Sports massage

Sports massage was developed to help athletes prepare their bodies for optimal performance, recover after a big event, or function well during training. However, contrary to what the name suggests, you don't have to be an athlete to benefit from sports massage. Sports massage emphasizes prevention and healing of injuries to the muscles and tendons and can be beneficial for people with injuries, chronic pain or restricted range of motion.

In sports massage we concentrate on a specific problem area that you present, usually associated with some sort of sports activity, such as running, tennis, or golf.

Steph will use a variety of techniques to achieve the desired goal.

There are four types of sports massages:

Pre-event sports massage: a short, stimulating massage 15-45 minutes before the event. It is directed toward the parts of the body that will be involved in the exertion.

Post-event sports massage: given within an hour or two of the event, to normalize the body's tissues.

Restorative sports massage: given during training to allow the athlete to train harder and with less injury.

Rehabilitative sports massage: aimed at alleviating pain due to injury and returning the body to health.

When to Get a Sports Massage

A sports massage is a good choice if you have a specific problem—a tender knee from running, for instance. It is also a good idea to see a movement therapist, who can help you identify and correct the movement pattern that might be causing your injury in the first place. The therapist generally focuses in on the problem area—a frozen shoulder or pulled hamstring, for instance—rather than giving you a full-body massage.