Why Sports Massage?
Any athlete that has suffered an injury in the course of their sport will tell you that prevention is always better than cure. Whether we take part in intense sports training, work out in a gym, attend a fitness class or a dance class, we are always told to warm up and do our stretches before and after any exercise session in order to prevent injury. We at Zenergy always give this same advice to our clients. Prevention IS better than cure.
A constant build up of tension in the muscles from regular physical activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons as well as the muscles themselves. During hard training or performance there can be an accumulation of waste material resulting in a slight swelling in the muscles. In addition the tissues can become nutritionally depleted and may be in need of repair.
At our sports clinic here at Zenergy we are firm believers that regular sports massage can help you achieve maximum performance, decrease your chance of injury, and aid a quicker recovery. Regular sports massage can help enhance your training as it provides greater flexibility of the muscles and eases muscle tension or strains. So if you have a big event coming up or you are simply trying to get in better shape, we recommend booking in for a sports massage on a regular basis to ensure you reach your optimal performance.
There are tons of benefits associated with regular sports massage, almost too many to mention; draining away fatigue, relieve swelling, release muscle tension, promote flexibility, decreased chance of injury, decreased recovery time between workouts, increased elimination of lactic acid, increased sense of well being, and stimulating blood flow, to name a few!
What exactly is involved in Sports Massage?
Sports massage is a type of Swedish Massage that stimulates the circulation of blood and lymph fluids. It involves a systematic manipulation of the soft tissues of the body with the emphasis on the prevention and healing of injuries to the muscles and tendons. Generally, our massage therapists will concentrate on a specific problem area or will focus on the muscles relevant to a particular sport rather than performing a full body massage. Some sports massage movements use trigger point therapy to break down knots in the muscles and increase range of motion. Don’t worry if this sounds painful to you because our therapists will always work to whatever pressure level you are comfortable with.
What is the difference between Sports Massage and Physiotherapy?
We put this question to one of our experienced physiotherapists here at Zenergy, Maria, and here is what she said…
Both physiotherapy and sports massage are actually very similar but the difference really depends on the nature of the client’s problem. Maria explained that physiotherapy is generally used to heal a specific injury that a client has, while sports massage can be used and is extremely beneficial even if the client does not have an injury. Sports massage can also concentrate on a particular pressure point if the client has a certain problem area. Maria is highly experienced in both physiotherapy and sports massage and will work on any injury or problem you may have. She will also be delighted to explain in detail all the different treatments open to a client.
A one hour sports massage at Zenergy with Maria costs only €45, with every fifth treatment only €20, so there is little reason why you can’t maintain regular sports massages. We are open 7 days a week till late so if you are on a tight schedule you can book your appointment for an hour during the evening, or on a Saturday with our other advanced physiotherapist, Javier. We will also recommend a home-based stretching routine for you to continue with at home in between your sessions. Call us today on 01-4433013 to book your appointment, or if you have any questions we will be happy to answer them. What are you waiting for!
