Sports Massage

Stefan has been with the clinic since 2003 having trained at the renowned London School of Sports Massage (LSSM).  Stefan has a wealth of experience in major sporting endeavors (running, swimming and cycling) himself and brings this sporting experience to enable him to better understand his clients injuries.  An added depth of knowledge comes from Stefan’s other career as a neonatal intensive care nurse, a role he retired from in 2019.  Throughout the year Stefan can often be found providing massage support at some of the South’s major mass participation sporting events.

Tracey is the newest member of the clinical team having joined the clinic in May 2024. Her journey into Sports Massage  began through her own experience as a runner: recovering from injury, I discovered how sports massage accelerated rehabilitation, improved performance, and enhanced recovery. That personal insight now shapes the way I work with clients.

Call Us Now on 023 80405335 to make your appointment or to book our Free Advisory Consultation.

Whilst many athletes do use Sports Massage Therapy the technique itself has no age limits and clients aged from 8 to 80 have attended with great results.

Whilst Sports Massage may be considered to be a stand alone therapy, at Lowford Clinic we often combine Sports Massage Therapy with Chiropractic,  since this combination can often result in increased benefits for you.

Below you will find answers to questions that we are often asked. If you require further information regarding a subject that you cannot find information on, please give the clinic a call on 023 80405335 and we can answer any questions that you have.

How does sports massage differ from normal massage

Whilst all massage is a hands-on therapy sports  massage is delivered with a slightly different emphasis and also from a diagnostic point of view.  Rather than just find something that feels sore  and work on it we attempt to find the reasons behind  and then apply the relevant techniques to help you recover and hopefully prevent recurrence. These techniques may involve finding muscle imbalances which may be the cause of your current problem and then we go about advising exercises to correct them.   What you wish to achieve with us may vary depending on whether you are injured and have a deadline for a competitive event or are just needing to resolve some delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).  Sports massage tends to be more vigourous  than other forms of  massage.

When should I have a regular sports massage?

There is no such thing as a”best” time to have a sports massage, every client differs in their requirements and also time frame for recovery.   This is something that you should discuss with Stefan  and is something that sometimes is developed on a trial and error basis.  You will soon know what tends to work best for you and will vary dependent on whether you are injured and using sports massage as part of a rehabilitation programme or whether you are using sports massage to recover from a hard training session or event.

I don't play sports - can I still have a Sports Massage?

Sports massage is a term to describe the type of technique rather than the end-user.  Since the tissues that are implicated in a sporting injury are no different to those that become sensitive with a general overuse injury in a non-sporting client the techniques are perfectly suited to those general aches and pains.  However as opposed to other forms of massage therapy we will also try to ascertain the likely features in your lifestyle or activities of daily living that contributed to your problem in the first place and give advice on how to minimise their impact in the future.

What happens during a treatment?

A brief case history of your problem and general past medical history is taken prior to your first massage appointment.  This may highlight areas for you to work on or indeed may highlight aspects of your case that require the expertise of other practitioners at Lowford Clinic including your sports goals or event deadlines. We may do some standing tests and no doubt will review your posture (this we do with your clothes on). The majority of our treatment is hands-on work, however we want to fix you, so may glean as much information from you so we can work out what’s going on.

What should I wear?

We use towels during the treatment and would require that you keep your underwear on, however if you feel more comfortable, you can bring a pair of shorts. Stretchy underwear is best, especially if we are treating legs.

How often should I have Sports Massage?

If time and budget were not an issue, every week, since the benefits are well known, however in reality time and money are always an issue.  Sports people often have a massage just prior to an event and also whilst preparing for that event.  Furthermore, a post-event massage is often very beneficial.  Stefan has been found supporting athletes around the south coast at such events as the London Marathon, the olympics, para olympics, and  local cycling sportives.

will sports massage hurt?

Yes and no.  Feedback from you as the client will guide us in this respect since everyone’s pain threshold is different. When too much pressure is applied and causes undue pain, your natural response is to tense up, this means the therapist is now treating your voluntary muscle tension and not the problem area. In some instances to get that tissue to respond it may cause some short term sensitivity and local skin redness.

Is there a regulatory body?

Stefan is a member of The Institute of Sports and Remedial Massage (ISRM)  one of the two main bodies representing sports massage therapists in this country. The ISRM maintains the standards for sports massage practitioners and holds a register for sports massage practitioners.