Sports Massage Arek
Sports & Remedial Massage,
Medical Acupuncture/Dry Needling
home visits
I'm a Sports & Remedial Massage Therapist with BTEC Level 5 qualification from NLSSM (London) and Medical Acupuncturist (Dry Needler). Services:
Sports & Remedial Massage
Medical Acupuncture
Deep Tissue Massage
I offer HOME VISITS in Athens, Greece.
I've made some significant progress in my return to running in the last months.
The back is holding up well. I seem to have learned to understand it and read any warning signs.
I consistently do my core workouts 2 to 3 times a week. They are crucial! With just running I wouldn't get far.
And I finally do regular mountain trail runs, which is the essence of my running!
And is loving it too!
Found this little paradise on his birthday
📷
Been quiet here lately, but the business is rolling as usual.
I'm currently open for home visit bookings in Athens.
Soon I'll be also announcing my residency at one of the clinics in Neo Psychiko 🤫
Lower back muscles - QL, Erector Spinae, Obliques and a few more...
Such a small area of the body and so many layers of muscles with different functions. In order to target all of them it's essential to use variety of techniques.
Have you ever paid attention to your posture when on your phone?
HEADACHES, MIGRAINES, TIGHT SHOULDERS...
they all can be triggered by bad posture.
In this example, as I'm looking down, my ear lobe should ideally be only a little in front of my shoulder joint. Then, the muscles and tendons of my neck and upper back don't have to bear the full weight of my head.
When I'm dropping my head, like in the second picture, I'm overly relying on the mentioned muscles. They are not designed to do so for longer periods of time, so they fatigue. They become tight and overstretched, as a result they get weaker and often develop trigger points too. It's a perfect recipe for headaches.
Correcting the posture and resetting the affected muscles with sports massage techniques can make a huge difference.
Some kind words from one of my clients back in London 🙏
I'm open for bookings in September. Don't hesitate to get in touch 👍
Setbacks to any kind of injury can be frustrating, annoying, debilitating, upsetting, etc....
but it's all part of the game!
We need to be able to deal with them, try to take the positives and learn the lessons from our experiences.
We often end up so wound up in our negative thoughts that it becomes difficult to see beyond it.
Having a professional guiding us through the tough times can often be the best thing. It can give us a different perspective and help us find the light at the end of the tunnel.
It’s always better dealing with a problem, by joining forces with a professional who can guide you, rather than alone. That’s exactly why having regular massage as part of your training and rehab program is a game changer, especially when you’re dealing with injury/pain.
SETBACK!!!
I managed 2 run/walks + some more intense strength workouts and ... my back got f...ed again!
By coincidence, before it happened, I already had a physiotherapy session arranged for the same day.
Going there I felt hopeless and resigned. Especially in relation to my attempted return to running.
Luckily, my physio saw it differently, and in the first minuts of the appointment said to me YOU ARE NOT STOPPING RUNNING! Something I didn't expect to hear, but in fact, so needed to hear! It lifted my mood instantly.
The rough plan is to take it easy for the next few days but continue with strength and conditioning exercises and my gradual return to running. I have to continue exposing my back to the repetitive impact that running causes, so it re-learns to cope with it.
On the 2nd day, the back was worse but I expected it. It's always been the case - 2nd and 3rd day of a flare up.
3rd evening, I decided to give a run/walk a go. I did only 5x 1min jog/1min walk and I was very much aware that the back hasn't healed, but the whole experience felt good.
I'm writing this post a few hours after the run and I'm still feeling better than I did before - I have more mobility and less discomfort. Fingers crossed it's the way forward.
huge thank you to Maria for looking after me.
Following the race brought all these memories of our trip to Chamonix 3 years ago.
One of the best holidays and some of the best runs I'd done there...
Currently taking bookings for the coming weeks - home visits Athens.
This is me running first time since 22nd of March! My longest break from running since I began around 10 years ago.
