Sports therapist and physiotherapist works as a team in Sport Rehabilitation. It is specifically concerned with the prevention of injury and the rehabilitation of the patient back to optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness. Sport therapy not only beneficial for athletes, but also for any age of people who are active or for those who want to start exercise.

Three main components in sport therapy are:

• Sport massage
• Strength and conditioning
• Return to sport

SPORT MASSAGE

Sports massage therapy is a systematic manipulation of soft tissues that focuses on the muscles, incorporating different techniques, depth, and speed used compared to the traditional/relaxing massage. The techniques used include effleurage, petrissage, and tapotement/kneeding/draining.

The benefits of sports massage includes reducing recovery time, fatigue, and delayed muscle onset after exercise or competition.

Sport massage can be done for:

Pre-competition or training:

• to get rid off any muscle tension accumulated from previous training

Post exercise or competition (within 24 – 48 hours):

• to promote muscle relaxation and reduce recovery time
• to allow any inflammation due to micro tears in the muscle to subside on its own first and to avoid aggravating of any possible bruises/hematoma experienced by the muscles during an activity.

Maintenance and rehabilitation purpose (within 7 – 15 days after training):

• to address scar tissues or adhesion from previous injury

There are 3 types of sport massage techniques:

Deep tissue massage:
Deep tissue massage therapy is similar to Swedish massage, but the deeper pressure is beneficial for releasing chronic muscle tension. the focus is on the deepest layers of muscle tissue, and fascia

Rehabilitative massage
Rehabilitative massage is a site-specific treatment with a precise goal or outcome in mind; similar to physical therapy.

Trigger point massage
Trigger point therapy is a bodywork technique that involves the application of pressure to tender muscle tissue in order to relieve pain and dysfunction in other parts of the body.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

Strength and conditioning (S&C) for rehabilitation is an exercise specific intervention with a precise goal tailored to address the patient’s injury or condition.

S&C in rehabilitation is beneficial to enable the patient to recover stronger than before.

”Engage, and controlled movement” is our sports therapist’s approach to her exercise intervention for her patients in order to promote good form and muscle education/re-education for injury prevention.

RETURN TO SPORT

Return to sport is defined as returning an athlete to sport following an injury.

“Movement is Medicine” – our sports therapists will work alongside our physiotherapist to manage therapy and exercise interventions to ensure the athlete has an adequate rehabilitation before full return to sport.