If you take your body and mental health seriously then sport massage should be added into your life.

Gone are the days when we thought getting faster and stronger simply meant training harder. But that's not where it ends. If you sit all day at a laptop or computer, this one is for you too.

The word sport in sport massage is a misnomer. It does not only cater to the athletes but to those who live a sedentary lifestyle. We know that proper recovery is essential for increasing our performance, but we have not been told that we need proper recovery from sitting all day. This would be imperative for longevity as well. Sports massage can be beneficial for anyone engaging in regular physical activity, especially those which emphasize repetitive movement. But it is equally important for those who live a sedentary life. So what is sport massage exactly, and why should you try it?

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What is sport massage?

Sports massage includes different techniques that focus on manipulating the soft tissues of your body with the premise of releasing muscular restrictions so there can be a flow of tension across the body. Tension in and of itself it not bad, if anything it is tension that keeps the body upright. However, tension that is built up in a particular area will cause discomfort which we call pain. So as a sport massage therapist, it is our job to release certain muscles that are overly tensed, achieving an equal distribution of tension across the body (homeostasis).
 
However that is not all. A sport massage therapist will also be able to activate certain muscles which are inactive. This does require a higher certification as the therapist will perform muscle strength tests to ascertain which means muscles appear weak. A weak muscle is a tight muscle. By releasing the tight muscle do you restore its range of motion and as a result the muscle will appear stronger, almost like magic if you didn't know any better.

You will experience this muscle restoration as more stable, more balanced, stronger and lighter to name a few. Ultimately you will feel restored. It must be said that these results can be achieved in either one session, two sessions or up to five sessions depending on the severity of the client. Unfortunately our pains are never in isolation. We may have body pains due to emotional stress, work stress, chemical stress (certain medicines or the food we eat). So releasing the muscles in this case would be great but if we do not remove the source of the problem, the pain will only come back. So it is important to know the source of one's pain. This is something we can help you figure out as well.

As humans we take the route which is easiest. This could mean sitting in a slouched position because it requires less effort. Unfortunately as a result we develop certain compensations which in the short term serves us well, but in the long term causes all our aches and pains. Just as a car needs to be serviced every 15 000 km's, so does your body need to be serviced. However instead of changing certain parts, you activate certain parts. Your body has all the resources necessary, it is up to us to utilise it. One of the mediums we can do that is sport massage therapy.
 
The theory is that when you perform repetitive movements in your training, such as the continual flexion/extension pattern of ankles, knees and hips in running and hiking, you create imbalances in the soft tissues surrounding those joints. After all, there’s only so much impact a pair of the best trail running shoes can offset. Basically, your body adapts to the needs of your sport, but that can sometimes result in imbalance that affects your ability to perform other activities and day to day tasks. This imbalance can look like dysfunction, tension and even pain.

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Sports massage techniques

Though the goal is to get your soft tissues to relax, don’t necessarily expect the soothing, spa-like experience you probably associate with a Swedish massage. Sports massage is likely to be a bit more intense and deeper and you’ll keep most of your clothes on.

Sports massages focus on working the soft tissue with deep strokes and targeting connective tissue and inner muscle layers, which can help correct the problems created from sustained physical activity or compensation patterns.
Many first timers experience quick relief from their massage, and typically begin to feel some soreness a few hours later. This is common and nothing to be concerned about. The mild soreness from deep tissue massage is a sign of healing muscles that were previously tense before rubbing out the tension.

Sports massage can be utilised in many ways. For athletic performance, you can perform a sport massage as a warm up, immediately afterwards for recovery, for injury rehabilitation or as part of your regular training regimen. For the everyday person, you would use it when you feel your muscles starting to compensate.

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Benefits of sport massage

‍Sports massage can provide a range of benefits to support physiological function and well-being, and like any massage it may also have psychological benefits. Pressure on deep tissue can reduce inflammation, lessen scar tissue, and increase blood flow, all of which are great ways to promote injury healing and enhance performance.

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‍These are some benefits of sports massage:

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⦁ May help prevent future injuries.
⦁ Relieves existing injuries.
⦁ Helps to maintain biomechanical    function and balance.
⦁ Supports athletic performance.
⦁ Supports functional, pain-free everyday movement.
⦁ May provide psychological support for athletes.

So if you are an avid athlete or live a sedentary lifestyle, I would encourage you to seek your nearest sport massage therapist and feel the benefit of a muscular restoration. The process may be slightly discomforting. If so that means you had tight muscles to begin with and you needed such a treatment? The end result, you will feel light, balanced, stronger, stable and much more connected to your body than ever before. Book now and let’s get your body restored.