What is sports massage?

Sports massage is a hands-on treatment using a range of soft tissue techniques to work with muscles and areas that feel tight, sore or restricted.

Despite the name, you don't need to play sport to benefit. Treatment is tailored around what you're experiencing and what you need your body to do.

What's the difference between sports massage and a normal massage?

Sports massage tends to be more targeted towards a particular problem, restriction or goal.

Rather than following a set massage routine, we'll look at what's bothering you and tailor the treatment accordingly. This can include massage alongside other hands-on techniques and movement where appropriate.

Can sports massage help with an injury?

Sports massage can be useful as part of injury treatment, but massage alone isn't always the answer.

If you're injured, we'll assess the problem and how you're moving before deciding what treatment is appropriate. Hands-on treatment can then be combined with movement and rehabilitation to help get you back to what you want to do.

What injuries do you treat?

We work with a wide range of muscle and joint problems including back and neck pain, shoulder problems, muscle strains, knee pain, ankle and foot problems and common running and sporting injuries.

You don't need to know exactly what's wrong before coming in — that's what the assessment is for.

What happens during an injury assessment?

We'll start by talking about what's happened, what you're struggling with and what you want to get back to.

We'll then assess both the painful area and how your body moves. This can include functional movement assessment using Applied Functional Science and 3DMAPS, helping us look beyond simply where it hurts.

From there, we'll explain what we've found and decide on the most appropriate treatment and rehabilitation plan.

Do you offer dry needling?

Yes. Dry needling uses fine needles in specific areas of muscle and soft tissue and can be incorporated into treatment to help with pain, sensitivity and restriction.

It's one of several treatment options available and will only be used when it's appropriate for you.

Do you offer spinal and joint manipulation?

Yes. We're qualified in spinal and joint manipulation and may incorporate manipulation or mobilisation techniques into treatment where appropriate.

They're another tool available to us rather than something everybody automatically receives.

Do you specialise in foot and ankle problems?

Yes. We have additional specialist training in foot and ankle assessment and treatment.

Rather than looking at the foot or ankle in isolation, we'll also consider how it interacts with the rest of your body during movements such as walking, running and sport.

What's the difference between treatment and rehabilitation?

Treatment is about helping with the problem you're experiencing now. Rehabilitation is about building on those changes so your body is better prepared for what you want to do next.

That's why we often combine hands-on treatment with movement and exercise rather than treating the two as separate things.

Should I book a sports massage or an injury assessment?

If you're looking for hands-on treatment for general muscular tightness, soreness or recovery, sports massage is a good place to start.

If you have an injury, persistent pain or something that's affecting your movement, training or everyday activities, an injury assessment is usually the better option.

If you're unsure, don't worry — we can work out what you need when we see you.