I still can't tell if it's too early or perhaps I've waited too long. Time will tell...
Somewhere deep inside me it feels right to test where I'm at.
I've had multiple lower back flare ups starting from end of 2019. Over time, they started building up in frequency and intensity. In October last year it got me bad after race and it had kept me long and then continued reoccurring roughly monthly.
Since end of March 2022 it hasn't flared up again but for months I've been feeling limited in my range of movement, I've had nervy sensations when bending, feeling stiff and sore...
I'm not 100% now, but feel that my core is strong. Who knows, maybe I will never be 100%...
I feel that it's time to start combining my mat S&C exercises with running. Gradually!
Tonight I did 5x 2min run/2min walk. Just to get the feel of how my body is doing and how my back responds to this repetitive movement.
The run was great and cario-wise it felt easy. It was actually very hard to restrain myself from doing more or longer reps. Though, in the past, I've always paid the price a day or two later. 🤞🤞🤞🤞
So I used to climb regularly for many years.
Ironically, one of the few reasons why I stopped was starting the sports massage profession. Specifically, the risk and likelihood of injuring fingers and/or developing calluses on hands 😅.
After moving to Greece I'm rediscovering this old passion and hoping to find a good balance - staying away from injuries 🤞 and offering slightly rougher massages😂
Wanna book a treatment with me, get in touch.
It's a very nice exercise for the deep abdominal muscles.
It also could be used as a test of how flexible (or not) your hamstrings are. Ideally you should lift both legs to the vertical position with the knees straight...
In the recent months though I've been using it a lot as an indicator of how my body is coping with the bulging disc in lower back.
When things were bad I couldn't lift my legs outstretched at all.
When things were a bit better, I could lift my legs, but knees had to remain bent.
Eventually, I was able to lift me legs with the knees straight, but it had taken many days to reach an almost vertical position.
Recovery from injury requires a lot of determination and patience. I had multiple setbacks along the way and it really sucks, especially when it comes to lower back and disc problems. Sometimes one small move can take you several weeks back in your recovery. But the end goal of a long recovery process is always worth the hard work...I'm hoping to get back to running soon🤞🤞🤞...
P.S. thank you to the amazing
for looking after me!
You may not know it, but sports massage is not dedicated to sporty people only.
We all get stiff and feel tight in places. We all get cramps and muscle spasms. We all need some body maintenance work!
To put it simply, sports massage means the treatment is usually dedicated to a specific area of the body and it has therapeutic purpose. It also often involves some forms of stretching techniques combined with massage.
When I perform treatment, I look at human body as a complex system of muscles, tendons. I know where they are under the skin, where they attach and what their actions are. It is what helps me to put an effective treatment plan. It's basic.
Taking different positions to access target muscle(s) can be key to the effectiveness of treatment.
Usually back of legs would be massaged with patient lying on the front, as it allows the therapist an easy access to the area. This is great for releasing the more superficial muscles - calf muscles.
However, when a deeper compartment muscles (underneath the calf) need attention, I find supine position with bent knee best (like in the picture). Calves are relaxed and floppy. Additionally, gravity pulls them away from the shin bone, which allows me easier access to the deeper muscles underneath calves.
Does it make sense? 🤔😅
My point is, there is never only one way of performing massage. Using imagination and visualising muscles in certain positions often helps me decide on the approach to treatment.
I'm currently taking bookings for home visits in Athens.
Dry needling.
Sometimes works better than massage, sometimes not. Sometimes it's best to apply both!
I like it when it comes to releasing nasty trigger points. A few repeated sessions combined with massage does wonders.
I'm accepting bookings in Athens for the coming week. I come to your house with all necessary equipment, you just relax and enjoy it🙃
This picture is from last summer (unfortunately), as I haven't had a proper run for almost 3/4 of a year.
We often take for granted our health and push ourselves to the limit without nurturing our body enough. In running for example, we don't give ourselves enough rest and recovery time (sports massage is great for it!😉) or we don't dedicate enough time to focused strength training for example.
