Teneriffe Massage Therapist Explains What’s The Best Massage ?

By Shannon Smith

Massage utilized within the sport and exercise field can basically be split into two types of treatment, Recovery and Remedial Massage.

Recovery Massage as the name suggests aids recovery from training. The goal being that the individual is able to return to sport and exercise sooner than normal through the alleviation of Delayed Onset Muscular Soreness (DOMS) and removal of Residual Muscular Tone.

DOMS resulting from micro damage to muscle fibers becomes progressively worse for up to four days following prolonged periods of physical exertion.

It is also common for the primary muscle groups involved to retain increased levels of tone. Due to over exertion and fatigue of muscle fibers they will remain partially contracted at rest.

Techniques most beneficial for treating soreness and fatigue are effleurage and soft tissue mobilization. These are long or circular gliding strokes applied rhythmically with medium pressure, combined with gentle rubbing and squeezing of individual muscle bellies.

When applying this type of massage the therapist must be mindful of muscular tenderness. Following intense training muscles will be sensitive and painful to touch. The objective is to “flush” the damaged tissue (increasing blood flow to fibers requiring repair while removing metabolic waste) and to “sooth” fatigued muscular tissue encouraging relaxation.

Remedial Massage, on the other hand is corrective in regards to joint movement and posture. It is focused primarily on the release of soft tissue around stiff, immobile joints. To initiate change in an area laden with fibrotic connective tissue, commonly the result of years of muscular imbalance, one must apply deep pressure to release and stretch the target tissue. To release these tissues it is necessary to challenge the Proprioceptors (specialized cells that control and maintain movement and posture) present in soft tissue around the joint.

Unfortunately to effectively influence proprioceptive function with a massage, while creating tissue change and returning joints to their original neutral positions, you must also affect other receptors in soft tissue including Nocioceptors (Pain Receptors).

Remedial massage techniques include sustained pressure to a specific area (Trigger Points), blocking then stretching segments of tissue (Myofascial Realease) and deep friction.

In a nutshell, Recovery Massage aims to alleviate the pain and discomfort of soreness and aching produced within the contractile fibers of your Muscle Tissue (red stuff on muscle charts). Remedial Massage is most likely to cause a degree of pain while attempting to remove Connective Tissue (white stuff on muscle charts) tightness that restricts joint movement and compromises optimal posture.

Even though these massage techniques have a completely different focus in terms of outcome. They are used interchangeably within the course of a massage treatment.

Intense training often results in a combination of muscular soreness and connective tissue tightness. The goal then is to work with your masseur / masseuse to insure that the appropriate techniques are applied at the correct times (in regards to training programs), in the correct way (most relevant being the amount of pressure used) and to the correct areas (differentiate the pain of irritation from that of tissue release).