I compete in elite national and international road cycling competitions that include road racing and time trials. I recently spent several months racing over in Belgium. That means I need to keep my body in premium condition.
A few years ago I realised my body’s need for more intensive ongoing maintenance in order to prevent injuries and maximise my performance. So, I started getting regular massages in order to focus on this. I visit Optihealth once a month. Before my massage appointment, I am generally experiencing some back pain as my training causes my muscles to become increasingly tight. My training schedule is intensive. I train around 15-20 hours per week, which includes on road training and gym work.
After almost every deep tissue massage, any ongoing pain I have been suffering will have been alleviated.
All of the Optihealth therapists are professional, efficient and adaptive. They are excellent at identifying areas of tightness, and then doing their best to correct them. Frequently the therapists will identify muscles that are related to my problem areas but that I have not realised are the cause of the pain.
Another big part of why I started getting massages was to have a regular, expert review of my body. I wanted help to identify any imbalances, before they caused me injury or interruption to my training and racing. I highly value the therapist’s expertise and diagnostic skills. The therapists also offer great advice on targeted stretching and strength exercises specific to my body and sport. Since I started getting regular massages, I have definitely found my rate of injury has significantly reduced and they have become an essential part of my training plan.
I have really appreciated Iain’s and Optihealth’s support as I progress my sporting career. I know they also successfully treat many other elite athletes and I have every confidence they would be able to adapt their services to anyone’s requirements.
Alicia Evans, Elite Road Cyclist