Sports Injury and Massage 1HR £25 1/2 HR £15
    
Mr Roy MInter.. Sports Therapist specialises in Sports massage and trigger point techniques and has and does work on proffessional athletes such as Sharon Colley World Masters Silver Medalist (Kayak) amongst other world ranking sports people.
To book an appointment with Roy Visit here Prolotherapy for joint injury visit here
What is Massage?
Massage is a systematic, therapeutic stroking and kneading of the soft tissues of the body. The word is derived from the Greek ‘masso’, to knead and the Arabic ‘mass’, to press gently.
History of Massage
It has been used as a form of therapy for thousands of years and touch is the most instinctive response to pain. Touch is an essential requirement for healthy development in early life and research has shown the babies who have received massage from their mothers have increased weight gain, increased nerve and brain cell development and better hormonal functioning and cell activity. Earliest records of the use of massage as a therapy come from China over 5,000 years ago.
The use of massage in the West became more popular in the 16th Century when a French doctor, Ambroise Pare incorporated a more anatomical and physiological approach. A Swede, Per Henrik Ling, developed a system of massage and gymnastics in the early 19th Century which became what we now know as Swedish Massage.
Different Variations of Massage
There are many different types of massage that have been developed; some approaches focus on the physical effects that the massage techniques have on the body whilst others focus attention on the flow of ‘energy’ within the body. All types of massage can have an effect on the skin, muscles, blood vessels, lymph, nerves and some of the internal organs.
How Does Massage Work?
The relationship between the exterior and interior of the body is closely interlinked via the nervous system and it has been found that by stimulating specific areas on the surface of the body can have a corresponding effect on the internal organs and systems of the body. The dermis layer of the skin contains nerve endings which respond to touch and, on stimulation, the receptor nerves relay impulses via the spinal cord back to the brain. The brain then relays messages back to the area involved. The effects may include the relaxation of voluntary muscles, the sedation of nerve sensors and improved blood circulation to the area. The receptor nerve endings affected by touch travel more quickly than those involved in chronic pain and can reduce the brain’s perception of the amount of pain from the affected area. Chemicals known as endorphins are also released from the brain and act as the body’s natural painkillers. These help to counter the sensation of chronic pain and give a feeling of well-being and relaxation.
What Does a Routine Injury Prevention Sports Massage Consist Of?
A regular sports massage should be tailored to the individual client and relevant to the sport played. Sports massage should play an important part in the life of any sportsman or woman whether they are injured or not. Massage has a number of benefits both physical, physiological and psychological.
Massage Will:
Maintain the body generally in better condition
Prevent injuries and loss of mobility
Cure and restore mobility to injured muscle tissue
Boost performance
Extend the overall life of your sporting career
Physical Effects Are:
Pumping
The stroking movements in massage suck fluid through blood vessels and lymph vessels. By increasing the pressure in front of the stroke, a vacuum is created behind. This is especially important in tight or damaged muscle tissue as a tight muscle will squeeze blood out like a sponge, depriving the tissues of vital nutrients and energy to repair.
Increased Tissue Permeability -
Deep massage causes the pores in tissue membranes to open, enabling fluids and nutrients to pass through. This helps remove waste products such as lactic acid and encourage the muscles to take up oxygen and nutrients which help them recover quicker.
Stretching -
Massage can stretch tissues that could not be stretched in the usual methods. Bundles of muscle fibres are stretched lengthwise as well as sideways. Massage can also stretch the sheath or fascia that surrounds the muscle, so releasing any tension or pressure build up.
Break-Down Scar Tissue -
Scar tissue is the result of previous injuries or trauma and can effect muscle, tendons and ligaments. This can lead to inflexible tissues that are prone to injury and pain.
Improve Tissue Elasticity -
Hard training can make tissues hard and inelastic. This is one reason why hard training may not result in improvements. Massage helps reverse this by stretching the tissues.
Opens Micro-Circulation -
Massage does increase blood flow to tissues, but so does exercise. What massage also does is open or dilate the blood vessels and by stretching them this enables nutrients to pass through more easily.
Physiological Effects Are:
Pain reduction - tension and waste products in muscles can often cause pain. Massage helps reduce this in many ways including releasing the bodies endorphins.
Relaxation -
Muscles relax through heat generated, circulation and stretching. Mechanoreceptors which sense touch, pressure, tissue length and warmth are stimulated causing a reflex relaxation.
Psychological Effects are:
Anxiety reduction - through the effects mentioned
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