Sports massage is a type of massage focusing on loosening muscle fibres caused by sport-related tension and helps aid an athlete’s performance. A sports massage is ideal for people who have sport-related massages or want to improve their recovery post sporting events.
Through the use of hands-on techniques to your muscles, massage aims to increase flexibility and decrease pain. Sports massage will often utilise various modalities such as remedial massage, trigger point therapy, cross fibre techniques and deep tissue work.

Sports massages have a range of benefits such as reaching peak performance, helping the muscles to recover correctly and preparing the body for future exercise.

Massage also helps recovery from soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains. Everybody experiences some form of stress through work, family, the environment and society. Mental tensions, frustrations and insecurity cause the most damage. Hormones released by stress shrink the vessels, inhibiting circulation.

A stressed mind and body mean the heart works harder. Breathing becomes rapid and shallow, and digestion slows. Nearly every body process is degraded. Studies show that stress can cause migraines, hypertension (high blood pressure), depression, peptic ulcers, etc. In fact, researchers have estimated 80% of disease is stress-related. Soothing and relaxing massage therapy can counteract the effects of stress.

Injuries massage can treat: 

• Headaches & migraines
• Frozen shoulder
• Sore shoulder and neck
• Back pain & sciatica
• Tennis and golfers elbow
• Sprains, strains and tears
• Over-use injuries
• Shin splints

Lymphatic Massage is commonly referred to as Lymphatic Drainage. Lymphatic drainage is a gentle, rhythmical massage treatment performed by trained lymphatic massage therapist to stimulate the circulation of lymph fluid around the body. This helps to rapidly speed up the removal of wastes and toxins from a sluggish lymphatic system. Lymphatic Massage can also aid in the prevention of swelling after injury or surgery. It is also thought to provide a major boost to your immune system.

If you have had a recent injury or surgery, suffer from poor circulation or are physically inactive, your limbs may be swollen up and your lymphatic system will need help to be effective again.

With manual Lymphatic Drainage, lymph vessels are stimulated to open up and collect the excess fluid, which is then directed to the lymph nodes where it is filtered and can re-enter the bloodstream.

In addition, lymph nodes filter waste from our body cells and assist the immune system in building an immune response; that is why manual Lymphatic Drainage is also recommended if you want to boost your immune defences and detox.

Some of the conditions that may benefit from lymphatic drainage massage include:

• Swollen legs or arms due to fluid retention
• Swelling of a limb: pre or post-surgery
• Lymphoedema
• Post-mastectomy or breast cancer treatment
• Breast tenderness & congestion
• Fibromyalgia & Lupus
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Depression & Anxiety
• Hormonal & emotional imbalances
• Cellulite fat accumulation
• Recurrent infections such as colds, flu, tonsillitis, sinus & yeast infections

Pregnancy massage at Sports & Spinal combines relaxation massage and deep tissue. Our massage therapists adapt their techniques to address changes a woman goes through during pregnancy.

Pregnancy massage helps you by targeting specific areas of the body that needs to be relaxed or allow more movement. As your body changes during this time, it is important to prepare the body and aid the changes instead of trying to fight them. Pregnancy is a joyful time in everyone’s lives, but it is also the most taxing on the body, so it makes sense to keep your body moving and at optimal health during this time. Pregnancy or prenatal massage is a type of massage therapy designed to decrease stress/anxiety, reduce swelling in the legs and arms, improve circulation and reduce musculoskeletal aches and pains.

During pregnancy, many women experience low back, pelvic and buttock pain due to hormonal changes and the additional load placed on their body due to their growing baby.

Women who undergo massage therapy during pregnancy consistently report decreased anxiety, stress, leg pain, lower back pain and improved sleep. Pregnancy massage has even proved to be effective during labour in managing pain and improving the emotional experience that labour can bring on.

The benefits include:

• Preparation of muscles required in childbirth.
• Neck and back pain relief is caused by muscle imbalance and imperfect posture.
• Assist in maintaining proper posture.
• Emotional support through nurturing touch.
• Relaxation and decreased insomnia.
• Lower levels of cramping, particularly in the calf muscles.
• Reduced sciatic pain.