Massage therapy involves the manual stimulation and manipulation of your muscles and skin. However, there are several massage types available depending upon your health and your goals for massage. Two common massage types that have some similarities are deep tissue and sports massage. Knowing the difference between these two massage types can help you determine the best option for you.
Assess/Prevent Injury Risk
Sports massage therapists should be well-versed in common injuries and muscular woes for athletes. This includes considerations such as hamstring strains to shin splints. Sports massage therapists may identify areas in which you experience muscle tightness or determine muscle abnormalities that could potentially lead to injury if left untreated or if not stretched before exercise. While a deep-tissue massage can identify areas of muscle weakness, the therapist may not be targeting sport-specific injury areas. However, deep-tissue massage can be used to treat some injuries, including whiplash or back strain.
Strokes and Movements
One area of commonality between deep-tissue massage and sports massage is that each massage type uses similar strokes. This includes kneading, circular movements, tapping and vibrations, according to MayoClinic.com. Sports massage uses similar methods of manipulating the skin, yet tends to be more focused on sports-related areas of pain.
Goals
Sports massage is dedicated to improving sports performance, boosting flexibility and handling injuries or potential injuries. A person may have more reasons for seeking out a deep-tissue massage. These include reducing toxins in the body, relieving stress, boosting circulation, reducing tension and reducing physical pain. Whether undergoing a sports or deep-tissue massage, you should discuss your overall treatment goals with your physician.
Clients
Sports massage is typically limited to serious athletes, such as those who train most days of the week for a professional, collegiate or high-school level sport. These clients may use massage as a part of pre- or post-game warm-ups to reduce the likelihood of muscle cramping. Clients for deep-tissue massage tend to be more varied, ranging from business people to students and those in between. These clients do not have to participate in a certain activity in order to qualify for needing a deep-tissue massage.
References
- United Massage Therapists: Considering What Type of Massage to Receive? 17 Different Modalities to Ponder
- American Massage Therapist: Choosing a Type of Massage
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Massage; August 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Massage: Get In Touch With Its Many Health Benefits; January 2010
- Sports Injury Clinic; Sports Massage; 2011
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