Sports Massage near me vs Chiropractor: What is the difference?

This is a question many ask, especially those who do not understand the philosophy behind chiropractic or sports massage. What is better, a chiropractor or a massage? How to decide between a massage therapist or a chiropractor?

In this blog, we will aid you in understanding the philosophical differences between sports Massage and Chiropractors. As well as who you should see if you are considering seeing a professional. So let's start at the beginning.

How did a Chiropractor or Sports Massage come to be?

Daniel David Palmer founded chiropractic in 1895. The main principle is the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord and nerves) communication between the brain and body can interfere.

Stresses in life (physical, mental, emotional and chemical) create vertebral subluxation within the spine. This problem compresses the nerves and can cause problems where the nerves go if left uncorrected.

Chiropractors check for vertebral subluxation and, when necessary, use chiropractic adjustments to correct them. Adjustments improve and maintain the motion and function of the spine. Enabling the fullest expression of life's potential and signals travelling along the nerves and through the nervous system.

David believed that the cause of many illnesses and diseases was due to the body’s nervous system. Therefore he worked hard to develop techniques of spinal manipulation, later called chiropractic.

The chiropractic philosophy is based on the concept that the body has an innate ability to heal itself. That the role of the chiropractor is to facilitate this natural healing process.

Sports massage, however is less clear where it originated from, with many scholars referencing numerous sources. The majority believe Dr Per Henrick Ling curated the idea of sports massage during the early 1800s. He founded the ‘Swedish Massage’, developing a series of touches and movements of tissues and joints that cause relaxation.

Later in the 20th century, it was Jack Meagher who was credited with pioneering modern sports massage. Meagher’s work of developing techniques to help alleviate muscle soreness and stiffness helped to establish sports massage. Massage is now a respected field in health care. Many athletes and novices use this technique to improve performance.

The philosophy behind sports massage is rooted in the idea that physical activity can cause damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Massage therapy can be used to address and prevent such damage.

What is the difference between a chiropractor vs sports massage?

Similarly, both techniques are therapeutic approaches to treating and managing musculoskeletal conditions. However, they do differ in terms of their underlying methods and philosophies.

Sports massage tends to be a much longer treatment, lasting between 30 - 60 minutes. A sports massage is designed to focus more on treating soft tissue injuries.

Therefore a massage therapist will target muscular problems. A manual therapy that involves soothing soft tissues in the body, including muscles, tendons, ligaments and facia.

Sports massage techniques can help to increase blood flow, reduce muscle tension and soreness, and promote relaxation and flexibility also. The primary goal of a sports massage is to aid in recovery, prevent injury sports-related ache and improve athletic performance.

On the other hand, chiropractic focuses more on the nervous system with an emphasis on the spine. These sessions are much quicker, lasting 5 - 20 minutes for adjustments.

A chiropractor will make gentle adjustments to normalise joint motion and optimise other body functions.

Besides time and technique, a significant difference is how hands-on a treatment both are. Although similarly both are treated through touch, massage therapy is much more hands-on. They may treat an area for a length of time to target the muscle themselves, rather than chiropractic, which uses quick and gentle adjustments to correct misalignment that could be causing any pain.

In summary, sports massage therapists focus on manipulating soft tissue to promote recovery and support improved performance. In contrast, chiropractors' primary focus is treating skeletal conditions by restoring proper alignment and function of the spine.

What's better, Chiropractic or Sports Massage?

Both treatments can be incredibly effective for treating various conditions and improving overall well-being and health.

Chiropractic care effectively treats conditions such as back pain, neck pain, sciatica, headaches, migraines, sports injuries and joint pain. Some Chiropractors train as baby chiropractors and also as pregnancy chiropractors. Whereas on the other hand, sports massage is designed to help individuals like athletes prepare and recover from physical activity. It can also benefit individuals with injuries, chronic pain, or postural imbalances.

Ultimately, when choosing the best fit for you, try both to see the difference in your body function. Each technique impacts people differently and cannot be 100% effective for everyone in the same way.

Who should I see, Sports Massage or Chiropractor?

