Treatments
Resolve pain and injuries with Lucas Massage Therapy by addressing the root cause for lasting change…
You might need an effective sports massage in Watford before or after your training session. To treat an injury. Or before, during or after an athletic, dance or sporting event. Alternatively, you might need a therapeutic massage in Watford, or somewhere else in the Hertfordshire area like Northwood, Hemel Hempstead or St Albans, because of the demands of your job or your day-to-day life. You might simply want to de-stress. Here you will find a full range of options, all ready to be carefully tailored to your needs – and those of your body.
Sports massage in Watford
Sports massage is one of our most-requested therapies in Watford. You might need it to treat:
- Upper and lower back pain
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Muscle strains
- Sprain injuries
- Knee injuries
- Tennis elbow
- Shin splints
- Whiplash
- Poor muscle activation
- Muscle compensation patterns
- Muscle imbalance
- Postural problems
- Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
- Chronic pain
- Tiredness and stress
- Headaches and migraines
- Sciatica
But it can also help with numerous other complaints and conditions in conjunction with other forms of treatment. If in doubt, it is always better to ask. You can get a little more information before setting up your back massage in Watford, or tell us exactly when and where you need a highly experienced sports masseur for your event, whenever you get in touch.
Deep tissue massage in Watford
You might need a sports massage & deep tissue massage for any of the conditions or complaints listed above. You can also opt for a full-body deep tissue massage as both a preventative measure against injury, to aid recovery after training, to reduce chronic stress and much more.
You might choose to get sports or deep tissue massage in Watford specifically designed to be suitable for use as a:
Maintenance massage
Your maintenance massage will help you manage and treat muscle tension and soreness created by athletic activity. The process is designed to work from the general to the specific and from superficial to deep. This means it will narrow down issues specific to you and then get deeper to deal with them.
For example, if you are a keen cyclist, after some basic massage strokes to warm the tissue, half of your session might include a more detailed focus on your lower body muscles. The rest would be devoted to other areas which are heavily used when cycling, such as the back, neck and chest.
- Your session lasts from around 30 minutes to around 90 minutes and focuses on specific areas.
- Fully body massage is also available.
- Directed towards your muscles, fascia and ligaments.
Restorative massage
Your restorative massage is specifically designed to help you recover after any athletic activity you have undertaken. For this reason, it is sometimes called a curative massage or post-recovery massage.
During athletic activity, you will be contracting certain muscles repeatedly – often with a great deal of force. This can mean they develop a shorter resting length. Your restorative massage will focus on the major muscles you used in your event or activity, lengthening any muscles which have developed a shorter resting length, activating antagonistic muscles and stretching the surrounding fascia.
- Your session normally lasts for around 30 to 60 minutes.
- Having it take place between 6 and 72 hours after your athletic activity is highly recommended.
- Directed at increasing circulation and restoring the normal resting length of your muscles.
- The process can include effleurage, petrissage, compression, a range of motion exercises and stretches
Pre-event massage
Any pre-event massage which you get will be designed to energise you and increase your performance during it – as well as to reduce the risk of injury. It does this by increasing the circulation to the primary muscles you will be using during your event, increasing their temperature and softening the connective tissues.
In addition to the physical, one of the main reasons why so many professional athletes request a pre-event massage is a psychological one. You will be more relaxed, any anxiety you may be experiencing will be reduced and your ability to concentrate will be heightened.
- Your session will generally last for around 15-20 minutes.
- Directed at being light and non-specific, but with some concentration on the large muscles which are likely to see the most use during your event
- The process can include rhythmic compression, kneading, superficial friction, tapotement, vibration, stretching and joint movements to increase flexibility
Post-event massage
Your musculature will often suffer from oxygen debt after intense activity. Chemicals, by-products of your metabolism, may also build up in your muscle tissue. It is these which will make you feel sore for the next few days. A post-event massage is designed to combat this, delivering oxygen, improving circulation and reducing metabolic build-up.
- Your session commonly lasts 15-20 minutes.
- Best performed within two hours of the end of your athletic activity.
- Is slower-paced than other event massages, designed to provide relaxation and relief.
- Focuses on a circulatory enhancement to aid in recovery, as well as to decrease muscle and connective tissue tension.