Sports Massage & Soft Tissue Therapy

Soft Tissue & Remedial Therapy

What is Soft Tissue & Remedial Therapy and how is this different from Sports Therapy?

Soft Tissue & Remedial Therapy, sports massage, or deep tissue massage, is a specialised form of manual therapy aimed at improving the condition of muscles, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissues. These form part of the musculo-skeletal systems which are responsible for structure, stability and movement - all essential for normal movement and physical activity.

Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation encompasses soft tissue therapy as a fundamental treatment method, and goes much further to include a broader range of manual therapy treatments such as dry needling, mobilisations, and therapeutic exercise. This extends the remit of a sports therapist to rehabilitate people by facilitating greater flexibility, joint mobility and muscle strength, improving neurological function, biomechanics and coordination, and overall contributing to improvements in athletic ability and performance.

If you want to find out more about the physical, physiological, neurological and psychological aspects and benefits of sports massage, read our sports massage blog post.

Who is soft tissue and remedial therapy and sports therapy for?

Soft Tissue & Remedial Therapy and Sports Therapy will benefit people of all ages and levels of activity, whether the problems you are experiencing are work-related or from leisure activities which may or may not involve sport. Soft Tissue & Remedial Therapy, relies on massage to alleviate muscle tension, improve joint ranges, aid recovery from strenuous exercise, and reduce discomfort, aches, and pains. Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation will help people who are looking to improve their physical ability or performance level, whether they are returning to sport following injury or surgery, starting an activity for the first time, or are simply striving to improve their sporting performance.

What conditions can soft tissue therapy help?

Soft Tissue & Remedial Therapy can help improve a range of musculo-skeletal imbalances caused by previous injuries, occupational stresses and overuse including:

• Delayed Onset Muscles Soreness (DOMS)
• Muscle strains and inflammation
• Tendonitis
• Improve suppleness and allow changes in muscle length
• Ease tight and aching muscles
• Improve the rate of healing in repairing muscle strains and ligament sprains
• Improve the quality of scar tissue following injury
   

What conditions can sports therapy help? 

Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation can help the conditions above using sports massage, as well as treat acute injuries such as muscle tears and ligament sprains, joint disorders, chronic conditions caused by overuse, or conversely, the effects of inactivity. These include the following:
 

• Muscle tears and ligament sprains
• Neural impingement conditions – Piriformis Syndrome, Brachial Plexus Syndrome.
• Tendon tears and iflammatory conditions
• Post-surgery repair and rehabilitation
• Biomechanical correction and performance analysis
• Gait analysis and correction
   

What can I expect from a soft tissue/sports therapy treatment at BeActive Clinic Hertford?

Our sports massage or sports therapy treatments at BeActive Clinic Hertford will commence with an initial assessment that includes history, activities and a physical examination. Your soft tissue therapist will then use a variety of massage techniques to warm and prepare the tissues before applying advanced techniques aimed at alleviating your injury or condition. Your treatment will normally be accompanied by advice on posture, exercise, and stretching tailored to your individual needs.  

For sports therapy, further assessments such as muscle function, orthopaedic joint tests and gait analysis may be used later to build a client record. The sports therapist will then draw from basic and advanced soft tissue techniques, acupuncture/dry needling, plus exercise therapy to meet specific goals which have been agreed with you. Comprehensive advice and aftercare will be discussed to help progress between treatments.
 

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