Each sport and athletic event uses muscle groups in a different way. Sports massage therapists must be familiar with each muscle,the muscle groups and how they are affected by the specific movements and stresses of each sport. They also are trained in the appropriates uses of hydrotherapy and cryotherapy
Traditional western (e.g Swedish) massage is currently the most common approach used for conditioning program's. It is frequently supplemented by other massage therapy approaches including deep tissue, trigger point work, and acupressure. Some massage therapists have special training in sports massage and greater experience working with athletes.
Sports Massage Therapy frequently includes the use of one or more of the following techniques:
- Deep Swedish Massage Muscle-specific applications of the standard effleurage,pertrissage, vibration and tapotement techniques.
- Compression Massage Rhythmic compression into muscles used to create a deep hypreamia and softening effect in the tissues. It is generally used as a warm-up for deeper, more specific massage work.
- Cross-Fiber Massage Friction techniques applied in a general manner to create a stretching and broadening effect in large muscle groups; or on site-specific muscle and connective tissue, deep transverse friction applied to reduce adhesion's and to help create strong, flexible repair during the healing process.
- Trigger Point/Tender Point Massage Combined positioning and specific finger or thumb pressure into trigger/tender points in muscle and connective tissue, to reduce the hypersensitivity, muscle spasms and referred pain patterns that characterize the point. Left untreated, such trigger/tender points often lead to restricted and painful movement of entire body regions.
- Lymphatic Massage Stimulation of specialized lymphatic-drainage pathways, which improves the bodies removal of edemas and effusion.