Sports Massage

Massage is recorded as one of the earliest forms of physical therapy and it is known that it was used by very different cultures over 3000 years ago. It is only in the much more recent past since travel and communications have enabled different civilisations to meet that so many forms of massage have been developed.

In all types of massage the therapist has specific aims in mind, and in sport we focus on the individual needs of the athlete. With the ever growing number of people taking part in sport, combined with the increasing competitiveness and intensity of physical exercise, the demand for sports massage is also increasing and becoming more and more recognised as a skill which may aid recovery and enhance performance.

Sports massage does have some aims in common with other forms of massage and it is especially important to have a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology, in particular the muscular and skeletal systems. By understanding these systems and the effects of exercise we may also appreciate how massage may benefit the sports person and becomes an integral part of the athlete's training programme.

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