SPORTS MASSAGE THERAPIST
Take your health and well-being to new levels.
What is Sports Massage Therapy?
Sports Massage Therapy is a specific type of massage therapy used to help aid active individuals' sports performance and maintain their physical health. It can be implemented by Licensed and Registered Massage Therapists that have additional knowledge and training specific to sports performance.
The main goals of Sports Massage Therapists are to:
1. Help prevent injury of active individuals.
2. Help muscles recover faster.
3. Help muscles heal after an injury.
What is the difference between regular Massage Therapy and Sports Massage Therapy?
There are many subsets and types of massage therapy.
In general, regular massage therapy can provide benefits to the body, such as:
1. Increase in flexibility and muscle range of motion
2. Increase and ease of range of motion for the joints
3. Decrease of tension and pain
4. Decrease is muscle spasms
5. Calm the nerves and improve sleep for better overnight recovery
While some general massage therapy sessions may be more geared towards luxury and relaxation, Sports Massages are geared towards the points mentioned above, with an emphasis on physical function, movement, and sports performance. Therefore, the techniques used will be different.
Generally, in a sports massage, deeper pressure is used and there is a focus to prevent injury by treating trigger points in the muscles.
Who should go to a Sports Massage Therapist?
You do not need to be a professional athlete to benefit from a Sports Massage Therapist. In fact, this type of massage is great for anyone that is active professionally or recreationally. Utilizing this type of massage can help you do the things you love, safely, for longer.
What to expect for your appointment?
When you go see a Sports Massage Therapist, expect to fill out a questionnaire about your health and what type of activities you perform on a regular basis. This will help inform what areas your Massage Therapist should focus on. Also, they will want to know of any symptoms you have been experiencing, such as pain, tension, range of motion issues, etc.
Sports Massage Therapists use a variety of specific techniques to warm up the muscles, to find trigger points (also known as "knots"), treat the trigger points, and keep the muscles in a stage of recovery, rather than injury. Every Massage Therapist has their own style and specific-to-them technique, so do not expect every massage therapist to be the same or do the same things.
Tip: Feel free to provide feedback to your therapist, such as if something hurts or if you would prefer a change in pressure.
