As a Massage Therapist, I get asked by my clients: what is the difference between a therapeutic massage and a sports massage? So here are some helpful hints when booking your next massage. There is a difference between sports and therapeutic massage, no doubt. Sports massage is not just for high paid athletes and sports teams. More mom’s, teachers, yoga instructors and runners are choosing sports massage, they see the value in massage therapy, but they know they need a little bit more self-care, as well as focus work on the thing they do that is so physical. Richmond, Virginia is such a great running community, I have had the pleasure to work with many Richmond Marathon, half marathon runners and 10K go-ers. I would also like to brag that I have worked with a Richmond Kicker- soccer player!
Here are some key things to know:
- Most of the time when people book a sports massage, they do a sport or highly intensive exercise that requires extra focus on those muscle groups and pain spots. Some clients I’ve had over the years go to the gym 5-7 days a week.
- I have almost a decade of experience working with people who are highly active and play sports, not just that but many of my clients who are doctors, nurses, firefighters and dancers get sports massages too,.. they may not have a sport or activity, and this is ok. This is because what they do is so physical, their bodies go through some amount of trauma every day, just like a linebacker’s body would.
- Elements of a Swedish and Therapeutic massage can be integrated into a sports massage. A lot of what we do as massage therapist is working with intention, it’s about the technique of helping the muscle be better.
- Sports massage focuses on what the client’s activity is and what the main areas of pain are, and why they came in for a session. A power lifter may have different issues than a ballerina, and a soccer player may have similar issues as a runner.
- Sports massage doesn’t always have to be a full body massage; we can customize the time and not work on areas that aren’t a priority.
Q&A
Which one should you choose?
Its ok not to know. Your massage therapist can let you know their recommendations either before the session or maybe for your next session.
What if I want to stick with Therapeutic massage?
Great. That’s totally fine. Therapeutic massage is our most common service and for good reason. Our client gets results to live Well into THEIR Life.
If I book a Sports Massage, can I switch to a Therapeutic massage that day?
Yes, of course. We would never want to charge a client for a service that doesn’t fit their needs / wants and wellness goals.
Is Sports Massage the same as deep tissue?
Not always, some massage therapists don’t practice deep tissue but do practice sports massage,.. I don’t consider myself a deep tissue therapist, and that’s ok, my clients don’t mind that. They are looking to feel better than when they walked in, they want to lift without back pain, they want to win their next basketball game. Sports massage can be lighter pressure, we can focus on stretching, we can do other techniques in the session to give you a great result.
End Notes
No matter the massage type you get at Well into Life, and any other massage practice, we want you to feel safe, heard, and have clear boundaries and goals with your massage therapist. I learned in my first few weeks of massage school that the most important thing I need to do in practice is to create a safe space for all clients. I thrive on this every day in my practice, no matter the session type.
More Information
Visit our Sports Massage page to learn more.