Sports Massage

Having recently started playing football I felt somewhat less conspicuous than I would have done six months ago, going for a treatment that contains 'Sports' in the title.  I have had a number of different massages before but never a 'Sports' massage, and I had little concept of what this would involve.  The main motivation for my previous massages has been my practice of Tai Chi, as this martial art requires a high level of muscle relaxation and functionality.  Tai Chi provides something with which to test the state of my body and particularly the state of my muscles, and I would use this practice later that day to evaluate the effects of my massage.

Corine Hines currently practices Sports Massage from the 'Bristol Positive Health' Clinic in the Clifton area of Bristol.  She trained at the 'Sports Performance Services – Therapy Health & Education Centre' in Cardiff and was awarded with a Diploma that is accredited by the Sports Massage Association.  She also holds diplomas in Anatomy & Physiology and Reflexology.

Corine has practiced the martial art Ju Jutsu for the past six years, and this has made her more conscious of the effects that exercise and general use have on the body.  It is not, however, only sporty people that Corine regularly treats.  She attracts patients with a wide range of complaints including those who are stiff from using a computer for long periods of time, and those who just want a bit of pampering.

At the start of the session Corine asked me about my reason for being there (other than to write this article), and the history behind my stiffness and muscle tension that I was looking to be relieved.  After establishing what I was hoping to get out of the session, and determining any areas requiring special attention, I was asked to remove my shoes and T-shirt and position myself face down on the treatment couch.

Starting at my back Corine quickly discovered my areas of greatest tension.  Having had too many frustratingly gentle massages in the past I was pleased to discover that she was not afraid to go deep into the muscle tissue.  Having said this, she was also very conscious of my levels of pain tolerance, and at no point did the treatment become unpleasant.  During the course of the session a number of different massage techniques were used, some of which were new to me.  These included the use of different parts of the hands and arms, gentle massage, deep massage, stretching, and rotation of the arms and shoulders.  The different techniques were employed as appropriate to the level of tension and mobility of the area in question, and I was suitably impressed by the variety of approaches and the way in which they were employed.

Immediately after the session, which lasted about an hour, I felt a deep sense of relaxation in my body.  My posture felt a great deal more comfortable and I discovered later that evening that Tai Chi form had also become a little more fluid and relaxed.  Overall I was very impressed with the effects of my Sports Massage and would recommend it to anyone who is experiencing muscular related discomfort or stiffness, and if you live in the Bristol area I would recommend the services of Corine Hines who appears to be highly accomplished in the practice of this therapy. 

Corine Hines MSMA
www.bristolph.co.uk
0117 973 9977