Athletic Massage
Sports Massage
Sports massage is generally divided into four groups: pre-event, post-event, maintenance, or injury-related massage.
- Pre-event: A short, stimulating session before training or competition. The aim is to prepare and wake up the muscles you are about to use. It usually uses faster-paced massage techniques like tapotement.
- Post-event: This is for recovery after training or a competition. The goal is to ease discomfort in tired muscles, improve mobility, reduce heaviness, or encourage the body to rest and relax.
- Maintenance: These are the sessions during a regular training cycle. Their goal is to ease tight muscles, increase range of motion, and keep you motivated.
- Injury-related: This group is addressed using pain management massage and coaching techniques to help you manage pain during your recovery.
Sports Massage Therapist
A sports massage therapist is a licensed massage therapist who focuses on the needs of people who train, compete, or use their bodies in a demanding, repetitive way.
The massage centers on athletic goals: recovering from training, easing tight or overused muscles, supporting mobility, and helping you feel more prepared for the next practice, event, or workday. Sessions may include firmer pressure, stretching, compression, or lighter recovery methods, depending on whether you need intensity or restoration.
Pre-Event
Mobile Sports Massage
You may hire our sports massage therapists for mobile sports massage during training, events, or competitions. During these events, they typically help several athletes prepare by ensuring their muscles are ready for physical activity.
Learn more about mobile massage.
Sports Massage Classes
Hiring a mobile massage therapist may not be economical, so we created a sports massage class to show and teach you how to perform pre-event sports massage techniques. This class may be taken by one or two people.
Learn more about our massage classes.
Post-Event
Restoration Massage
Restoration massage is a recovery session in athletic care. The goal is to help your body return to baseline after training, competition, or heavy use, without the intensity of a deep tissue sports massage.
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage can be used as a restorative sports session when the goal is recovery. In this session, the focus is relaxation and ease to help reset your mind-body connection.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage for Athletes
Lymphatic drainage massage can be useful when muscles feel puffy, tight, or overly sensitive after a demanding event or workout session. It is best used after hard training, a competition, or a long travel day. It also helps when swelling or heaviness limits comfort, when firmer pressure is too intense, or when you want to ease the tenderness that often accompanies DOMs.
Injury-related
Pain Management Coaching & Massage
If you are coming in after an injury, the right kind of care depends on where you are in the healing process.
If the injury is still fresh, swollen, or under a doctor’s care, the first step is making sure massage is appropriate by getting clearance from your physician. When it is, the goal is to encourage you to feel as comfortable and safe as possible. Your body will heal at its own rate; my goal is to help you manage the pain with coaching or massage, as appropriate.
Learn more about pain management coaching and the Discovering Safety Within approach.
Maintenance
Deep Tissue Sports Massage
A deep tissue massage is a sustained, firm-pressure treatment that targets deep muscle structures to reduce muscle tension and pain and increase range of motion.
Deep tissue sports massage is not the best choice during acute injury, sudden swelling, or when even light touch feels like too much. If you have a recent strain, surgery, or a condition that limits pressure, check with your physician first.
If you want a stronger, more athletic session that targets deep tightness, this massage approach is for you.
Sports Thai Massage
Sports Thai massage is a clothed treatment that uses stretching, compression, and rhythmic techniques of traditional Thai manual therapy. This massage approach can feel intense, so communicate with your sports massage therapist throughout the session to ensure the stretches and pressure are right for you.
This style is a good fit for you if:
- You want a more active session.
- Need to release tightness in the hips, hamstrings, back, shoulders, or calves.
- Want stretching and manual therapy in the same session.
Stretching Massage
A stretching-based sports massage uses assisted stretching as the main tool, with massage added to pressure the tissues and help them accept the movement.
This is a good fit if you want to improve how a tight muscle moves, combine stretching and massage into one session, or improve mobility after sitting, lifting, running, or a competitive event.
This approach isn’t ideal during an acute strain, after recent surgery, or when a joint is unstable or inflamed. If you have a new injury or condition that limits stretching, check with your physician first.
If your main goal is to move freely, a stretching massage puts mobility at the center of your session.
Range of Movement Massage
A range of motion massage uses graded motor therapy as its guide. The session is not about forcing a joint farther than it wants to go; instead, it is about encouraging your joint to move in a range that your brain believes is safe.
The massage prepares the area, then you will move the joint within a comfortable range. That movement provides your brain with clearer information about where the body is and what it can do. When movement has felt risky or limited, these pain management massage techniques help build trust one small successful movement at a time.
Disclaimer
Information provided on this website, including educational materials, pain neuroscience explanations, treatment suggestions, and any other content shared during sessions, classes, or coaching, is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
You should always consult a qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of information you receive here.
O'Fallon Massage
Relaxation Massage Near Me
2717 Hwy K, O’Fallon, MO 63368