Unlike a regular body massage which may be a full body treatment, a sports therapist is likely to focus on specific areas once they have carried out a full assessment. Before the massage begins, your therapist will talk to you about your health and lifestyle (which includes your sport) and may take you through a series of exercises which allows them
to observe posture and body symmetry. They will be checking the current flexibility and mobility of joints and muscles to see the range of movement.
LET’S GET FOCUSED – MOTORSPORT
Yup, we know – motorsport is dangerous and we sign waivers left, right and centre in order to participate let alone be competitive. We commonly see drivers with back pain, neck pain, leg numbness or hip pain and often it correlates with a poor fitting seat or belts. But just as often it is due to not having the right level of fitness to support their structure during the intensity of motor sport activities.
For example, spending weekends go karting requires strong spinal muscles to counteract the vibration and g forces. Hans devices are common place, but how do you look after your neck to keep yourself as safe as possible? The prevalence of discomfort in the hand and wrist for rally drivers is similar to that previously reported for Formula 1 drivers. Problems in the lumbar spine (70%), cervical spine (54%), shoulders (47%), and thoracic spine (36%) are the most common complaints by drivers. There was a higher prevalence of cervical spine discomfort for co-drivers (62%) than for drivers (46%) – so being the steerer impacts on athlete preparation, recovery and maintenance.
A variety of soft tissue manipulation techniques including deep tissue, myofascial, trigger point, decompression or scraping including active release massage; are all used in sports focussed massage treatment.
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