SPORTS INJURY
Applying Massage Methods to Prevent and Manage Injury:
Sports Massage treats Muscularskeletal problems using various different techniques to help alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body’s soft tissues during physical activity.
A Sports massage is ideal to treat injuries and as well as a preventative treatment, dealing with the health of muscle and connective tissue, range of movement, tone, symmetry, balance of muscle and quality of posture.
Sports massage will benefit people in physically demanding jobs (occupational, emotional and postural stress may produce many similar characteristics to sports injuries).
Benefits of Sports Massage
- lymphatic and blood flow improved
- nerve endings sedated or stimulated
- muscle length and tone decreased or increased
- mental preparation
- faster removal of metabolic waste
- quicker recovery from hard training or injury
- micro scarring identified
- scar tissue remodelled
- muscle tension decreased and flexibility improved
- Reduce the risk of injury.
Techniques Used
When muscularskeletal problems occur there is a change of tension of the tissues. Tension increases around a trauma to protect and contain the damage. General massage techniques can ease the tension but sometimes with long-term condition this alone may not be enough to release the hyper-tension created. The following techniques can then be used to relief the pain/spasm.
- Frictions
- Neuromuscular Technique
- Strain-Counterstrain
- Connective Tissue Manipulation
- Soft Tissue Release
- Muscle Energy Technique
Pre and Post Event Massage
Pre Event Massage prior to training or competition to prepare the body for physical activity and extremes of exertion. This will enhance the effect of your own warm up.
Post Event Massage helps clear out waste and toxins from the muscles reducing stiffness and enabling a faster recovery from the event.
............. and breathe