Sports massage vs remedial massage

What is the difference between sports massage and remedial massage, and how do you know which one is right for you? We get this question quite often, and with so many different options for massage, it’s really hard to know which one will give you the best results. Massage is considered both therapeutic and relaxing, but alongside stress relief and relaxation, massage can be a fundamental part of healing. Our question today is aiming to help you figure out which type of massage will suit you best, so that you can make an informed decision the next time you decide to book a treatment.

What is Sports Massage?

Despite it’s name, sports massage isn’t just intended for athletes and sports enthusiasts. Sports massage aims to increase blood flow by using free-flowing movements, flush the muscles, and loosen tight or injured parts of the body. For the athletes and sports enthusiasts, a pre-game sports massage will flush muscles, and help the tissues to warm up in order to supply optimal blood flow for performance. A similar technique is used post-game, whereby, the toxins are removed from the muscles. Sports massage is usually symptom-focussed, and this is where it becomes relevant for those outside of full time sports. Any dysfunctional issues within the muscles or connective tissues can be tackled with a sports massage, looking to both the cause and the symptom. The approach enables some relief in the areas of pain or discomfort by releasing muscle tissue and tension, as well as tackling the trigger points and surrounding areas of restriction that might be hindering the particular area of pain in order to re-balance your bio-mechanics. All in all, sports massage is beneficial for the following:

• Athletes and sports people
• Injured individuals
• Injury avoidance / preventative measures
• Post-injured individuals
• People who prefer a stronger massage
• Circulatory issues

What is Remedial Massage?

Sometimes known as the ‘medical massage’, remedial massage is usually outcome-focussed. Remedial massage is a therapeutic form of massage that aims to relieve muscle tension and treat chronic pain. This form of massage is good for anybody, including those with medical conditions, given its therapeutic and calming nature. Depending on your goals and desired outcome, remedial massage can employ various techniques to help deliver. While often remedial massage can be mostly relaxing and therapeutic, your massage therapist will sometimes hold pressure points that might cause discomfort. This is different to sports massage where sports massage can cause discomfort for much longer periods of time. All in all, remedial massage is beneficial for the following:

• Long term and chronic conditions or illnesses
• Relaxation, stress relief and sleep improvement
• Depression and anxiety
• Tense and tight muscles
• Individuals with medical conditions

 

If you are still finding it difficult to decide which massage is right for you, get in touch with us by phone or email to discuss the problem and we can expertly recommend which treatment is best.