Soft Tissue Therapy in Crouch End, London

Soft-tissue therapy is the broader umbrella — it covers sports massage, remedial massage, scar work, orthopaedic soft tissue therapy, and trigger-point work. A sports massage is one specific application of the toolkit. At TA Physio we use the wider term because cases routinely need more than the classic deep-tissue 'sports massage' approach.

For maintenance, every 2 to 4 weeks works well for most active people. For an acute issue, we typically schedule a focused course of 3 to 6 sessions in shorter intervals while we work on it, then drop back to maintenance. Post-event soft-tissue work (after a marathon, triathlon, or heavy training block) is usually 24 to 72 hours after the event — sooner if there is significant DOMS.

Scar work is a specific layered set of soft-tissue techniques used on healed scars — typically post-surgical (Caesarean, abdominal, knee, shoulder) or post-trauma. The work restores mobility and slide between tissue layers that often becomes restricted during scar maturation. Scars need to be at least 6 to 8 weeks healed before any hands-on work; older scars often respond well even years later.

Some soreness for 24 to 48 hours after deep work is common — similar to post-exercise soreness. This is not the goal but it does happen, especially in the first few sessions of a course. Drink plenty of water, stay moving with light activity (walking, easy cycling), and avoid heavy training for the rest of the day. Anything sharper than DOMS-style soreness is worth telling us about.

Most major UK insurers cover soft-tissue therapy when it is delivered as part of a wider physiotherapy or osteopathy plan, but few cover stand-alone "sports massage". Check your policy first — Bupa, Cigna, Vitality, WPA, and Simply Health all have specific terms. We can issue receipts for self-funded claims either way.