About
What is Sport Massage?
A sports massage is a type of massage therapy designed specifically to prevent injuries, improve performance, and aid in recovery by targeting muscles and soft tissues that are under stress from exercise. Techniques include deep tissue massage, stretching, and pressure point work to help relieve muscle tension, reduce pain, enhance flexibility, and improve circulation.
How is this done?
A variety of techniques are briefly outlined below are used to achieve this:
- Effleurage (Gliding strokes) – Used to warm up the tissue and promote blood circulation prior to deeper techniques.
- Petrissage (kneading, wringing, compression, open c and pickup) – Used across fibre to stretch mucle fibres and breakdown muscle adhesions.
- Friction (small deep circular) – Use to target specific problem areas it helps breakdown adhesions and scar tissue reducing muscle stiffness.
- Tapotement (Percussion) – Used to increase circulation in order to invigorate muscle.
- Myofascial Release (sustained pressure to stretch connectie tissue around muscle) – Used to improve range of motion and aleviate muscle/joint pain.
- Trigger Point (direct sustained pressure) – used to relieve tension and refered pain caused by active trigger points.
- Muscle energy technique (mucle contraction against resistance followed by stretching) – used to lengthen and relax muscles as well as reduce stiffness and increase range of motion.
- Soft tissue release (passive and active movement of joints) – used to improve joint flexibility and reduce stiffness as well as increase range of motion.
- Lymphatic drainage (gentle directional techniques to encourage movement of lymph fluid) – used to reduce swelling, remove toxins and promote recovery.
The exact techniques used vary depending on the nature and location of the issue requiring treatment.