A big welcome to my new followers and blog subscribers, some of you may never have had a massage before and want to know what it is all about before committing to an appointment.
So, what exactly is a Sports Massage like?
Many assume that it’s going to hurt, and that’s down to a few unscrupulous therapists publishing videos of people hurting during their massage. I have also seen pictures of the aftermath of Sports Massage, of the bruises that have arisen from a treatment, and it looks nothing short of shocking and upsetting. THAT IS NOT SPORTS MASSAGE. The people delivering and receiving said treatments always seem so assured of the experience, but please do not let that fool you. None of us are trained to deliver sports massage in that manner, and you certainly won’t find it at Astral Fitness from either me or Jen. That said, bruising can occur, but it is certainly not the aim.
Sports Massage is so named to set it apart from spa-based massage or Swedish massage. They are both valid forms of massage treatment but are for the purpose of relaxation, but won’t delve into why you are hurting. Which is where Sports Massage comes in. Jen and I have both studied the anatomy and physiology of movement, of sports, and of injuries. We understand why something hurts over there, when in fact the injury happened somewhere else.
What Pressure?
Before the massage even begins, we explain to you about the pressure of the massage, that we will warm up your muscles first using effleurage, a warming up technique, before moving on to a deeper technique called petrissage. All the while checking in with you how it feels. Quite light pressure on one person will be all they can take, whereas the next person will need it much firmer.
We frequently use the 0 to 10 scale of comfort and/or pain, with 10 being the most. We will never purposefully work up to a level 10, often finding comfort for you around 6 or 7, and even then, it is for short amounts of time.
Check back next week to find out more about your first sports massage appointment.
Your Visit to Astral Fitness
Thank you for taking time to read this week’s blog – What to Expect During Your Visit to Astral Fitness. I hope that you found some of this information helpful on your health and fitness journey. If you would like further advice, or are struggling with a pain and you don’t quite know what to do, come and see me. You can use my Booking Link or check out my website for a little further information at www.astralfitness.co.uk
See you soon!
Chloe & Jen