In an ideal world it's always good to avoid a sports injury in the first place by ensuring you are strong and reacting correctly. Sports Massage can be very useful for keeping flexibility and helping the muscles to stay healthy. However, if you haven't been keeping an eye on your function and have got a sports injury it is vital that the problem is corrected and rehabilitated rapidly.
A joint will get injured if the muscles around it are weak and do not accurately detect sudden changes of movement. Many times with sports injuries this is because there is already a control weakness from above i.e. the brain.
If you've ever had a head injury or whiplash then you are more likely to have an imbalance that can lead to sports injuries. In fact reduced brain function can lead to a larger blind spot. In ball sports this can mean that you literally, "didn't see it coming". So you get another head injury! In fact if you have had a head injury you are many times more likely to get another one within a short space of time. Just think of George North's problems in Rugby.
Effective sports injury therapy should look at central function, reduce the inflammation, restore function to your joints and muscles while training strength and stability within your body's functional range. Gradually building on flexibility movement, stamina, balance and finally agility training. This applies to the whole limb as each joint affects the adjacent ones too.
We use functional neurology, kinesio-taping, manipulation, mobilisation and high quality rehabilitation to ensure you achieve your goals. In addition to this we provide sports massage therapy to ensure your muscles have reduced tension. You will find that we are skilled in diagnosing joint problems associated with sports injuries. These include medial meniscus and cruciate ligament problems of the knee, tennis elbow, ankle sprains, shin splints etc. We can then plan the appropriate course of treatment either here or elsewhere if we are unable to help.
Sports massage treatment is a great compliment to chiropractic treatment at our Lower Parkstone clinic in Ashley Cross. It helps to reduce muscle tension and also improve blood flow through the deeper tissues of the muscle, where flow can be poor. Limited blood flow leads to an accumulation of inflammatory chemicals and lactic acid that can hamper recovery or hinder performance. By improving blood flow these chemicals are flushed from the muscle and the result is reduced tension and improved endurance.
In addition massage helps to stretch the inner architecture or fascia of the muscle. This improves flexibility and again reduces pain and its effects on hindering good joint function and athletic performance.
Massage also releases endorphins helping you feel less pain and more relaxed so it's very useful as part of a holistic treatment for stress and anxiety. Conditions that are on the increase in our busy demanding lives. For more details about this service click here.
If you are a serious athlete professional or amateur you know how frustrating it can be when you suffer a loss of form. If you have even a mild spinal joint restriction it can limit your muscle power significantly. Our appointments can quickly locate any functional weakness and usually restore power rapidly to the lazy muscle helping you avoid sports injuries.
Then we can give you specific rehabilitation to enhance the function of the lazy muscle and improve your performance. You will also find sports massage extremely helpful in improving performance. As an amateur triathlete I know how important this is to ensure continuation of quality training. Call us to find out more or follow this link