Sports Massage/ Soft Tissue Therapy

What is massage therapy?

Massage/soft tissue therapy is a hands-on treatment targeting the superficial and deep layers of your soft tissues (muscles and connective tissues). It can help to improve blood and lymphatic flow, desensitise the nervous system, release specific areas of tension and restore normal movement to your tissues. 
Pressure is applied using palms, thumbs, fingers, knuckles, forearms or elbows. The main techniques used are effleurage, petrissage, compression and tapotement and treatments are always tailored to the individual's specific needs.

Is massage therapy for me?

Massage/soft tissue therapy is benefi­­cial if you suffer with stiffness and tension in your muscles and soft tissues. Many athletes utilise the benefits of soft tissue techniques to help them recover after heavy training sessions or to prepare their bodies for competition. However, the techniques are appropriate for everyone, and can be very effective in relieving the stresses and strains that the body accumulates during everyday life. It is a good idea to deal with such tensions at an early stage as they can go on to lead to secondary movement problems if they are not addressed.
N.B. Please note that if you have a specific injury it is important to get a physiotherapy assessment first to ensure that massage/soft tissue therapy will be the most effective option for your particular issue.  

What to expect

We will complete a short assessment so that we can tailor our approach to your specific needs. After this, various soft tissue techniques will be used depending on your needs and preferences. Effleurage involves application of constant pressure through flowing stroking movements. When using petrissage we will also apply gentle torsion to the tissues. Compressions are used to apply specific point pressure to tendons and areas of deep or superficial tension (often called trigger points). Finally, if appropriate, the percussive technique of tapotement can be used either to heighten or dampen the nervous system.
We are also trained in various other forms of soft tissue treatment, and so we are able to incorporate these techniques where they may be more effective. These techniques include Myofascial Release (MFR), Trigger Point Release (TPR), Acupressure, Active Release Technique (ART), Specific Soft Tissue Massage (SSTM) and Thai Yoga Massage (TYM).