback to the therapist, in order to get the most out of your massage.
After the treatment you may experience some redness or soreness, this is completely normal and should disappear within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Book an appointment
Call the clinic on 01476 501301 to book an appointment. Alternatively you can book online here