If you are someone experiencing pain or discomfort. It can be incredibly challenging to know which type of treatment is best for you. Its a frustration we share with many people at Life Balance Chiropractic when searching for a chiropractor near me or sports massage near me. Both massage therapists and chiropractors aim to improve mobility, but they take different approaches to achieve benefits.

Below are some factors to consider when deciding which treatment to choose.

1. Nature of the Pain:

Chiropractic is typically a much more effective method for acute pain caused by sudden injury or accident. Such as back pain, headaches, neck pain and symptoms like sciatica.

Sports massages see improved results for symptoms a like tennis elbow or runners knee due to overuse or repetitive motion.

2. Treatment Approach:

Sports massage uses various techniques to address soft tissue injuries and tight muscles such as trigger point therapy and myofascial release.

On the other hand, chiropractic treatment focuses on identifying and correcting spinal misalignments. These are called subluxations which interfere with the proper functioning of the nervous system. To resolve these issues chiropractors use manual techniques of soft spinal adjustments, therefore correcting misalignments.

3. The Severity of the Pain:

Chiropractors are trained to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the nervous system. If pain is severe and accompanied by symptoms like tingling, weakness, or numbness chiropractic care would be more appropriate.

Sports massage tends to be used in conjunction with other care plans as a complementary therapy to improve performance. However, is regularly used to improve pain directly linked with muscle.

4. Goals for Treatment:

Both treatments are effective in reducing pain and improving mobility. However, if you are in search of an approach which not only treats but addresses the underlying causes of pain. Chiropractic may be better suited to you.

If you are someone looking for a quick and more immediate deduction from pain. Then a sports massage may be the better option.

5. Personal Preference:

Ultimately, when deciding on which method may be better for you, it’s personal to each individual. It’s important to choose a treatment plan that you feel is comfortable and meets your individual needs and goals.

Top 3 common reasons to see a Chiropractor or Sports Massage Therapist.

We’ve discussed 5 topics on why you should choose a massage therapist or chiropractor. But what are the top 3 reasons to visit one or the other?

Sports Massage Therapist:

Great at treating muscle soreness and tightness. They can help you loosen up tight muscles, increase flexibility and help with post-workout fatigue.
This method of care is very effective for common injuries alike, sprains, strains, and muscle tears. They improve these issues by targeting the area to reduce inflammation, subsequently promoting healing and increasing the range of motion.
Sports Massage therapy can help to reduce stress and anxiety through its soothing methods. Therefore promotes, relaxation, and improved blood flow and in releasing endorphins, the body's natural painkiller and mood enhancer.

These top three benefits of sports massage also account for preventing future injuries. An experienced therapist can provide you with a customised treatment plan based on your individual goals and needs.

Chiropractic:

Chiropractic is a great alternative to medicine. This practice primarily focuses on the diagnosis and curates a treatment plan. Which can help with an extensive list of common health issues.
Chiropractic is most commonly known for the great care response for symptoms like back pain and neck pain. Through the use of spinal manipulation chiropractic can help long-term with chronic pain, physical manifestations of chronic stress and many other health problems.
Chiropractic is family friendly and can help with a vast range of issues all the family may experience. From the youngest member of the family not being able to settle. Teens experiencing migraines to the eldest family members with mobility and chronic pain. As well as all in between.

These common issues that chiropractic helps with account for many people improving quality of life and overall health and wellness.

What should I do next when choosing between a chiropractor or massage therapist?

This is a question I know you're thinking. All information given to you is intended to help you make a more informed decision. Hopefully, by now you can depict which profession may be best suited to your condition.

In conclusion, both massage therapists and chiropractors can be effective treatments for a range of pain. The best choice we suggest if you do still find yourself stuck. Is to simply consider scheduling a consultation with each.

Discuss your options on how they may help you, and what could a treatment plan look like for you. Most importantly always find out an honest answer to how long your symptoms may take to treat. In addition, always find out to what extent your improvements may be.

A great chiropractor or massage therapist should have no issues openly answering these questions.

If you feel chiropractic may be a suitable fit for you, book in as a new client here at our practice. If you are still looking for answers feel free to book a free telephone consultation today. Before seeking chiropractic dont make these mistakes .

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