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What is a Sports Massage?

The Spa at Woodside offers Sports Massage as part of their regular offerings in The Spa, as well as occasional Pop-Up Sports Massage on-site in the Studios for members to have immediate access to this therapy before or after their workout or training session.

A sports massage is simply a massage therapy session that is directed at preparing for or recovering from physical exertion. The therapist generally focuses in on the problem area  rather than giving you a full-body massage.There are four main types of sports massage:

  • Pre-sports massage: A short, stimulating massage 15 – 45 minutes before the activity. It is directed toward the parts of the body that will be involved in the exertion.
  • Post- sports massage: Given within an hour or two of the event, to normalize the body’s tissues.
  • Restorative sports massage: Given during training to allow the athlete to train harder and with less injury.
  • Rehabilitative sports massage: Aimed at alleviating pain due to injury and returning the body to health.

Any type of sports massage is a good choice if you have a specific problem – an injury or problem area that requires attention. It’s also great for those that are highly active and may be prone to injury or soreness.

During sports massage, your therapist will use a variety of techniques to achieve the desired goal. The therapist might use Swedish massage to stimulate circulation of blood and lymph fluids, and trigger point therapy to break down adhesions (knots in the muscles), and stretching to increase range of motion. Other techniques could include myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, lymphatic drainage and orthopedic assessment. The therapist should also have a good foundation in hydrotherapy modalities including cryotherapy and thermotherapy, which can help with recovery, repair and healing processes.

No matter what type of massage you choose, the therapist should check in with you about what your needs and expectations are for the massage.

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