Sports massage is a term used in the UK to describe a clinical massage using a range of techniques to achieve a specific goal. This goal could be to redruce pain in a specific area, speed up recovery following an injury, help prepare for a sports event, reduce aches caused by poor posture at work or repetitive actions or aid recovery post an event. As such it is more accurately called a remedial or clinical massage since it can help a wide range of people experiencing an equally wide range of conditions … And not just sports people as the name implies.
to further add to the confusion around the term a Sports massage will typically include a range of techniques and not just massage … The therapist drawing on whatever he or she thinks will help achieve the end goal.
Typically a sports massage may include:
assessment
deep tissue massage
work on the connective tissue – mayofascial release
MET – muscle energy techniques
Trigger point therapy
fascinated stretching
exercises
taping