Sports / Deep Tissue Massage

By Mark Cedarleaf

Sports/ Deep tissue massage is not a particular modality or style per se. Rather it is a blend of movements designed to help improve the physical performance of the human body.

Sports and deeps muscle therapy massage makes use of active movements with the client during treatment in addition to significant stretching to increase flexibility. Deep strokes are always done with a level of pressure that are suited for that clients’ needs, and are performed at a rhythym that energizes and stimulates the muscles, enhancing their healing and recovering ability.

More and more people are realizing that a complete exercise routine or athletic type activity does not just consist of the activity itself, but also care for the wear and tear and minor injuries that tend to occur with strenuous movement.

The physiological and physical benefits of massage make an ideal complement to a total conditioning program.

A good massage therapist suited for performing sports style therapy should have adequate understanding of anatomy and be familiar with the muscle groups and how they move. Also the specific stresses of each activity or sport.

Use of Ice and heat can sometimes be incorporated into the treatment session as necessary, as well as instruction to use such, following therapy or injury.

Sometimes it can become intense if there is need for targeting specific areas that have incurred injury. There can be use of specific techniques that are scientifically known to address conditions. For example “cross fiber friction” is where pressure is applied moving back and forth across muscle fibers to free them apart. Adhesions as they are commonly known are as the name implies, areas where muscle fibers, neighboring muscles, and joining connective tissue become stuck together and limit freedom of movement.

In essence this is what the majority of muscle pain is at its core, areas become stuck and cannot move, causing pain. Therefore manipulation of the tissue by way of massage help to restore movement and reduce, if not eliminate the pain.

Since this isn’t for everyone it is essential for a good therapist to be clear in communicating with the client what to expect during and after the treatment.

These methods are found to be so effective, useful, and necessary that it is now quite commonplace- that everyone from the “weekend warrior” to the active housewife, to the Olympic athlete receive this high level of therapeutic work.

It is indeed beneficial to couple comfortable, effective, consistent sports/deep tissue style massage with any activity in order to overcome muscular issues that would otherwise remain bound in the body causing reoccurring injury, pain, and imbalances. Nothing beats performing well when you are an active person, whatever your activity or sport. Massage helps to ensure that performance

SPORTS MASSAGE CAN:

• Reduce injury by relieving muscle stress
• Greatly improve range of motion
• Shorten recovery time between workouts
• Maximize oxygen and nutrients in the blood by increasing circulation
• Increase feelings of confidence and well being

And much more

BENEFITS OF MASSAGE
TRIGGER POINT THERAPY
SWEDISH MASSAGE
TUI NA
SHIATSU
THAI MASSAGE
SPORTS / DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE
ESALEN MASSAGE
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