Back home now after a fascinating and brilliant three days at Bournemouth 7's treating people with Sports Massage, Soft Tissue Therapy, Injury Rehab and Taping and Strapping.
Working amongst other therapists was great as we shared ideas and learnings and I picked up several as, despite graduating five years ago, I never stop learning as info can change over the years so I need to keep updating my knowledge to provide the best service possible to clients. Teaching methods change over the years so it was good working with current students to see how they are taught and what they are taught about.
One comment I heard a few times was that there was the expectation that the Sports Massage was going to hurt and be painful. They were reassured by being told that it doesn't have to hurt to be helpful and the usual quote of "No pain, no gain" is an old saying and not representative of how treatments are given today.
Injured muscles are already painful so I certainly don't want to increase the pain that the person is feeling. I want to reduce the pain and discomfort and help the injury recovery process with appropriate treatment rather than hinder it by extending the recovery time. Yes I do work deeply through the muscle layers when required but it is carried out in a controlled way that works with the body to allow it. If I don't work like this then the muscles will resist by contracting to prevent further injury.
My general learning from the festival is that we don't look after our muscles enough. We already go to the opticians and dentist to get eyes and teeth checked over and cars get taken to the garage to be serviced at least annually so why don't muscles get the appropriate care that they deserve?
Muscles are used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you feel any issues with muscles such as a twinge, something doesn't feel right or maybe have a ongoing issue then find some appropriate care to address the muscular issue. I heard a few times that players had felt something wasn't right several weeks ago but carried on without finding appropriate treatment. This minor issue then became a bigger issue which needed more treatment and longer recovery time resulting in less time on activities. It is better to get issues checked out, even if you think are tiny, before they become bigger and potentially mor3 inconvenient so please get in touch so we can work on addressing your concerns.
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