Sports massage is a type of massage therapy originally designed for athletes—in preparation or recovery from athletic performance. Now the sports massage therapy techniques are commonly applied to anyone who is looking for a massage in a specific problem area of the body. It incorporates swedish massage techniques, rolling and kneading with trigger point therapy—targeting specific muscle groups and knots.

Because sports massage targets a specific part of the body—not the entire body—people with chronic pain and muscle soreness can benefit. The massage therapist will zero in on a pain point and release tension and tight knots to increase range of motion and stimulate circulation to the area.

If an athlete is being treated with sports massage, he or she can be treated before athletic performance, after, or for rehabilitation. A short massage before a game or athletic event will loosen the body to prepare for performance. After the game, an athlete can benefit from normalized tissue as a result of massage—reducing lactic acid buildup and shortening recovery time. If an athlete is injured, rehabilitating massage can improve circulation and promote faster soft-tissue healing. Anyone who exercises regularly can benefit from regular sports massages.