Whether you’re a seasoned athlete, gym junkie, fitness newbie or a recreational walker, investing in a top-quality sports massage therapist can be a real game changer.
Sports massage offers many benefits. It can enhance performance and mobility. It can reduce recovery time and heal and prevent injuries. Combining the best techniques, sports massage therapy keep you moving like you want to move.
Overall, sports massage covers pre-event, post-event sports, and maintenance.
If you’ve ever needed a sports massage therapist, you’ll understand the importance of choosing the right one for your needs.
In this article, we’ll outline the qualities to consider when choosing a sports massage therapist, and share where to find the best in Canberra.
What is the difference between a sports massage therapist and a sports physiotherapist?
Sports massage generally covers pre-event sports (get ready), post-event sports (recover) and maintenance. With maintenance, clients are treated for general aches and pains, range of motion for particular sports and recovery from general soreness. It predominantly uses hands-on massage techniques.
Sports physiotherapy, on the other hand, focuses on sports injury recovery, like ankle sprains, surgery rehabilitations and shoulder dislocations. It predominantly uses exercise rehabilitation.
What makes a great sports massage therapist?
With a great sports massage therapist, you’ll benefit in many ways. Benefits include increased muscle blood flow, preventing injury and promoting flexibility. They also include relieving muscular pain, increasing performance and preparing you for competition or whatever sport you want to pursue. Great sports massage therapists also get you on the road to recovery quick sharp after you’ve participated in sports.
It can be helpful to keep the following in mind when choosing a sports massage therapist.
- Personalised service. People go for sports massage therapy for many reasons. The go, for example, to heal injuries, help to prepare for a sporting event, improve performance, recover, maintain and heal. Whatever your reason, you’ll want s therapist who will design an action plan just for you. This will help you achieve your specific goals as quickly as possible.
- Effective results. A great sports massage therapist aims for effective results. They’re about supporting you to be the bedt you can be with your sports, whether recreational or elite level.
- Experience. You’ll want a sports massage therapist who is experienced and has seen it all before. With years in the industry, and working across a range of injuries, your therapist will pinpoint how you can achieve optimal results.
- Well priced. No one likes overpaying for a service, including sports massage therapy. Ask about pricing and don’t hesitate to get more than one therapist to quote. Also ask your health insurance provider if they’ll help with costs.
- Conveniently located. If you need to visit a sports massage therapist regularly, you might want one that’s located near your home or workplace. This will make it quicker and easier to get to your therapy session.
The best sports massage therapists in Canberra
Riotact’s editorial team has combed through 20 years of on-site comments to compile a list of the most recommended businesses according to you.
To be listed in our Best of Canberra series, each business needs to have consistently received positive feedback on Riotact and Facebook as well as maintaining a minimum average of 4/5 stars on Google.
Therapy Masters
Therapy Masters began in December of 1997 as a home-based business. Today, the team of highly experienced massage therapist work from state-of-the-art commercial premises, with a calm and sophisticated decor in the heart of the city. Therapy Masters delivers treatment plans tailored to each client. Treatment plans focus on real, long-lasting results.
Kath Marshall wrote on Facebook, “Probably the best massage therapy centre in Canberra, beautiful people, beautiful service, a genuine caring and holistic environment.”
Pivotal Therapies
Pivotal Therapies, in Acton and Bruce, specialises in sports, remedial and postural-related injuries. Therapists improve performance and alleviate workplace aches and pains. Services include sports massage, deep tissue and remedial massage, trigger point and Myofascial dry needling.
On Google, David Osmond wrote, “Pivotal Therapies is brilliant at finding and working on tightness in my legs from my running. They're also great at knowing when cupping or dry needling is appropriate. Highly recommended!”
Capital Sports Massage
Capital Sports Massage offers top-notch soft tissue and remedial massage therapy and pain management. Owner Clare is passionate about helping general population sports patients and elite athletes. She is a soft tissue therapy provider for the ACT Brumbies, Canberra Raiders and ACT Comets. Claire has a Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage and an Advanced Diploma of Soft Tissue Therapy.
Marc Loxton wrote on Google, “There are few sports massage therapists who can get great results without causing a lot of pain … unreservedly recommend.”
Myogen
With a purpose-build facility, Myogen—Performance, Movement, Therapy—offers sports massage, remedial massage and soft tissue therapy. Sports massage helps resolve muscular aches and pains—pre-event or post-event. The team of Certified Professional Practitioners is experienced, friendly, professional, helpful and focused on helping clients achieve movement and injury recovery goals.
