What to expect at your first Sports Massage Appointment – FAQ
You’ve booked your appointment, you’ve read lots of stories on the internet, maybe overheard some conversations down the gym……well it’s time to answer some of those questions I’m often asked by clients ahead of their first sports massage appointment.
Information required during booking process
When you complete our online booking form we ask you for various bits of information in addition to your name and address:
What to wear for a Sports Massage
If you’re wondering what you need to wear for a sports massage treatment, whatever you’re comfortable in is the best answer!During the treatment, it may be necessary to remove some items of clothing so we can treat the area. We operate a draping policy whereby we will always do our best to keep you covered and as warm as possible (warmer muscles are easier to work with).Just a few pointers though:
Arriving for your Sports Massage
When you book your appointment, the time quoted is the start time. If you can, try and aim to arrive 5 minutes before your appointment start time so you can park up and get to the treatment room.We plan our diary so that there is a space in between clients, this allows us to clean the treatment room and prep for the next client so arriving a few minutes early is not a problem.
The Sports Massage Consultation
This is arguably the most important part of the sports massage treatment.The consultation allows for us to gather information from you (required for good practice and insurance) and it also allows you to ask any questions and answer any concerns. The consultation is very much a 2 way process.After the basic information, you will be asked to describe any problems, demonstrate any movement restrictions and we may also perform some simple movement tests on you to highlight any problems.Once a clear idea of the treatment has been established, the proposed treatment will be explained to you at which time you can ask questions. When you’re happy to continue, your consent will be obtained and then the treatment can begin.
Sports Massage Treatment
The sports massage treatment will vary on the requirements of each client. However, the important thing to note is you are in charge of the treatment and if at any time you feel uncomfortable we ask you tell us and we can try different techniques.Sports Massage is not meant to be PAINFUL. Despite the rumours, sports massage is not meant to be painful, however some of the techniques can be a little painful but there are often different ways of treating that muscle so we’ll be more than happy to change technique to one more comfortable for you.During the treatment, we will use several different technique to target the areas which you need.
After the Treatment
Straight after the treatment you may notice an improvement immediately, however it’s not unusual for the benefits to take a few days to start working. We always say to clients who have had quite an intense treatment that they may feel slightly painful at first before the improvement begins, this is all perfectly normal.Some problems require a few treatments so we advise waiting a week or so before rebooking for a follow up (this will be discussed at your appointment).
Ready to book your Sports Massage Appointment?
Hopefully this short blog has answered most of your questions, if you’ve still got questions please get in touch.You can rest assured that we will look after you during your sports massage appointment and you can rest assured that as a full member of the Sports Therapy Association you will be in good hands.
Book Your Sports Massage
It’s easy to book a sports massage with us, just scroll up the page to Online Booking and that will take you straight to our booking page. Once on the booking page, you can check my diary and book online for a time that suits you. You can also rest safe in the knowledge that our booking system is a secure system