Sports Massage
Sports massage for people in training blocks: soft-tissue work to manage muscle tension and support recovery, used as part of a plan rather than as a treatment on its own.
The short answer
What this treatment is
Sports massage is soft-tissue treatment used around training to manage muscle tension, ease discomfort and support recovery. It is genuinely useful for how you feel and for short-term range of movement, and it is worth being clear about what it does and does not do.
What it does well: reduces the sensation of tightness, improves comfort in a heavy training block, and provides a regular point at which someone knowledgeable puts hands on you and notices a developing problem early.
What it does not do is rebuild tissue capacity. If a tendon is painful because your training load outgrew it, massage may make the area feel better without changing why it hurts. For those problems we would recommend sports physiotherapy, and use massage alongside it if it helps you tolerate the loading work. Being straight about that is the point: a treatment used for the right reason works better than one oversold.
Sports massage can help you to:
Manage a heavy training block
Regular soft-tissue work through a build phase helps with the accumulated tightness and general soreness that comes with increasing volume, and makes the next session more comfortable.
Catch a problem while it is small
A recurring sore spot that keeps coming back to the same place is worth investigating. Regular treatment means someone notices the pattern early, before it becomes the reason you stop training.
Get more out of your rehabilitation
Where you are working through a loading programme, soft-tissue work can make the exercises more comfortable to perform. It supports the rehabilitation rather than replacing it.
Know when you need something else
If what you are describing is a tendon or joint problem that needs assessment and loading, we will tell you, and point you at the right appointment instead of booking you in for more massage.
Patient journey
What to expect
Consultation & preparation
Nothing specific is needed. Wear or bring comfortable clothing, and avoid a heavy meal immediately beforehand. Tell your therapist about recent injuries, any medication you take, particularly anticoagulants, and any skin conditions in the area to be treated.
During treatment
Aftercare
Mild soreness for around twenty-four hours afterwards is common and settles without treatment. Keep moving gently and stay hydrated. Frequency is guided by your training rather than a fixed schedule, and if a problem keeps recurring in the same place we would suggest an assessment.
FAQ
Common
questions
Is sports massage supposed to hurt?
It can be uncomfortable, particularly over a tight area, but it should not be something you have to brace against or hold your breath through. More pressure is not automatically more effective. Tell your therapist what you are feeling and the pressure is adjusted to a level you can stay relaxed in.
How often should I have a sports massage?
It depends on your training. Through a heavy block, every two to four weeks is a common pattern. In lighter periods, occasionally or as needed is reasonable. There is no evidence that a fixed frequency is required, so it comes down to what you find useful and can sustain.
Will sports massage fix my injury?
Usually not on its own. Massage helps with muscle tension and comfort, but it does not rebuild the capacity of a tissue that has been overloaded, which is what most persistent sports injuries need. If that is what is going on, Canary Wharf Physio would point you at an assessment and a loading programme instead.
When would Canary Wharf Physio advise against a sports massage?
Over an acute injury in the first couple of days, over skin infections, open wounds or areas of unexplained swelling, and while you have a fever. If you take anticoagulants, have a clotting disorder, or are recovering from surgery, tell Canary Wharf Physio at booking so the treatment can be adapted rather than cancelled on the day.
How long is a sports massage appointment?
Usually thirty or sixty minutes, and which you want depends on how much of you is being treated. Thirty is enough for one area, such as a pair of calves or a lower back. An hour makes sense after a heavy block. Say at booking which area matters most, so the time goes where you want it.
Can I have a sports massage at Canary Wharf Physio before an event?
Yes, and leave more days than you think. A deep treatment two days before a race can leave you feeling flat on the day, so anything heavy is better a week out and anything inside forty-eight hours should be light. Tell your therapist the date and the pressure is set for that.
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Canary Wharf Physio • Unit 7, 30 South Colonnade, London E14 5HX
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