Sports Massage Isn't Just for Athletes

When you hear the words “sports massage”, you might picture an athlete lying on a treatment table after a marathon, a footballer recovering from a match, or someone training for their next big competition.

But sports massage isn't just for athletes.

In fact, you don't have to be particularly "sporty" at all.

So, what actually is sports massage?

Sports massage is a style of massage that focuses on the muscles and soft tissues of the body, with the treatment adapted to what you need.

It can incorporate a variety of techniques and pressures depending on the person, their lifestyle and what they're hoping to get from their treatment.

The name comes from its strong association with sport and physical performance, but the techniques themselves can be useful for anyone who regularly asks their body to do things.

And that's all of us.

Your lifestyle can be physically demanding too

You don't have to run marathons to put your body under physical strain.

Perhaps you spend eight hours a day sitting at a desk. STILLNESS causes STIFFNESS.

Maybe you're constantly carrying bags, lifting children, driving long distances or standing at work.

You might exercise a couple of times a week, enjoy walking, practise yoga, go to the gym or simply spend your weekends doing DIY and gardening.

Even everyday activities can create repetitive patterns of movement and areas of muscular tension.

Sports massage can be used alongside these activities to help you look after your body and maintain your physical wellbeing.

Some people book regularly because they enjoy how their body feels afterwards. Others use it as part of their exercise routine or simply as a way of maintaining mobility and making time for themselves.

And importantly, sports massage doesn't have to hurt.

More pressure isn't automatically more effective.

A good treatment should be adapted to you, your body, your preferences, your current activity levels and what you're hoping to achieve.

So no, you don't need to be "sporty"

You don't need a training plan.

You don't need to be preparing for a race.

You don't need to know anything about muscles.

And you certainly don't need to be able to tolerate an incredibly painful massage.

Sports massage can simply be a way of looking after a body that you use every single day.

Whether you're an athlete, a regular gym-goer, someone who walks the dog every morning, or someone who spends most of their working day at a desk, your body deserves attention too.

Sports massage isn't about being an athlete.

It's about looking after the body you rely on every day.