The Holistic Coach

We understand about muscles - often the most ignored part of the body.

Mental, physical and emotional stresses involved in competitive sports often contribute to injuries by affecting the muscles. Sports Massage is a special form of massage and is typically used before, during, and after athletic events.

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 Therapy is a type of health care that specifically focuses on the prevention of injury and the rehabilitation of the patient back to optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness.

Sports therapy treatments are tailored to meet the needs of each individual. In some cases, a combination of treatments may be necessary for full recovery.

So what can Sports Massage do?

The massage will assist in your warm-up routine preparing your muscles for action. Aiding flexibility, sports massage can stretch your muscle fibers in every direction which is not easy to achieve with stretching alone. Better flexibility means you can train for longer and at a higher level.

The massage will increase the circulation of blood with its oxygen, nutrients and healing hormones. The increase of the circulation of venous blood and lymph through the body will assist in draining and detoxifying the body, helping to Decrease tension and that uncomfortable tightness that persists long after the exertion.

One of the benifts of this type of massage is that it will speed up recovery time and allow you to train more easily and without discomfort. This means that the muscles repair more easily with less scar tissue and any scar tissue formed is laid down in the direction of the muscle fibers so is less likely to re-injure (a common problem).

Sports massage will help you to train at a higher level because of reduced tension. This will help to maintain a healthy structure which is essential to avoid chronic conditions developing and to keep in peak condition.

The massage Improves your whole body awareness, you will know when you've trained enough or when it is time for another Sports / Remedial massage.

Other Benefits are:

• Encourages relaxation - increased alertness - leading to better concentration and focus.
• Gives an opportunity for specific focusing - such as visualization techniques.
• It makes you feel good, and if you feel good, it's so much easier to go for it!
• After the event - the ultimate reward - a Sports massage.
• To soothe aching, tired and overworked muscles slow the body down, relaxing and thus encouraging repair.
• To decongest muscles so that full recovery can occur and training can recommence.

Sports Massage Therapy is being used more and more by sports people of all ages and disciplines. It is used in training and is now offered (as it was in ancient times) at the Olympics.

Research is currently being done into the effects of this therapy. However, as national and international athletes are seen receiving massage, so more and more sports people - both amateur and professional - are seeking Remedial and Sports Massage Therapists.

Who is the athlete anyway? The painter, window cleaner, computer operator, lorry driver, etc...all require the above care.