If you are in training for a marathon, an elite athlete or just want to make yourself in good shape for a game of Sunday morning football, a sports massage can be so beneficial in so many ways.

MD, Tom Heeley explains the benefits.

Reduction of lactic acid

Sports Massage helps to reduce lactic acid and remove waste product from surrounding tissues. Before events and training sessions, lactic acid can make the muscles feel sore and tired. It’s that ‘leggy’, heavy feeling which reduces your performance the following day.

So if you have an event or need to do some hard training, sports massage is a great way to relieve some of that tension and stress.

Recovery from surgery or serious injury

Sports massage is a great way to aid your recovery from surgery or serious muscle or ligament injuries. These can often lead to scarring within the tissue and sports massage not only helps to remove fluid, it also aids lymphatic draining and swelling after surgery.

It also helps with re-aligning collagen fibres and makes sure that the tissues get nice and strong, as soon as possible, and work in the right direction. Friction techniques and grasping techniques are also things that can be completed during a sports massage at Optimum Derby and will further aid recovery.

Great for flexibility in joints

It's also great for mobility and can have a huge effect on better flexibility in joints. The hip and ankle, knee and shoulder are all great areas to work on. Sports massage is great for overhead throwing sports such as cricket, rowing, kayaking and basketball and people who play these sports can all benefit from a sports massage every few weeks to guard against picking up shoulder injuries.

Stress relieving

They are great to relieve stress. There are big benefits from a mental health perspective of putting the mobile phone down for an hour, laying down and regathering your thoughts and reducing your worries.

It can help reduce any feelings of anxiety and depression and having a good chat about life with your masseuse or masseur can help you unwind.

Improve circulation

Finally, sports massage is really good to improve circulation. If you have issues with this, it is a great way to increase circulation to areas that are limited. The arteries may be constricted in certain areas and a sports massage will encourage blood to those areas.

READ MORE: Optimum MD Tom Heeley becomes an associate lecturer at the University of Derby

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