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Orthopaedic Sports Massage

Benefits of Sports Massage

Regular massage can help you train harder, get fit faster, speed up recovery after sport, and help reduce the risk of injury.

Although many people think of sports massage as treatment for injuries, this is a tiny part of it, and there is so much more benefit to be gained from a regular massage.

Think of all the professional athletes who receive a massage on an almost daily basis. What is it that they know that the average person doesn't? Whether you're a professional sportsman, a serious competitor, or a weekend warrior, a regular massage well benefit you Regular massage will help you by maintaining full range of motion in the limbs and keeping the muscles in good condition, making sure that blood flow is getting to all the muscle fibres. Because it helps keep blood flow at it's optimum, it also acts a bit like steroids in that one can train harder and more often because it shortens recovery time. Of course this is all only possible with regular massage. It is also useful for treatment of minor sports injuries. Although many people believe that it helps get rid of lactic acid build up in the muscles. Latest research says that isn't true, because lactic acid is quickly converted back to glycogen (within 20min).

Sports massage uses the basic Swedish massage techniques, but also uses techniques such as stretching, trigger point therapy etc. and concentrates more on problem areas.

Injury prevention with regular massage:

Regular massage is great for getting oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the muscles. Overuse syndrome can be identified early and treated.

Proper assisted stretching can also help prevent injury.

Pre event sports massage:

A quick pre-event massage and stretch will be of great benefit during a warm-up routine reduce warm-up time (performed within the last hour before an event). It helps improve mobility and reduce the risk of injury. It is particularly helpful to those who do sports that require explosive busts of effort right from the start. This may include sprinting events, ball games etc.

Post event sports massage:

This is a must for every sports person, particularly endurance sports. It will rid the muscles of toxic build-up of metabolic by-products and should be performed within 24-48 hours after an event. The latest research suggests that lactic acid is not to blame for DOMS, as has been thought to be the case up till now.

Restoration sports massage:

With regular sports massage you can shorten your training recovery time.
You can reduce post event recovery time,
speed up recovery from injury due to improved blood circulation.
and speed up the time it takes to eliminate toxic metabolic by-products.

It's a bit like a natural form of steroids.

Improved health with regular sports massage:

Improved venous return i.e. blood flow back to the heart.
Improved lymphatic return and in so doing improve elimination of toxins from the muscles.
Improved sleeping due to stress relief.
Emotional & physical stress relief with regular massage.
Improved condition and flexibility with regular sports massage.

sports massage 6

What To expect form a sports massage:

Probably one of the most common questions I get asked is "do you do physiotherapy?" or "are you a physio?"

I do sports massage, deep tissue massage etc. for the prevention of injuries, but I also do treat sports injuries with massage. Prevention is always better than cure.

I'm a registered therapeutic massage therapist, not a physiotherapist. There is a lot of similarity, and a lot of overlap. I deal only with soft tissue, joint therapy is outside my scope of practice.

A sports massage is not supposed to be a very painful experience, though some pain may be unavoidable, particularly on active trigger points.

As well as leaving you feeling relaxed and stress free, a massage can also leave you feeling drugged because of toxins and wastes being removed from the muscles. The body also produces endorphins which may put you on a bit of a high, this is very evident after a back or full massage if you have a lot of knots in your back, but can be quite pleasant.

The nature of this massage requires bare skin, particularly for the stroking movements which require massage oils to reduce pulling on the skin. It would follow then, that any part of the body being massaged needs to be undressed. Areas that are not being massaged at the time are kept covered with a towel to keep you warm in winter and to preserve your modesty. Care will be taken not to expose any private areas of the body.

My training has included functional clinical anatomy, orthopaedic assessments by way of active, passive and resisted isometric tests as well as the respective Sports Massage routines and I have working knowledge to recognise potential neurological and orthopaedic disorders and to then refer to the appropriate physiotherapist, chiropractor or orthopaedic surgeon.

I am an experienced sportsman myself and have medals for many endurance type events in cycling, running, swimming and ultra triathlons.

Also ask me about training advice, nutrition, stretching, passive stretching and joint mobilisation.

Routines:

Back & Shoulders
Legs & Buttocks
Arms, Chest & Stomach
Back, Shoulders, Legs & Bum
Full Massage

I can also adjust the routine for you to meet your particular needs.

