
PERSONALTRAINING Online
WITH
GABRIELLA HERING
Optimal Fitness Lifestyle

Sports Massage Therapy
Is a massage treatment that uses firm pressure from the therapist to reach the deep into the tissues, very effectively loosening up tight muscles. This is achieved by massage techniques breaking up muscular knots and bringing about positive change in the way the muscles function. Whether you want to enhance yourself in your sport, exercise, your work or for day-to-day life, sports massage is highly effective for relieving pain and easing movement.
Sports massage improves muscle flexibility, helping your joints and muscles achieve better performance and prevent muscular and joint injury. If you are suffering from muscular injuries, these can heal more effectively by having some sports massage treatment. It is very important to drink plenty of water following a treatment to flush out toxins released into the system and eat foods which are high in vitamin C .
What to expect at your appointment
Before I start I will arrive shortly before your pre-arranged appointment time at your preferred location.
The specialist massage table will be set up in the area of your choosing, ideally somewhere quiet that you feel relaxed such as a living room or bedroom.
If this is your first appointment I will conduct a full consultation with you confirming any medical information I need to be aware of and your suitability for treatment. I will then talk to you about any treatment preferences including positioning and particular areas you wish to work on or in which you’re feeling pain and will advise how I intend to target those areas.
The Treatment
Your treatment will begin and will last for 30 or 60 minutes.
During this time I will work hard to ensure you are comfortable but you should always make me aware if you feel uncomfortable at any time. Every body is different and it’s important to me that I understand your needs.
At the end of your treatment I will help you up from the table and ensure you are steady on your feet (many clients doze off during treatment).
Once you’re happy I will pack everything away leaving your home exactly how I found it.
Sports Massage lubricants I use:
Oils : These the most traditional and commonly used medium. Vegetable, nut and seed oils are the best because they are the most nutritional for the skin. These are natural, cold-pressed oils. Extra virgin olive oil, grape seed oil, sweet almond oil.
Avoid mineral oil, as it is a known carcinogen (substance that cause or may cause cancer ). Mineral oil has no nutritional value for the skin, as it does not penetrate through. It acts as a barrier and so may clog the pores. Many brands of body lotion and creams contain mineral oil.
Sweet Almond Oil: Sweet almond oil is one of the most popular massage oils. Extracted from almonds, sweet almond oil is pale yellow in color. It is slightly oily, which allows hands to glide easily over skin. Sweet almond oil is absorbed fairly quickly, but not so quickly that you need to keep reapplying it. It usually does not irritate skin. People with nut allergies should not use almond oil.
Fractionated Coconut Oil: Although you may think of coconut oil as being a thick, white solid oil, fractionated coconut oil is actually a light, non-greasy, liquid oil. It is called fractionated coconut oil because it contains only a fraction of the whole oil. The long-chain triglycerides have been removed, leaving only the medium-chain triglycerides. Fractionated coconut oil has a very long shelf life. But perhaps the top feature of fractionated coconut oil is that it tends not to stain sheets, a problem with most massage oils.
Grapeseed Oil: In many respects, grapeseed oil makes a great massage oil. It has little-to-no odor, and it has a smooth, silky texture without being greasy. Grapeseed also has natural non-allergenic properties.
Lotions: Excellent for deep tissue work, there are more quickly absorbed by the skin so more will be used for each treatment.
Sports Massage: Sports massage is designed to enhance athletic performance and recovery. There are three contexts in which sports massage can be useful to an athlete: pre-event, post-event, and injury treatment. Pre-event massage is delivered at the performance site, usually with the athlete fully clothed. Fast-paced and stimulating, it helps to establish blood flow and to warm up muscles. During the massage, the athlete generally focuses on visualizing the upcoming event. Post-event massage is also delivered on site, through the clothes. The intent here is to calm the nervous system and begin the process of flushing toxins and waste products out of the body. Post-event massage can reduce recovery time, enabling an athlete to resume training much sooner than rest alone would allow. When an athlete sustains an injury, skillful massage therapy can often speed and improve the quality of healing. Please allow 15 minutes extra for first consultation.
Head and Neck Massage: Alleviates headaches, improves concentration, stimulates the release of endorphins the body's natural pain killers, promotes a relaxed state of mental awareness, relieves depression, low mood and irritation.
MASSAGE CONTRAINDICATIONS: Contraindications serve as a guideline to help us determine if we should institute certain precautions in treatment, withhold treatment altogether, or recommend alternative treatments that would be more appropriate. The term "massage contraindication" means you are notable to receive massage, or the massage may be limited to certain areas of your body. When you are contraindicated for a massage it is for your health and safety as well as the massage therapist. Not all contraindications mean that you will never be able to have a massage.
GP/Health Care Professional Contraindication: A contraindication for which the therapist must gain the authority of the client's GP or other medical specialist to assess and treat the client. The following conditions will require a medical doctor's clearance , the assessment and treatment must be authorised : Acromegaly, Aneurysm, Atherosclerosis, Cancer, Cerebrovascular accident, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Congestive Heart Failure, Coronary Artery Disease, Hemophelia, Hodgkin's Disease, Kidney Stones, Leukemia, Myasthenia Gravis, Nephrosis, Peritonitis, Polycystic Kidney Disease, and Uremia, Osteoporosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Inflammation of joints, Nerve injury/impingement, Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Shingles, Chicken pox, Stroke, Epilepsy, Thrombosis/ DVT, Embolism, Severe hypertension /hypotension if not fully controlled, Heart failures/disease , Heart murmurs, Angina pectoris, Severe diabetes, Haemophilia, Systemic oedema, Lymphangitis, Septicaemia, Post operative, HIV and AIDS, Unstable pregnancy, Undiagnosed lumps/masses, Undiagnosed pain.
Precautionary contraindication: Condition when a treatment may not be harmful but should be adapted to suit the condition. Consideration and extra care needs to be given to client positioning, pressure and depth, lubricant and choice of technique: Allergies, Headaches, Asthma, Menstruation, Diabetes if client controlled, Weakened skin, Osteoarthritis, Varicose veins, Alcohol/substance abuse, Normal pregnancy.
Some of the more common local contraindications include, but are not limited to: Abnormal lumps, Acute sprain/strain Ance Vulgaris, Athlete's foot, Blisters, Bruising/haematoma in acute stage , Boils, Burns, Bursitis , Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Colitis, Common cold, Crohn's Disease, Cystitis (Baker's and sebaceous), Decubitis Ulcers bed/pressure sores, Dermatitis, Eczema, Erysipelas, Fungal infections, Fractures, Graves' Disease, Hernia, Herpes simplex, Hives, Hyper and Hypothyroidism, Impetigo, Infectious diseases, Influenza, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lice, Local inflammation, Mites, Moles, Muscular haematoma, Open wounds/sores, Phlebitis, Poison ivy - oak - sumac, Pneumonia, Psoriasis, Recent operations, Scar tissue in acute stage, Sinusitis, Skin cancer, Swollen lymph glands, Tuberculosis, Ulcers, Unhealed burns (sunburn if not widespread) and Warts.
While massage has many benefits certain conditions warrant caution. If you have a condition that has not been listed here, or you are unclear about whether you can receive massage, talk to me and your GP. We will both be happy to discuss this with you. Remember, if you are turned down for a massage because of a condition you have, it is because the massage therapist has your best health at interest.
You can download the Client Record Form :





