Barrow & District Physiotherapy
Sports Massage
PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES BARROW
Sports Massage
A sports massage includes a wide range of deep manipulative massage strokes. At Barrow & District Physiotherapy, a sports massage is often included as part of your recovery in sport, be it for sports therapy therapeutic purposes or as part of your sports therapy rehabilitation programme in Barrow.
Sports massage therapy techniques include the use of thumbs, hands and elbows to attain moderate to deep pressure of the soft tissues (muscles).
Sports massage techniques are used to target and isolate muscular strains and tightness. However, sports massage can also be of great benefit to those who are suffering from tight muscles as a result of occupational stress and work demands.
The application of a sports massage can benefit a number of circumstances and situations including:
-
Pre Event -
Post Event -
Maintenance -
As part of a training programme -
Muscular tightness -
Acute pain
Pre Event
Includes the application of vigorous and rhythmic massage strokes which can excite muscle fibres and help prepare you for physical activity. Pre-event massage can improve tissue flexibility, help to improve performance and reduce the risk of injury. Pre-event massage can also help prepare you prior to activity in terms of mental stimulation and getting you “into the zone”
Post Event
includes the application of slow massage strokes, aimed at relaxing the muscles, following activity and assists in the removal of waste products as a result of physical activity, helping in the recovery process. The cellular effects following sports massage includes an increase in blood circulation, which in turn can assist with the removal of metabolic waste products from the working muscles. Your Physio at Barrow & District Physiotherapy has considerable experience in providing regular massage treatments to athletes.
Maintenance
Can be used to reduce the risk of injury and in maintaining healthy muscles. This application of massage helps to reduce muscular tension, maintain flexibility, assist with cellular exchange and reduce stress and anxiety. Cellular exchange involvers the removal of waste products and helps support the deliverance of nutrients to working muscles. An increase in nutrient availability such as oxygen, calcium and iron can help support the health of soft tissue muscle repair and can assist in improving performance.
Part of Training Programme
Massage treatment can be of benefit when applied to tight muscles. Muscular tightness can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as physical activity, overuse injury, muscle imbalance, occupational or work demands or psychological stress. If left untreated, muscular tightness can cause chronic pain, limit your range of movement, reduce strength and reduce performance and overall function.
Muscular Tightness
Muscular tightness can occur due to a number of reasons such as physical activity, overuse injury, occupational or work demands or psychological stress. If left untreated, muscular tightness can result in chronic painful muscles, reduced or limited range of movement, reduced strength and reduced performance. The mechanical effects of a sports massage includes an increase in the breakdown / realignment of collagen fibres. The application of deep pressure can help break up cross-fibre adhesions within muscular knots and new scar tissues. This can assist with alignment of collagen fibres, to more of a parallel and functional fashion. Please note that with regards to old scar tissue or old muscular knots, there in insufficient evidence with regards to the re-alignment of collagen fibres. However you may still gain the therapeutic benefits associated with the application of massage therapy.
Acute Pain
Acute pain can take place due to a variety of reasons. Such as a new injury, inflammation or overuse. Massage therapy can reduce the feeling of pain through what is known as the pain gate theory. The pain gate theory suggests that a non-harmful stimulus such as, massage, can help prevent the transmission of a harmful stimulus, such as an injury. For example rubbing a part of your body after you have bumped into something can quickly make you feel in less pain. A gentle massage is known to desensitise what is know as the superficial “a beta” pain receptors and a more deeper sports massage is known to desensitise what is know as the deeper “a delta” pain receptors. All of which play an important part in the “pain gate theory” in reducing acute onset of pain.
PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES BARROW
Client centered experience
At Barrow & District Physiotherapy your sports massage therapist will deliver high quality client centred experience. Other benefits of sports massage therapy at our Barrow clinic include:
- Maximising performance
- increasing flexibility
- prevention of delayed onset of muscle soreness
- relieving tight muscles decreasing tension
- decreasing muscle spasm or cramps
- reducing risk of injury
It should be noted however that massage therapy is just of one a number of treatment modalities used in Physiotherapy, sports therapy and sports rehabilitation.
You will require an initial assessment first to ensure the correct and appropriate treatment and/or advice is available to you prior to commencement of the service offered to you