Athletes- Are you getting the right type of massage for performance or injury?

Massage, stretching and foam rolling for for your performance as an athlete is great...But are you getting the right type of massage for you. First off, injury prevention is key thing your therapist should be promoting. Taking measure to assure that your visits to him or her are more for performance than being injured. I'm not saying you are never going to be injured, but prevention of injury should be your gal. Its easier to keep a well oiled engine running than to to repair the parts that are broken. Less expensive too. I educate my athletes and weekend warriors to be a part of their therapy by stretching, foam rolling, sports massage and if necessary ART for their injuries. Listening to their body and resting when its necessary.

I work with cross fitter,tri-athletes, even high school baseball players and swimmers, their therapy is always gauged toward their sport. Most athletes do not want to lay on a table and relax for an hour, they want to perform better. whether it be pre or post event therapy session, ART or a specific stretching routine.

A massage that is too deep and too long before an event is counter productive. Your therapist should be able to read your body and know what they are feeling ,whether it be adhesions, scar tissue or  signs of something more severe.

Athletes know soreness in their muscles and sometime they blow off pain and push through. That, is the beginning of an injury. That is when they need to communicate with their therapist. Massage /athlete relationship is a partnership in your clients health. I text and talk to my athletes on an ongoing basis, Sometime even the day of an event. Sometimes they just need to know that what they are feeling is going to be ok for them to continue.

Injury prevention is always my main goal, but if an athlete does have an injury that has to be assessed as to which treatment will work for them. sometimes it may just be a massage or kinesio tape or ART(active Release Therapy) Art is a soft tissue treatment not only for muscles but for ligament, tendons and nerve entrapments. If you have never heard of ART pick up a brochure at the desk.

Being a sports therapist is very rewarding and sometimes we have our limitations, so i know when to refer out to specialists that i have relationships with such as Physical therapist, orthopedic surgeons,  and chiropractors. My job i to do what is bests for the client.