Sports Massage is the use of a range of specific massage techniques and stretches to treat lesions and/or pathologies affecting the osteo-musculotendinous system (or simply put, to relieve muscle spasms and enhance mobility of joints). Soft tissue manipulation techniques are employed to relax, stretch or strengthen muscles, and advice on remedial exercises to further aid recovery from injury or enhance sports performance is given.
Regular massage improves flexibility, and range of motion of joints and muscles, as it releases adhesions and improves glide of muscle fibres. Injured muscles, tendons and ligaments require special care to allow them to recover slowly and fully. Fascia (a layer of tissue enveloping the entire muscular system) is also manipulated, as adhesions in this layer are often the cause of muscle and joint restrictions.
Sports Massage is not the deep-tissue relaxing kind! It aims to work specific areas of the body to address particular problems, so can be somewhat uncomfortable, but is very effective in dealing with injuries and chronic conditions affecting this system.