Sports Massage

Sports massage demonstration videos

A regular sports massage can help prevent injury by maintaining the muscles in better condition. A good massage therapist can identify lumps, bumps and knots in the muscle which are potential weak points and if left untreated may lead to injury. Here we demonstrate a number of simple sports massage techniques for various areas of the body....massage video

Benefits of Sports Massage

Sports massage should play an important part in the life of any sportsman or woman whether they are injured or not. Massage is essential for optimum treatment of certain injuries. The benefits are physical, physiological and psychological.....benefits of massage

Contraindications of sports massage

When is sports massage dangerous? What conditions prevent you from having massage. It may seem a simple thing but massage performed to the wrong person at the wrong time can make sports injuries worse, cause damage to health or worse! Check out in more detail contraindications to massage.

Professionalism and Ethics

There are certain standards of behaviour and attitude that should be expected from your sports massage therapist. We lay out some basic guidelines to expect if you are visiting a massage therapist....professionalism and massage.

Specific Massage for specific injuries

Sports massage can be used to treat specific injuries. Click below for more information.

• Massage for shin splints
  
  
• Massage for plantar fasciitis
  
  
• Massage for ankle sprains
  
  
• Massage for hamstring strains
  
  
• Massage for groin strains

Massage FAQ

How is Sports Massage different from other types of therapeutic massage?

• The basic techniques in sports massage can be the same as the basic techniques in any other forms of therapeutic massage.
• In sports massage the therapist may apply the techniques more firmly and deeper than a general massage therapist might.
• The sports massage therapist may also make more use for frictioning techniques which involves applying deep pressure to tissues repeatedly to break down adhesions (sticky bits on tendons) and soften scar tissue.
• Some sports massage techniques are designed to reduce an injury back to its acute stage in order to trigger the bodies natural healing response.

• Some forms of massage are very superficial. The term 'skin polisher' has been known to be used. A superficial massage can be very relaxing, particularly when applied with aromatherapy oils.
• A sports massage needs to be applied deeper to manipulate muscle tissue more effectively. This can induce a deeper relaxation although at the time some techniques (not all) may border on the uncomfortable.
• However, the important point is massage should not be so painful that it causes the patient to tighten up or tense with pain. Some techniques need to be applied deeply (requiring a therapist with strong thumbs) but not so deep that the muscles tense up. This is pointless and of little benefit as the therapist is working against the body not with the body.

Before having a massage (or giving a massage) your therapist should check to see if the client has and contraindications. A contraindication is simply somethat the means you should not be given a massage or it could be seriously harmful. Contraindications include:

• Open wounds
• Muscle ruptures
• Tendon ruptures
• Contusions
• Burns, Chilblains and Broken bones
• Periostitis
• Rheuatoid Arthritis and Gout
• Bursitis
• Myositis ossificans
• Infections of the skin and soft tissue
• Thrombosis
• Artificial blood vessels
• Bleeding disorders such as heamophillia
• Tumours
• Absolutely anything else you are not sure of