What to expect
A regular sports massage should be tailored to the individual client and relevant to the sport played. In the following pages we illustrate some basic techniques that might be used in a regular preventative legs and back sports massage.
Front of the thigh
- Effleurage (light stroking techniques)
- Deep effleurage (deeper stoking movements)
- Petrissage (kneading movements)
- Stripping thequad muscles (sustained pressure along the length of the muscle)
- Stripping the iliotibial band
- Circular frictions
The knee
- Circular frictions
- Frictions to the patella tendon
- Front of the lower leg
- Effleurage
- Stripping the muscles
- Cross frictions to the tibialis anterior
The Foot
- Light stroking to top of foot
- Spreading the metatarsals
- Petrissage to sole of foot
- Stripping the plantar fascia
Back of the thigh
- Effleurage to hamstring muscles
- Petrissage to hamstring muscles
- Stripping the muscles
- Circular frictions
Calf muscles
- Effleurage
- Petrissage
- Stripping the muscles
- Splitting the heads of the gastrocnemius
- Circular frictions
- Trigger point techniques
Achilles tendon
- Sustained pressure along the length of the tendon
- Wiggling the tendon
- Circular frictions
Lower back
- Effleurage
- Petrissage
- Stripping the top of the gluteal muscles
- Stripping the errector spinae muscles
- Circular frictions
- Spinal process frictions
- Ironing
Upper back and neck
- Effleurage
- Petrissage
- Circular frictions to upper back
- Stripping the subscapularis muscle
- Stripping the lateral shoulder rotators
- Circular frictions to the lateral shoulder rotators
- Stripping the upper trapezius
- Circular frictions to the upper trapezius muscle
- Circular frictions to the neck and more