Recover
Rebalance
Refresh
Hi, I’m Kate.
I’m a sports massage therapist based in Meldon, near Okehampton, Devon.
I offer hourly Sports Massage Sessions to EVERYONE, athlete or not, symptom focus or for general maintenance and recovery.
I operate out of my home during the weekdays and welcome new clients.
My goal is to help promote good recovery, encourage muscle rebalance and leave your body feeling refreshed.
What my clients say …
“Kate has been such a good find. She’s knowledgable and makes me feel at ease and in capable hands. Not pushy in making you have further appointments but she’s so good you will anyway” - Lisa Howell (Trail Runner)
“The perfect way to reinvigorate your legs after a hard run or to ease out niggles and aches. Kate is welcoming and easy to talk to about whatever ails you, sorts you out and leaves you feeling like a million dollars” - Nick Marvin (Trail Runner)
“I saw Kate for help with a knee tendon injury. Her massage room is very relaxing, light & warm. She has very good knowledge of anatomy and was very tuned in to knowing exactly where was tight in my muscles and tendons. She was calm, friendly, attentive and present. I would definitely recommend her” - Jen Howarth (Veg Grower)
“Kate is a very warm, knowledgeable and professional massage therapist who was dedicated to ease my injury discomfort at the root cause. She also gave me some after care advice with stretching which was useful. Would definitely recommend” - Natasha Jeynes (Climber)
Info
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Sports massage is a form of deep soft tissue massage that often has a targeted approach focusing on a certain area of the body that is heeling or needs relief.
Sports massage is therefore for everyone, not just for ‘sporting’ people. Pain commonly presents from sporting injuries or general muscle overuse & tightness but it can also arise from poor posture during your everyday occupation or general repetition of daily life movements (i.e. long hours driving / sitting in front of a computer or caring for your baby 24/7).
My clients are a mixture of people from sporting amateurs to everyday mums!
If you are unsure if Sports Massage is for you, please drop me a line to discuss further.
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There are many benefits to be had from a Sports Massage including:
Greater flexibility and increased range of movement
Relief to muscular tensions & stiffness
Pain reduction
Functional muscle rebalance as well as an increased usage of available muscle
A boost to energy levels, alertness, clarity & relaxation
Injury prevention
Improved recovery
Improved performance
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I’ve had a love of sport since a very young age and to this day it is my main driver of feeling healthy both mentally & physically.
My school years consisted of running, tennis, netball and lacrosse but at 15 years old this came to a halt due to the diagnosis of a severe scoliosis. I was treated surgically with a Spinal Fusion and from this point became bionic!
Not wanting to let this get in the way I gained a BA Hons in Adventure Tourism Management and delved into the sport of whitewater kayaking/rafting working and travelling my way around the world. I further gained a medical education in Canada allowing me to work on the ambulances and ski hills in Alberta before returning to the UK to achieve a Paramedic foundation degree and a spot in the NHS Ambulances Service.
Some years down the line I now live on Dartmoor with my family and continue daily sport mostly mountain/gravel biking and trail running, something I am hugely passionate about.
In 2024 I retrained achieving a qualification as a Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist. Sports massage is a medium I have continually used for myself throughout the years, not only to help me during times of injury, but to this day, to help me get the most out of my body for both sport and work.
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£40 / hour
Payment can be made via BACS or cash
PLEASE NOTE AS OF SEPTEMBER 8TH MY PRICE WILL INCREASE TO:
£45 / HOUR
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Monday: 9.15am - 3pm
Tuesday: 9.15am - 3pm
Wednesday: 9.15am - 3pm
Thursday: 9.15am - 3pm
Friday: 9.15am - 3pm
The above times are flexible so drop me a line with any queries and I’ll do my best to accommodate you.
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How does Sports Massage work?
Sports massage is a deep form of soft tissue work that, through a variety of techniques, uses pressure and movement to help soften, lengthen or stretch the tissue. This in turn can bring about increased flexibility and ease of movement.
Sports massage is believed to have an effect on many of the body systems and can potentially optimise its functions through:
the relief of muscle tensions/stiffness/spasms & restrictions
a reduction of stress on joints by releasing soft tissue tensions, that can help to restore muscle balance and mobility
an increase of blood flow bringing oxygen & nutrients to repair muscles whilst removing the accumulation of waste products
the stimulation or soothing of the nervous which can decrease pain with the release of endorphins
the drainage of lymph fluid to help increase the elimination of toxins
increase of digestive movement that can help relieve colic, gas and constipation
What kind of conditions do you treat?
An example of conditions include:
Frozen shoulder
Back pain
Rotator cuff injury
Muscle strains
Achille Tendonitis
Pre & Post Sporting Events
Sports Massage V Physiotherapist?
As an Allied Health Professional physiotherapists use a broad clinical approach to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal injury.
Sports Massage therapists do not diagnose. Focus is on soft tissue injury and recovery through ‘hands on’ treatment.
Unsure if you need a physiotherapist or sports massage therapist? Please get in touch to discuss with me further.
Will it hurt?
Sports massage is a deep form of soft tissue work and to achieve the best outcome there maybe some techniques that cause a temporary discomfort or soreness.
However this is your body and your massage so be honest and let me know what pressure works best for you so that I can adjust to ensure your comfort whilst gaining the best results possible.
Are there any after effects?
Sports massage can have a number of side effects including tiredness and muscle soreness. This is totally normal and should only last a few days.
To get the most out of your massage it is advisable to ‘do your sport’ before your treatment and after engage only in light activity.
Alongside this it is important to keep hydrated with water post massage to help flush out any waste products and toxins released during the treatment and get your muscles rehydrated.
What should I wear?
Underwear is compulsory. Please wear something you are comfortable being assessed and treated in.
What should I expect from a treatment?
If this is your first appointment I will ask you to fill in an initial form (contact details & medical history). Then I will take a brief history and with that information I may assess your posture/movement to put forward a plan for treatment to suit your needs.
The treatment will last approximately 1 hour (10 minutes extra if its your first visit).
I use a heated massage table to keep you warm and a hypoallergenic gel that leaves no greasy residue and contains Omegas 3/6/9 to feed nothing but goodness to your skin!
How regularly should I have sports massage?
It’s up to you how often you have a sports massage (exemptions may apply with some medical conditions - if unsure please ask). I see some clients with specific injury needs on a weekly basis and others who look for a monthly maintenance massage to help prevent injury and enhance their sporting performance.
What if I need to cancel?
I understand life can be unpredictable so if you need to cancel your appointment please let me know as early as possible. I will be as flexible as I can to reschedule it.
Do you sell gift vouchers?
Yes I do! Please drop me a line with your specific requests.
If you have any further questions that are not answered above please get in touch.
