Sports Massage vs Myofacial Release for recovery.

msurads06

Im getting back on the bike after 3months off recovering from Achilles Tendonitis. Taking it slow and spending time on strength training and core work (one area I completely neglected last year). Last year I got a few Massages as part of my recovery, usuall looking at living social for deals on "sports Massage." I also saw the Massage Therapist at the town Wellness Center (Gym, rehab, etc) for upper body chair massages once I started trasitioning from my hybrid to a road bike.
This year I am hoping to find one therapist and become a regular client. While I like the Massage therapist at my wellness center, he really doesnt specialize in sports massage and being female myself I would prefer a female therapist.

I am mostly a recreational/endurance cyclist looking to get faster (currently 11mph) and build my distance back up, I plan to ride my first century in August (longest ride last year was 75 miles). I started riding again about 1 1/2 weeks ago and did my first hour long ride on Thursday. My plan is to limit rides to 30 min-1hr for the next 2 weeks before gradually increasing miles. (though this has been really hard, I want to start building now but dont want to re-injure).

All of that brings me to my question: in reasearching whats available near by, only a few places offer sports massage but I found one or two others that offer myofacial release. I guess I thought they were the same so I am a little confused. For recovery/injury prevention, which one should I choose? Unfortunately the Therapist that I liked best and had planned to become a regular customer for moved away, so I am basically starting at square one.

I do some self-massage/release with a foam roller, balls and a rollingpin, but looking for someone to see on occasion for "professional help."

Pinkylee77

a osteopathic physician can do myofacial release but a good massage therapist can do it. It is painful to say the least

shadowfax_c11

I get sports massage, usually trigger point work, done at my chiropractor's office. I tend to get a lot of trigger point knots in my legs. Yep it can be painful but I do feel so much better afterward. I prefer the two therapies combined rather than just one or the other.