Sports Massage
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What is sports massage?
Sports massage is a specialised form of massage, working deep into problem areas. It can be used to:​
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reduce pain from tight and sore muscles
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​improve blood and lymphatic circulation
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flush out toxins
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encourage the separation of muscle fibres to enables more efficient use of muscles and improve flexibility
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speed up recovery after physical activity
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minimise the risk of injury
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​Who is sports massage for?
A huge range of people can benefit from sports massage from those who are experiencing stiffness or a pulled muscle, to sports people wanting to avoid injury and/or speed up recovery. Sports massages will always be tailored to the individual.
What are the benefits of sports massage?
Benefits include:
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Improved circulation
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Reduced stress
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Better quality sleep
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Increased flexibility
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Reduced muscle tension
When should I have a sports massage?
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To target a specific problem area - in the case of sore shoulders, back, neck, calf pain, etc, sports massage can help ease the tension to allow recovery
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Before an event - this can reduce the risk of injury, particularly in areas which will be put under a lot of strain
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After an event - if immediately after an event, a lighter massage can release toxins. A deeper massage can be performed after the initial soreness has reduced
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Maintenance - to keep muscles free from a build up of tension, healthy and flexible
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Rehabilitation - following injury recovery, massage alongside physio can be very helpful in healing and restoring mobility as well as in aiding tissue repair and reducing inflammation
When should I not have a sports massage?
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Immediately after an injury - often an injury needs to settle down for a few days first
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If suffering from a skin condition
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Immediately before a competitive event to avoid sore muscles
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If you have an open wound
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How often is a sports massage needed?
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When training for a specific event, it can be worth getting some sports massages in the lead up to reduce the risk of injury and then post-event sports massages afterwards.
Professional athletes may have weekly (or even daily) sports massages but most of our patients would be seen fortnightly or monthly, depending on their needs as it's important to allow the body time to repair. Our massage therapists will advise frequency based on individual circumstances.
Our team of fully trained sports massage therapists, servicing Woking and surrounding areas, are on hand to help alleviate any aches and pains, stiffness and/or tension, helping to promote recovery and prevent injury recurrence. Book an appointment at office@hillviewphysio.com.
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