Not just for sportspeople, sports massage can help to release tight and sore muscles, promote healing and help you to avoid further injury in future.
We are a welcoming family clinic offering sports massage in blackheath alongside osteopathic treatments including osteopathy, cranial osteopathy and dry needling. We treat a range of conditions including neck pain, knee pain, shoulder pain and more, and offer full back pain clinic and sports injury clinic services in Blackheath.
Booking an appointment is easy using our online system, and if you have any questions simply contact us and we will be happy to help.
Sports massage is a broad term that describes an approach to massage designed for a therapeutic effect on sore or tired muscles. It differs from a spa-style massage in that the aim is usually to target specific problems or pain points in the body for the purposes of reducing pain or for improving performance, rather than simply to have a relaxing massage.
Sports massage can use a variety of different massage techniques depending on the practitioner and on the person receiving the massage. The practitioner will tailor the massage to your own particular needs, so for example if you are a runner with sore legs the massage might focus only on the legs, or if you have a sore back the practitioner will focus on releasing these tight muscles.
It is also possible to combine sports massage and osteopathic treatment and/or dry needling. At your first appointment, your practitioner will explain the best treatments for your particular needs and goals.
There are several benefits to sports massage, whether or not you participate in sports. Sports massage relaxes and improves blood flow to muscles, leading to better healing, better relaxation, and greater range of motion and flexibility. This can help to prevent you becoming injured or suffering other aches and pains, allow your muscles to function more efficiently leading to better performance, and promote an overall sense of wellbeing and relaxation that can help with sleep, stress, and improved performance both physically and mentally.
Sports massage also helps with trigger points, also called muscle “knots”. These are highly localised areas of tightness which may be sore to touch and which can reduce muscle function and make you more susceptible to future injury. An experienced practitioner is able to detect muscle knots through palpation, and know where and how to perform massage techniques to release the knot. Dry needling can also be very effective in treating trigger points.
There is no hard rule for when is best to have a sports massage. Some athletes prefer to have a sports massage a day or two after an event or vigorous training session, whilst some will prefer to have massage prior to intensive training. Some people prefer to have sports massage on an ad-hoc basis – so booking a session once they feel they are experiencing muscle tightness that needs treatment – whilst some people find a regular appointment is more beneficial to their overall health and wellbeing.
The best rule is to experiment, listen to your body and to any advice your therapist has to offer. If you would like to discuss further what might be the best approach for you, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Our skilled and experienced practitioners take a person-centred approach and are dedicated to helping you back to full health, whatever your age, activity level or health goals. Our osteopaths are fully registered with the General Osteopathic Council and Institute of Osteopathy.
Unlike some therapies such as Swedish or Thai massage, there are no particular techniques that make a massage a sports massage as it describes the general therapeutic approach rather than any specific techniques.
However, you can expect your therapist to use a variety of soft tissue techniques to release and relax tightness or muscle knots, including myofascial release techniques, trigger point techniques and deep tissue massage. The experienced therapist will know the best treatments for your particular case, and may also recommend incorporating other osteopathic techniques such as spine or joint manipulation, mobilisation, stretching or dry needling.
We are a welcoming family clinic in Blackheath, South East London, offering sports massage alongside other treatments including osteopathy, cranial osteopathy and dry needling. We treat the whole family, including children and young people, and can help with a range of conditions including back pain, sports injuries, neck pain and knee pain. We welcome everyone to the clinic regardless of fitness or activity level, and treat everyone from professional athletes to those with more sedentary lifestyles.
We are based within the Healthwise Therapy Centre in Blackheath, and booking is simple using our online system, allowing you to browse available appointments and select the day and time that is right for you. There are no long waiting times and we can often see you within 24-48 hours. If you have any questions we are always happy to help, don’t hesitate to contact us.
The information on this page has been reviewed for accuracy by Nirosan Sriskandarajah MOst, osteopath and clinical director of Sphere Osteopathic Clinic.
Sphere Osteopathic Clinic
5 Delacourt Road
Blackheath
London SE3 8XA
