The body is a marvellous thing, made up of numerous muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones and nerves that help us to function day to day, but without proper care even simple everyday tasks can become difficult.

Why should I get a regular sports massage?

The benefits of sports massage are endless and varied, so let’s break some of them down

1.Improve posture, movement and flexibility

Simple massage techniques aid in easing muscle tension which allows them to remain supple and more flexible. Sports massage works through the superficial and deep fibers of muscles, tendons and connective tissues which all have an impact on the range of movement you have available at a joint; by alleviating these tight areas in the soft tissue your movements are less compromised by areas of spasm and so your range increases. Healthy muscles and structures are more likely to do their jobs correctly and work harder to support the body as they are happy and tension free!

2. Reduce pain, stress and improve sleep

When a muscle is held in a tightened position for a certain length of time, the body’s nervous system begins to accept this as a ‘normal’ level of tension. Massage techniques such as Trigger Points help reduce this dysfunction by ‘resetting’ the level of tension. When these areas are treated, endorphins flood our body and calm our peripheral nervous system – these are natural chemicals released by the brain that help to relieve pain. Similarly massage also increases levels of serotonin, dopamine and delta waves in the body (these are the brain waves associated with deep sleep), so after a massage not only will you feel less pain, you’ll probably feel happier, calmer and have a peaceful night’s sleep!

3. Prevent injury and aid rehabilitation or recovery

Tense muscles are more likely to become injured or strained than healthy, relaxed muscles; a massage prior to exercise can help to increase your circulation and blood flow to the area and ‘warm it up’ in preparation for activity. As it has also been suggested that massage can reduce muscle soreness (DOMS) and decrease recovery times, it may also help you to keep performing regularly at your current level too. Furthermore, if you’re currently injured and unable to train or undergoing rehabilitation after an injury or surgery, then sports massage can be a great addition to maintain or improve the health of your muscles and keep you in check ready for your big return!

Patients may react differently to treatments but a sports massage therapist has a variety of techniques at their disposal to combat this to help guarantee that you and your muscles can relax and recover.