WHAT IS IT?
Massage is a natural therapy used to treat soft tissues such as muscles,
tendons and ligaments. It originated in China over 5,000 years ago and
was used in the first Olympic Games by the Greeks and Romans.
Sports Massage is the scientific manipulation of soft tissue for injury
prevention and therapeutic purposes. It helps to remove the build up
of general aches and pains and to restore function back to damaged tissues
following injury or trauma. The therapist uses their hands to explore
the tissues, find the problems and deal accordingly with the damage,
this in turn improves performance, endurance, prevents injuries and
loss of joint mobility.
The majority of people suffer with general aches and pains caused by
bad posture or work-related stresses. Sports massage is a different
form of treatment as it clears away any toxins present within the muscles
and encourages them to relax back into a supple state with the aid of
blood flow and lymph drainage.
Muscles have memories, they remember where they are generally tense
or injured hence why more than one treatment may be necessary. Secondary
tension arises as the body over-compensates for injury, tension or weaknesses
within the soft tissue, hence an over-use injury may be sustained elsewhere.
Muscle spasms can be problematic, they are generally a muscle contraction
that has failed to release as the muscle has relaxed, the spasm protects
other damaged tissues but can cause joint restriction and muscle tightness.
Sports Massage improves the relaxation and desensitisation of muscle
fibres that lead to the release of a spasm, therefore improving joint
mobility as well as lowering stress levels placed upon the body.
Minor injury is by far the most common musculo-skeletal problem and
if not treated properly and at an early stage, a minor injury can sometimes
lead to a more serious condition in the long term.
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