Services
Sports Massage
Massage provides significant relief from stiffness and injuries acquired during sports and physical training. And it may be exactly what you need to promote recovery and injury prevention.
In fact, in addition to Physicians, Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapists, Dietitians, and Coaches, Sports Massage Therapy is an integral part of many Olympic and professional athletes’ training programs.
Ann Arbor is a mecca for sports and recreational activities. Whether you are a weekend warrior, avid cross country skier, marathoner, master gardener, summer triathlete, cross fit addict, speed walker or a college/professional athlete, your body needs time to recover.
As Sports Massage Therapists, our goal as trained professionals is to help aid in an athlete’s recovery, rehabilitation, and performance by providing massage therapy in coordination with other members of the team. Each active person or athlete is unique and Sports Massage is designed to accelerate your muscle healing and give you greater energy before your next big event. According to the American Massage Therapy Association, one study found that massage therapy may also be particularly useful in helping athletes recover psychologically.
Sports Massage combines a series of specific massage techniques (PNF stretching, myofascial release, Neuromuscular Therapy, Active Isolated Stretching, general muscle flushing Swedish/effleurage/petrissage), stretching and range of motion exercises that promote flexibility, healthy muscle tone, and decrease lactic acid build-up. After we conduct the health history intake and discuss with our clients what brought them in for the Sports Massage, we make a plan for how we are going to address their concerns. Typically we look for muscle and postural imbalances as well as restrictions in range of motion. Depending on where the client/athlete is in their training and competing schedule the amount of pressure and technique we use will vary. The session is broken down into stretching and soft tissue manual manipulation. Over the past 20 years we have participated in many Sports Massage continuing education courses. Our commitment is to stay alert and knowledgeable about current Sports Massage practices in the industry.
Pre or post event Sports Massage is highly recommended for a competitive performance and a speedy recovery. For maximum recovery remember to stay hydrated, rest the body, stretch out and receive an Ann Arbor Sports Massage from Thrive Massage and Bodywork.