Sports massage and Sports therapy are two distinct disciplines within the field of sports medicine. While they share some similarities, there are significant differences between them that should be understood to ensure a patient receives appropriate care.
Sports massage is primarily focused on soft tissue manipulation for the purpose of improving performance and aiding recovery from injury or strain. It involves techniques such as kneading, tapping, frictions, stretching and joint mobilisation to help improve muscle tone; reduce tension; increase flexibility; relieve pain; aid circulation and promote healing. Sports massages can be done before or after physical activity depending on an individual’s needs at the time but generally focus on maintenance rather than treatment of specific injuries or ailments.
In contrast, Sports Therapy focuses heavily on rehabilitation following injury by using therapeutic exercises designed to restore the following.
- Strength
- Balance
- Mobility
- Range-of-Motion
- Posture
In addition, Sports Therapy may include modalities such as taping, sports nutritional and various lifestyle modifications that may contribute to performance optimisation.
The goal is not only return patients back to their prior level of function but also prevent future injuries by specifically tailoring patient action plans to their needs.
Overall, it’s important for those seeking assistance with their musculoskeletal issues to understand what type of service best suits their needs whether it’s Sport Massage or Sport Therapy so that they receive optimal.
A little about me…
I am a highly talented therapist that has been practicing for over five years and specialise in physical performance.
What sets me apart from other therapists is my ability to listen carefully to the needs of each person that I work with. Everybody is different and requires individualised attention for them to achieve their idea of optimal performance. I pride myself in taking the time at the beginning of each session to discuss patient needs and assess the areas of concern.
The skillset that I have managed to develop in my career is unique. My qualifications and certifications stem from different fields which allow me to have a holistic approach when managing the cases within the clinic. If there’s an exercise programme to be prescribed that targets a specific outcome throughout the year I can happily help towards that goal. Equally, if it’s an investigative session where we are trying to find out what is causing pain, it’s not usual for me to check muscle flexibility, joint range of motion, posture screen or turn to gait analysis amongst the process of elimination.
In my career so far, I have been fortunate enough to work with sporting individuals and sport teams which have ultimately presented a unique piece of experience whether it’s a specialised technique that needs to be administered or a particular approach that needs to be taken towards a case it allows me to bring this wealth of knowledge back to the b2 Chalfont Clinic. Here are some of the athletes that I have worked with so far.
- Olympic Sprinters
- Paraolympic Sprinters
- Professional Boxer
- Professional Footballers
- Professional Rugby Players
- Professional Tennis Players