Myself, I used to neglect strength workouts a lot. Especially last year when I had busy days looking after Kilian. In the evenings when he went to sleep, to maximise my free time, I would simply put my runners on and go out for a run. No warm up, no stretching, nothing!🙈
I ended up paying the price for it or at least the extent of the injury - bulging disc.
The lesson I learned is: there always has to be some kind of balance maintained. Otherwise, sooner or later things will catch-up with us.
Exercise a lot and hard if you love it, but remember to give your body time to be ready for it and time to recover.
Myself, in the meantime, I continue to be patient, exercise specifically to aid my back injury and hope that soon I'll be back on the trails.
Since moving to Greece last year, this little dude has been under my wings full time. It's time to step aside a little though and relaunch my little sports & remedial massage business.
I'm now based in Athens and offer sports, remedial and deep tissue massage treatments at clients' houses.
For more details, availability, pricing, etc. please get in touch with me via Instagram or Facebook.
Hopefully, see you some of you soon!
Exploring new uphill running trails.
I think I'm becoming spoiled for choice here to call this one a bit anticlimactic - OTE Ridge on Imittos.
There were some amazing views on the way, but the trail itself not very runable and No View from the top!😳
There are plenty more to check out though.
📷
Sifnos trails 4: 11.5km, 460m ⬆️, 3 bays, 1 sunset! 😍
I'm definitely not lacking inspiration for running is such surroundings 😍🇬🇷
It's been 2.5 weeks here and I'm loving it!!!!
Pavements in Athens - it really cracks me up!
Although, it's not actually funny at all!
A lot of work to be done!
Our new home in general terms and this particular one for the next 2 months - courtesy of my amazing sister in law 😘
It's been just over 24h in Greece and so far it still feels like we're here just on holiday. Though, when I pause and realise that I'm here to stay, it makes me even more happy and grateful for the opportunity and the support we get with from the family.
📷 Kilian and Skye seem to enjoy it here too 😍
We checked ourselves in for the last two nights in this nice place in Dalston.
Here, on the way out to enjoy Hackney for the last time. I will miss the great coffee shops...
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Videos (show all)
Category
Contact the business
Website
Address
Athens
Athens, 15234
Reflexology is a Chinese therapeutic massage on the soles of the feet. Our feet is where our brain
Oia, Santorini
Athens
Ολιστική θεραπεία μάλαξης μέσω ενεργητικού διαλογισμ?
Attiki
Athens, 11475
My name is Irina, I am a professional in Massage and beauty health spa therapy in Athens,Greece.
Athens
Kahuna temple bodywork is by far not just a conventional massage. The body is treated with the utmos
Athens
ᴘʀᴇᴍɪᴜᴍ ᴍᴏʙɪʟᴇ ᴍᴀꜱꜱᴀɢᴇ ꜱᴇʀᴠɪᴄᴇꜱ Κορυφαίο Επαγγελματικό Mασάζ στον χώρο σας στην Αθήνα 📞 697 0394 615
Koukaki
Athens
Experienced therapist. ITEC certified(Deep tissue,Swedish,Anti cellulite,Onco massage,MLD, Teaching)
62 Spyrou Merkouri
Athens, 11634
Craniosacral Therapy - Massage - Reiki - Hatha Yoga
Ομήρου 39 Αθήνα
Athens, 10672
Αντιμετωπίζουμε τον κάθε επισκέπτη σαν μια ξεχωριστή οντότητα και τον φροντίζουμε με ιδιαίτερη προσοχ
4-8 Arcadias, Ambelokipi
Athens, 11526
BODY WELLNESS & TREATMENT SPA.🌿 RELAX & REJUVENATE WITH OUR MASSAGE THERAPY SERVICES. -indulge in a soothing experience with our skilled therapists. Unwind and de-stress with us t...