If you are A) a weekend warrior B) an Ironman Athlete or C) anything in between, you need to be seeing us. Amateur and professional athletes all know what the benefits of regular sport Massage, sport-based Chiropractic, and sport-based Naturopathy can provide.
Sport Performance & Chiropractic
Sport Performance & Massage Therapy
Sports Nutrition
Sport Performance & Chiropractic
The chiropractors at The Health Loft, one being a former fitness competitor, and the other being a former competitive dancer know first hand what kind of dedication, time, and wear and tear any sport can have on the body in order to be successful. Incorporating fitness rehabilitation, Active Release Techniques, Functional Anatomic Palpation, and Functional Release Techniques, high performance emolients, and chiropractic rehabilitation, we help heal damaged tissue, reduce recovery times in between training, optimize performance, and prevent injury.
What is Active Release Technique (A.R.T.)?
A.R.T. is a state of the art soft tissue and movement based system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. Some conditions that The Health Loft doctors use A.R.T for:
1. headaches
2. back pain
3. carpal tunnel syndrome
4. shin splints
5. shoulder pain
6. sciatica
7. plantar fasciitis
8. knee problems
9. tennis elbow
These conditions are often the result of overuse patterns that develop over time. Tough, dense scar tissue will develop in the affected area - which affects functionality and movement. Muscles become shorter and weaker, tendons under tension present as tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped which can lead to numbness, tingling, and weakness. We use fluid movement with pressure to help break up any restrictions in normal motion.
What is an A.R.T. treatment like?
With every treatment, we are assessing and re-examining your progress. There are over 500 specific moves that are unique to A.R.T. and we identify precisely which muscles and which plane of motion is being affected.
What Is Functional Range Release Technique (F.R.T.)?
Functional Range Release (F.R.T.) is an advanced system of soft-tissue treatment based in the principles of myofascial release, but with multiple improvements.
The treatment system, in combination with the Functional Anatomic Palpation Systems™ focuses on the assessment, localization, and systematic treatment of soft-tissue injuries that lead to scar tissue and muscle damage, which develop as a result of injury, repetitive strain, and cumulative trauma.
The basic premise of this approach is that the tissue which is directly responsible for limiting a person's range of motion is not the muscle. Rather, motion is restricted due to the nervous system's control of that muscle.
The nervous system's central mechanism which controls muscle length contains a 'stretch threshold' which, when exceeded, triggers a reflex causing the muscle to shorten.
So, even though the potential for further movement exists, the central nervous system will not allow this movement to occur. Thus, this 'safe' range is not determined by the actual flexibility of the muscle tissue itself, but rather is the 'decision' of an over-cautious central nervous system. It is the goal of the F.R.T. to simultaneously increase this threshold (which improves range of motion), and simultaneously develops strength in the new extended range, which we call ‘increasing the functional range'.
Sport Massage is the application of deeper, more stimulating Swedish techniques.
It is intended for athletes, both competitive and recreational, who are injured or experiencing post-training soreness. It can also be equally useful for those needing more than just a relaxation massage. It is intended to help prevent, maintain and avoid injury to stressed muscles.
Our registered massage therapists offer sports massages that are extremely useful for enhanced performance, some of which can be applied on the day of a specific event.
Pre-Event Sports Massage: will take place anywhere from 15 min - 60 min before an event (e.g., a race). It is the use of more stimulating techniques to prepare and warm the tissue for the activity.
Maintenance Sports Massage: is used in between training sessions. The intent here is to facilitate recovery with focused deep tissue work, passive and active stretching. Getting rid of trigger points, and maintaining optimal range of motion is critical to helping the athlete’s performance and relative gains during their training.
Post-Event Sports Massage: is usually performed 1 - 3 hours after an event or activity. The goal here is to flush out muscles and restore nervous system activity to normal pre- activity levels. Usually lighter pressure, coupled with passive stretching is essential at this stage. This will eliminate lactic acid build up, which in turn aids healing time and decreases delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS)
Injury Sports Massage: In acute or chronic cases of injury, we focus to the site of injury and then to the compensating factors that begin when the body is unbalanced. Ice and/or heat are typically used here in conjunction with specific Swedish techniques to reduce inflammation and improve speed of healing.
That being said, you certainly don't have to be a competitive athlete to benefit from deep tissue massage! Repetitive strain injuries (which can come from smaller tasks like excessive computer work) can lead to tough, dense scar tissue over time. Years of this build up will need more than light pressure to get relief. Sports Massage addresses these concerns and brings back normal range of motion, and muscles that are pain free.
In addition to sport performance, the discipline of sports nutrition is an exacting science. Proper timing of meals, consuming specific highly bio-available foods, and proper supplementation can all improve athletic output, facilitate recovery, and allow you to get back to training quickly.
Depending on your goals, we determine the right balance of foods, the timing of your meals, and how to integrate your meal plan into your training schedule. Your plan can also include a custom cocktail of medical-grade supplements, vitamin injections, and sports acupuncture. Whether you are training for your first 10K run, or your 15th fitness competition, the doctors at The Health Loft have you covered.