On Google, Stuart Cameron wrote, “I suffered recurrent calf/Achilles injuries that prevented me from running more than three kilometres without pain … Three months later I ran a half-marathon.”
Capital Peak Performance
Capital Peak Performance specialises in sports and remedial massage therapy. Therapists ensure clients are at peak performance by removing pain, improving health, repairing bodies and relieving stress. They offer deep tissue, sports, lymphatic drainage, trigger point, injury rehabilitation massages, cupping, compression sessions, light stretching, mobilisation and kinetic and sports taping.
On RiotACT, Mike Pamphilon wrote, “Capital Peak Performance in Weston Creek certainly gets a major vote from me. I have had Sarah treat ‘skiers legs’ and also help with a shoulder injury, plus just ‘unwind’ muscles after training. Sarah is great, and knows her stuff.”
Elite Massage Solutions
The goal of Elite Massage Solutions is to improve the way clients move with the best sports, remedial or relaxation massage treatments tailored to individual requirements. Sports massage, not just for professional athletes, incorporate remedial massage, trigger point and deep tissue techniques. It enhances endurance, lessens chances of injury and shortens recovery time.
Duncan Blake wrote on Google, “I had a massage following a long ride (170km). I needed a proper sport massage, to loosen up, relieve soreness and be ready for the next ride. That’s exactly what I got.”
Clinic 88
Clinic 88 treat aches, pains and injuries, through quality sports massage. The clinic has a highly experienced group of sports massage therapists, including Olympic and World Champion therapists and those who work with teams like the Canberra Raiders, ACT Brumbies and Canberra Capitals. Sports massage styles cover pre-event warm up, post-event cool down, injury prevention and maintenance.
On Google, Naomi Barker wrote, “I’ve seen several therapists at Clinic 88 for various sports related injuries and niggles. I’ve always walked out … and had a plan for strengthening and recovery.”
If you’re looking for more information on massage and other therapies, you might like our articles on the best physiotherapists, best remedial massage centres, best massage centres, best Chinese massage centres, best podiatrists and the best acupuncturists Canberra has to offer.
Your experience with sports massage therapists in Canberra
Thanks to our commenters who have provided insightful feedback, if you believe we have got it wrong, please let us know.
Have you had experience with any of the sports massage therapists listed above? If so, share your feedback in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sports massage therapy?
Sports massage therapy helps people to get ready for sport, play well in sport and recover after sport. This is a specific type of massage tailored to different sports and different physical conditions. It has many benefits including increasing endurance, improving flexibility, improving performance, reducing risk of injury and ensuring speedier recover.
Are sports massage and sports physio the same?
There may be some cross overs but these are two distinct areas of expertise.
Sports massage generally covers pre-event sports massage, post-event sports massage (recovery) and maintenance sports massage. It predominantly uses hands-on massage techniques. Sports physio, on the other hand, focuses on sports injury recovery, like ankle sprains, surgery rehabilitations and shoulder dislocations. It predominantly uses exercise rehabilitation.
What is pre-event sports massage?
Pre-event massage is generally on site at an event and starts approximately 20 minutes before the event begins. It’s designed to get your muscles and joints ready for action. It helps enhance performance by increasing peripheral blood flow, neural activity and awareness. This type of massage can be light in depth but vigorous to help you ‘warm up’ treated muscle groups to get you ready for the event. It can also help reduce anxiety and make you calm.
What is post-event sports massage?
Post-event massage is mainly about getting your body back to its pre-event or original state (restore or recover). It’s designed to address a range of issues and can take place immediately after an event or even a few days later. This can include reducing swelling caused by exercise, calming an over excited nervous system, reducing cramps, restoring your range of motion and flexibility.
What is maintenance sports massage?
Maintenance massage is the most sought-after type of sports massage. You usually have this in a sport massage clinic to help maintain your body, eliminating general aches and pains, keeping good range of motion (which can be different from sport to sport) and helping you to recover from general soreness.
What techniques do good sports massage therapists use?
This differs from therapist to therapist. Hands-on massage is a main component. Trigger point work can be involved. So can stretching and even dry needling.
Is sports massage just for elite athletes?
No it’s not. Sports massage is great for elite athletes, but also beneficial for recreational sports fans.
How much does sports massage therapy cost?
The cost for sports massage therapy depends on several factors. This includes the type of and length of therapy you need. It can be influenced by whether you’re an elite athlete or a recreational athlete. Your sports massage therapist should give you an idea of how many sessions you’ll need.
How do I choose the best sports massage therapist?
You’ll want to do some research, including online. Check websites for services and experience. You’ll want a therapist who is qualified and perhaps even belongs to a professional association. Check online reviews from clients too.
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