What is the difference between a sports massage and Deep Tissue Massage?
We get this question a lot in the clinic as we run both services and we just started running a new service of a 60-minute-deep tissue massage and a lot of people are asking us, “So what’s the difference between what I’ve already been having compared to the deep tissue massage?”
Let’s start with what we usually do in the clinic with Oli, Mike, Matthew, Beth and Sophia. They are sports massage therapists, and they have their own individual specialities within this practice.
Sports massage is a targeted massage to a specific area. One of the most common things we see is Sciatica and lower back pain. We’re purely targeting the lower part of the back, the glute area and around to the hip flexors to try and release deep knots, areas of stress and tension through the base of the spine in order to free that up.
This gives more flexibility and aids in recovery to allow the inflammation to come down and to then allow the chiropractors to perform more efficient adjustments to release areas and get back to function, mobility, walking, running, strength.
Sports massage tends to be more intense in certain areas. We’re focusing on one area providing blood flow circulation to the area to remove toxins, lactic acid in inflammation.
The term “sports” is coined because it was traditionally used pre-sporting activity and post-sporting activity to target certain areas. We now find that sports massage is used for a lot of people who don’t even play a sport and we use it in clients as old as 80, 90 who are just looking to be mobile, walk around and maintain their independence long term.
As opposed to a deep tissue massage, this is more of a generalised massage over the whole body. We tend to focus on the back but also looking at the shoulders, the neck, to try a relax
It’s more of a less intense massage, more relaxing and to promote restorative care and healing throughout the whole body. This is characterised with lots of long, sweeping movements rather than lots of muscle energy techniques and stretching techniques like we do in sports massage. The deep tissue massage will also tend to be more relaxing, and it lasts for longer in terms of 60 minutes.
All of our massage therapists are trained in both techniques, and they have their own individual ways of doing certain types of massage. But these are the main differences and different types of client that it will benefit. Don’t be put off by a sports massage if you don’t play sport and vice versa if you do play sport don’t dismiss a deep tissue massage, both will benefit.
If you’re looking to find out more about deep tissue massage and our new service, please follow the link here and get yourself booked in with one of the massage therapists. This is an introductory offer only for the next week.
Offer: Book a free consultation with West Chiropractic >