Sports Massage is the management, manipulation and rehabilitation of soft tissues of the body including muscles, ligaments and tendons.
The techniques used by sports massage practitioners have been developed to ensure effective and efficient results are gained from each massage given. The reported benefits of Sports Massage include:
Improve circulation & lymphatic flow
Assist in the removal of metabolic waste
Sedate or stimulate nerve endings
Increase or decrease muscle tone and length
Remodel scar tissue when required
Assist in mental preparation for sporting participation
Sports massage aims to improve the suppleness and flexibility of muscles and joints, improve blood circulation, speed up the healing of damaged or stressed muscles, tissues and joints, and prevent future muscle and tendon injuries.
A sports massage can be carried out prior to a sports event, when it will stimulate circulation, calm nervous tension and prepare the individual for optimal performance whilst at the same time reducing the risk of injury. It can be carried out after a sports event, when it will relieve soreness and assist with the removal of lactic acid and other waste products. It is often used during training, when the practitioner will focus on speeding up the healing of existing injuries and preventing the development of future injuries.
Swedish Massage
What is Swedish massage good for?
Swedish massage uses softer strokes on the bonier and more delicate parts of the body, and stronger strokes where there is thicker muscle coverage. This sensitivity to pressure makes it ideal for relaxation.
Besides the calming benefits, Swedish massage is thought to be good for:
reducing emotional and physical stress which aids relaxation
easing muscular strain by flushing out toxins
improving circulation by increasing oxygen flow in the blood
stimulating the nervous system
