Sports / Deep Tissue Massage
A sports massage is a good choice if you have a specific problem, as more focus is generally given to a specific area.
You don't have to be a sports person to feel the benefits! Muscular
tension, stress and fatigue can affect all of us, whether we are
competitive or recreational athletes, DIY fanatics, gardeners, busy
housewives, or stressed executives.
Massage can :
- Help relieve that stress and tension which hinders the achievement
of optimum performance.
- Reduce the likelihood of injury during exercise.
- Speed up the recovery process and aid rehabilitation after injury.
- Ensure full range of movement and increase muscle flexibility.
- Improve postural and general body awareness.
Physical effects of massage
- Pumping - The stroking movements
in massage suck fluid through blood vessels and lymph vessels. By
increasing the pressure in front of the stroke, a vacuum is created
behind. This is especially important in tight or damaged muscle tissue
as a tight muscle will squeeze blood out like a sponge, depriving the
tissues of vital nutrients and energy to repair.
- Increased tissue permeability -
Deep massage causes the pores in tissue membranes to open, enabling
fluids and nutrients to pass through. This helps remove waste products
such as lactic acid and encourage the muscles to take up oxygen and
nutrients which help them recover quicker.
- Stretching - Massage can stretch
tissues that could not be stretched in the usual methods. Bundles of
muscle fibres are stretched lengthwise as well as sideways. Massage can
also stretch the sheath or fascia that surrounds the muscle, so
releasing any tension or pressure build up.
- Break down scar tissue - Scar
tissue is the result of previous injuries or trauma and can effect
muscle, tendons and ligaments. This can lead to inflexible tissues that
are prone to injury and pain.
- Improve tissue elasticity - Hard
training can make tissues hard and inelastic. This is one reason why
hard training may not result in improvements. Massage helps reverse this
by stretching the tissues.
- Opens micro-circulation -
Massage does increase blood flow to tissues, but so does exercise. What
massage also does is open or dilate the blood vessels and by stretching
them this enables nutrients to pass through more easily.
A full consultation will be given to assess your individual requirements.
