Yes, sports massage can improve the performance of an athlete and is a great injury prevention. Sports massage Benefits
But sports massage is beneficial to anyone who suffers from chronic pain or has an injury, whether from running a marathon, playing golf on the weekend, working long hours at the office, or working in the garden.
Aches & pains from repetitive movements at work or play.
If you do the same movement for hours on end, your muscles will fatigue. Over time muscle nearby will be recruited to help out... but because they're not really designed to do the job of the tired muscle, they wear out even faster.
Ive had clients in the past that are runner, builders or writing a Phd that are repetitively doing the same movement which build up tension. If you don't relieve these muscle regularly then overcompensatory issue will occur. Pain in the right shoulder then over weeks, becomes also a pain in the right side of the neck.
I would treat the pain site but also find compensatory issue which have occurred.
Which is key in injury prevention.
Aches & pains from sitting for hours
Sitting down all day isn't our natural posture. If you're at a desk or in a car for hours a day, their can be a real strain on the muscles of the lower back, upper shoulders & neck.
Muscles become taut and stiff.
Back ache and shoulder ache are the most common postural complaints.
Sports massage can help relieve the symptoms of keeping your body in these positions for long hours. It can relieve the aches & pains but not solve the problem. If giving up your day job isn't an option then maintenance of regular sports massage or yoga and pilates can be a good way to ease the muscles from sitting in these long positions.
Tracy is a graduate Sports Therapist (member of the Society of Sports Therapist) with over 10 years experience. Treatment of Sports massage and Soft Tissue Therapy.
Working from Queen Street Physiotherapy, Auckland.