Before the massage begins, your therapist will talk to you about your health and lifestyle. They will ask you to lie on a massage table and will cover you with towels to protect your privacy and to keep you warm. They will probably use creams or oils to help them to massage your skin smoothly.

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Sports massage does not have a specific technique. It depends on the training the person is doing and the nature of the injury or condition. It borrows from techniques used in other disciplines like physiotherapy and osteopathy.

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Techniques include:

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• soft tissue release: locking and stretching the tissues and muscles

• neuromuscular technique: targeting trigger points in the nervous system to get rid of pain and tension

• positional release: used to relax hyperactive muscles

• fascial release: deep, slow kneading used to release the connective tissues around the muscles

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You will be expected to move around quite a lot and communicate continually with your therapist so they can respond to how your body is feeling. You might feel some discomfort during a sports massage. Always tell your therapist if you are in any pain.