Give me a call now to book your massage. 082 812 9721

What is sports massage?
A little history:

1900

Finnish School of Massage, originating from Swedish Massage system, develops first system of sports massage.

1924

Runner Paavo Nurmi, the "Flying Finn" from Finland, wins 5 gold medals at the Olympic Games in Paris. This includes the 1,500m and 5,000m titles, in one day, with only a 30 minute break between events. Nurmi credits special massage treatment as one of the important components of his training program.

1924 to 1930

Dr. I.M. Sarkisov-Sirasini formulates basic concepts for Russian Sports Massage and begins teaching it at the Central Institute of Physical Therapy in Moscow.

1945

A German POW provides massage to Jack Meagher, U.S. professional athlete and massage therapist. Jack reports "my ability to move while playing was astounding". (Jack had already graduated from a school of Swedish Massage, but had never heard of this technique before.) Jack goes on to learn the technique from a German instructor familiar with the technique.

1950

Russian athletes, competing internationally, get strong support for sports massage from Soviet government. Extensive research programs and proven techniques continue to be developed in Russia today.

1972

Lasse Viren, the other "Flying Finn", sets a world record time in the 10,000m and an Olympic record in the 5,000m at the Summer Olympics in Munich. Runners learn that Viren received massage daily.

1980

After 30 years of experience with "sports massage", Jack Meagher writes his classic book, entitled Sports massage: A Complete Program for Increasing Performance and Endurance in Fifteen Popular Sports. (Book no longer in print.)

1985

The American Massage Therapy Association, as part of a public relations campaign, creates the National Sports Massage Team (NSMT), and offers massage at the Boston Marathon. (NSMT no longer exists.)

TODAY

Yesterday's buzz word. Relatively few therapists really understand sports massage. Today's continuing education providers now prefer the term "orthopaedic massage".

Sports and Medical Massage by Craig Botha

Member

C.Botha, Therapeutic Massage Therapist
Reg. no. A10608
Prac.no. 107 000 0302910

43 Saint Dominic Rd. Edenvale.

I also travel for mobile massage to clients on the East Rand, including: Benoni, Boksburg, Kempton Park, Greenstone, Bedfordview, St. Andrews, Linksfield, Glenhazel, Lyndhurst, Waverly and Modderfontein.

WhatsApp 0828129721

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Copyright © 2006 - 2023. Unless otherwise stated, all the photos and written content on this website belong to Craig Botha, and may not be used without permission.

1900	Finnish School of Massage, originating from Swedish Massage system, develops first system of sports massage.
1924	Runner Paavo Nurmi, the "Flying Finn" from Finland, wins 5 gold medals at the Olympic Games in Paris. This includes the 1,500m and 5,000m titles, in one day, with only a 30 minute break between events. Nurmi credits special massage treatment as one of the important components of his training program.
1924 to 1930	Dr. I.M. Sarkisov-Sirasini formulates basic concepts for Russian Sports Massage and begins teaching it at the Central Institute of Physical Therapy in Moscow.
1945	A German POW provides massage to Jack Meagher, U.S. professional athlete and massage therapist. Jack reports "my ability to move while playing was astounding". (Jack had already graduated from a school of Swedish Massage, but had never heard of this technique before.) Jack goes on to learn the technique from a German instructor familiar with the technique.
1950	Russian athletes, competing internationally, get strong support for sports massage from Soviet government. Extensive research programs and proven techniques continue to be developed in Russia today.
1972	Lasse Viren, the other "Flying Finn", sets a world record time in the 10,000m and an Olympic record in the 5,000m at the Summer Olympics in Munich. Runners learn that Viren received massage daily.
1980	After 30 years of experience with "sports massage", Jack Meagher writes his classic book, entitled Sports massage: A Complete Program for Increasing Performance and Endurance in Fifteen Popular Sports. (Book no longer in print.)
1985	The American Massage Therapy Association, as part of a public relations campaign, creates the National Sports Massage Team (NSMT), and offers massage at the Boston Marathon. (NSMT no longer exists.)
TODAY	Yesterday's buzz word. Relatively few therapists really understand sports massage. Today's continuing education providers now prefer the term "orthopaedic massage".