Physiotherapy or Sports Massage Therapy: How Do They Differ?

When we are recommended to go for treatment, we tend to assume that it will be a challenging and pain-wracking experience. Though this could be true to an extent, having a better understanding of the treatment you are undergoing might help you see the end goal and not just focus on the temporary pain in the present.

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Physiotherapy vs Sports Massage Therapy

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These two treatments are often interchanged and sometimes cannot be defined independently from one another.

Physiotherapy and sports massage therapy are both beneficial to the physical health and mental well-being of a patient. They can help restore your body to a state where it is competently functional and healthy.

While both treatments use different techniques, they can both be used simultaneously for a single person to achieve optimum results when it comes to soft tissue treatment and rehabilitation.

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Physiotherapists and sports massage therapists are required to be skilled and knowledgeable of the human body. However, physiotherapy falls under the wing of a medical professional, while a sports massage therapist is considered part of alternative medicine.

Moreover, physiotherapy is usually advised after surgery or as part of your recovery after getting injured. Usually, this treatment is intended to bring back your mobility.

On the other hand, sports massage therapy is designed to help your muscles recover from fatigue. It is also considered an effective method to avoid injuries.Additionally, sports massage therapists dedicated to teams help the athletes reach their peak performance in their respective sports while avoiding any harm or injury to themselves.

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Which Treatment Is Right For You?

More often than not, people are advised to get physiotherapy treatment because they have an existing condition, typically involving chronic pain, that needs a long-term management plan.

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Here are some parameters to take into consideration if seeking a physiotherapy treatment:

●      You just had surgery, and you need rehabilitation.

●      You want to manage your existing condition.

●      You want to increase your range of mobility following an injury or accident.

●      You are in various levels of pain that can be from a strain or an accident.

●      You want to be educated on how to incorporate body motion in your daily activities.

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Meanwhile, you would be recommended to undergo sports massage therapy if:

●      You need help to ease prolonged pain conditions.

●      You constantly work your muscles and you need some form of maintenance to prevent injuries

●      You need to reduce the pain in your connective tissues, ligaments, joints, muscles, and tendons.

●      You need help in reducing your anxiety and depression caused by too much practice, upcoming qualifiers and competitions, and losses.

●      You need relief from constant headaches.

●      You need help in improving your quality of sleep.

●      You need help in improving your blood circulation.

●      You need to decompress your overworked and tired muscles.

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Conclusion

Both practical and powerful treatments, physiotherapy and sports massage therapy, when used for their intended purposes, can make massive improvements in your body and into your future, especially if you are recovering from a surgery.

If necessary, combining the two treatments can accelerate the healing and recovery process. Physiotherapy is your best post-surgery recovery option. However, sports massage therapy is your best bet if you want to prevent yourself from succumbing to injuries in the first place. If you happen to be injured, it is recommended that you follow up with sports massage therapy to ensure that you have a maintenance plan in place and avoid injuring yourself the same way again.

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