What exactly is Sports Massage?
Sports Massage is a style of bodywork that addresses the particular needs of athletes. Sports Massage is a special form of massage and is typically used before, during, and after athletic events, as well as off-season, pre-season and post-season massage. The purpose of the massage is to prepare the athlete for peak performance, to drain away fatigue, to relieve swelling, to reduce muscle tension, to promote flexibility and to prevent injuries. Sports Massage utilizes a mixture of techniques ranging from Swedish, Deep Tissue, Neuromuscular Therapy, Structural Integration (similar to Rolfing®), Myofacial Release, and Facilitated Stretching. i, many times, will incorporate much of my Muscle release techniques into the massage to help lengthen muscles. A constantly contracted and shortened muscle cannot be strengthened!   You'll notice some similarities to traditional Swedish massage..and some differences in the utilization of compressions, tapotement and the therapist moving your limbs in stretching. it does not just mean simply deep massage and you should feel invigorated or relaxed..never beat up. The final ingredient is a therapist that understands the demands that your sport has on your body, and how do address those demands with Sports Massage.

What are the benefits of Sports Massage for an athlete?
Some of the most exciting benefits of Sports Massage are: enhanced athletic performance, faster workout recovery, fewer injuries and faster recovery from injury, restored flexibility and range of motion, removal of lactic acid buildup, extending the overall life of your athletic career, reducing feelings of stress, and maintaining the body in better condition.

Will Sports Massage help my injury?
Yes. Sports massage is proven to reduce recovery time, sometimes dramatically, by shortening the time it takes for injuries to heal, and makes the after effects "better". Sports Massage reduces the swelling and edema associated with soft tissue injuries. After a serious injury, Sports Massage helps form strong pliable scar tissue instead of the usual random stiff scar tissue, so that range of motion and tissue extensibility are maintained.

A short list of benefits are:

• Shortens the time it takes for an injury to heal.
• Helps to reduce swelling and edema.
• Helps to form soft, pliable scar tissue.
• Maintains or increases range of motion.
• Eliminates splinting in associated muscle tissue.
• Locates and deactivates "trigger points" that form as a result of the original trauma.
• Helps get the athlete back into training sooner with less chance of reinjury.

Will Sports Massage really make me stronger or faster, or increase my performance?
Yes, in an indirect way. Sport Massage tweaks your body to a state of higher efficiency so that you can get an extra 20% more - more speed, more strength, more performance. Sports Massage breaks down muscle adhesions, relieves knots, increases range of motion, decreases pain, increases circulation, stretches tight muscles, reduces stiffness and generally reduces the negative after effects of hard training. This means you can train harder than you ever have before. You can excel to higher levels than you thought possible.

Will Sports Massage help me extend my sports career?
Yes. The prominent cause of diminishing athletic ability with aging is due to years of microtrauma from maximum exertion coupled with the cumulative results of old unresolved injuries. When Sports Massage is used on a regular basis, the effects of these traumas are lessened. The effects of injuries are overcome. The muscle tissues and facia remain supple and pliable much longer. The musculoskeletal system keeps full range of motion. Couple these benefits with the extra 20% performance that Sports Massage gives you, then the natural "slowdown" associated with aging is pushed back to a much later time.

How often should I get a Sports Massage?
That depends on several factors such as training volume and intensity, whether or not you have chronic pain or acute injury, and other factors. For some athletes, a weekly massage gives huge results. Other athletes only get an occasional Sports Massage if they're in pain.

The best way to reduce the effects of hard training is with regular Sports Massage. We suggest you try a series of 5 or 6 Sports Massages to see how you feel when the positive effects accumulate. Then you'll be able to decide how often you need a Sports Massage. However, it is a fact that even getting massaged once a month regularly has long lasting positive impact. Some triathletes are counseled to get more frequent massages while in their "Build" periods.

Will one single Sports Massage "fix" my problems?
Sometimes yes. If you have a tight painful neck and shoulder complex you can expect to come away from a Sports Massage experiencing a lot of relief, at least for a while. But it probably took you months or years to get that way...  It's not reasonable to expect permanent relief from an hour session of Sports Massage.

The effects of Sports Massage are very much like the effects of athletic training. Your first bike ride won't turn you into Lance Armstrong. But a consistent training program will turn you into a competitive cyclist. So it is with Sports Massage. Consistent Sports Massage can offer very positive results to chronic issues and painful conditions.