Massage for athletes.
Tailored remedial and Kahuna bodywork for athletes on the Sunshine Coast: surfers, runners, cyclists, triathletes, swimmers. Pre-event, post-event, maintenance, recovery. Sessions shape around your sport and your calendar rather than running a generic routine.
Why athletes need a tailored approach.
Athletes carry different load patterns than the general clinic caseload. A surfer's shoulders, a runner's hips, a cyclist's neck, a triathlete's whole-body fatigue: the sport shapes where the tension lands and what the body needs from a session. Massage for athletes that ignores those specifics ends up running a generic routine that misses what's actually loaded.
On the Sunshine Coast, that means understanding the local sports: surfing, distance running, ocean swimming, cycling, triathlon, multisport events like Noosa Tri. Each carries its own muscle map, its own recovery rhythm, its own pre-event and post-event considerations. The first session establishes which sport, which training cycle, what's flared in the past, what the next few weeks look like. The work then fits inside that picture. For broader information on sport-specific recovery techniques, the sports massage page covers more.
Common athlete body issues.
The patterns shift with the sport, but four clusters cover most of what active patients bring through the door.
Shoulders and upper back
Surfers, swimmers, paddlers. Rotator cuff, lats, pec minor, mid-back. The endless shoulder-driving work that surfing and swimming load builds up specific patterns that don't show in non-water athletes.
Hips and lower back
Runners, cyclists, triathletes. Hip flexors, glutes, lumbar erectors, piriformis. Sports massage for runners and targeted massage for cyclists most often starts here; usually the first place where mileage shows up as tension.
Calves and Achilles
Runners, multisport athletes. Soleus, gastrocnemius, the Achilles complex. Particularly loaded for distance and trail running; tight calves contribute to a meaningful share of running niggles.
Neck, jaw, and stress load
All sports during heavy phases. Training stress, sleep load, race-week tension. The autonomic system carries some of the cost of hard training; settling the nervous system supports the rest of recovery.
How I tailor the session.
The first session for an athlete starts with the picture: which sport, what training cycle, current event calendar, recent flares, what's worked and what hasn't. From there, the hands-on work shapes around the load. A 75-minute session for a runner in a heavy build phase looks different from a 60-minute session for a surfer in tapering week; both are tailored to what the body needs that day.
I'm Lorena, with Diploma of Remedial Massage (HLT52015), ANTA registration, and Mette's Institute Kahuna L1-3 training. For athletes, the combination matters: targeted remedial work for specific tension patterns, and flowing Kahuna bodywork for restoration sessions where the whole body needs settling. Many athletes use both at different points in the calendar.
When to book.
Three slots in the training calendar where massage delivers most. The mix shifts across the year with the events on the calendar.
Pre-event sports massage
Light, mobility-focused, no deep work. Aim is to support readiness rather than create change. Not in the final 48 hours before a key event.
Post-event recovery
The slot that delivers most for most athletes. Recovery massage clearing the load from the affected muscle groups, supporting the return to training.
Maintenance
Recovery massage athletes book through the calendar. Holds the baseline, addresses cumulative load, lets the harder training blocks land better.
Home, gym, or training venue.
For athletes the time around training matters as much as the training itself. Mobile sessions across the Sunshine Coast save the travel time of getting to a clinic on top of a training day, which is often the difference between fitting recovery in and not. The full setup (table, linens, oils) comes with me; you just need a quiet space to lie down.
Sunshine Coast service zones
- 0 to 20km from Valdora: standard mobile rate (~$10–15 zone surcharge). Covers most of the central Sunshine Coast
- 20 to 30km: slightly longer travel surcharge (~$15–25). Reaches Caloundra, Maleny, parts of the hinterland
- 30 to 40km: extended zone surcharge (~$25–30). Discuss when booking
- Clinic at Valdora available as the alternative if mobile doesn't suit your day
Full details on mobile massage across the Sunshine Coast.
Session pricing.
Athlete sessions usually run 60 to 75 minutes for targeted remedial; 90 minutes when Kahuna restoration is the focus. Claimable through most extras cover as remedial.
Mobile prices include travel surcharge by zone ($10 to $30 depending on suburb). Full pricing page.
Athlete massage FAQ.
Should I get a massage before or after my event?
Both have a role. Pre-event sports massage (3 to 7 days out) stays light and mobility-focused; anything substantial that close to an event risks affecting performance. Post-event sports massage (24 to 48 hours after) supports recovery: clearing the load, addressing the hardest-worked muscle groups, resetting before the next training block. For most athletes the post-event slot delivers more meaningful gains than the pre-event slot.
How often should I book during heavy training?
During a heavy training block, weekly or fortnightly sessions tend to hold up best. During lighter or recovery phases, monthly is the common rhythm. The cadence shifts with the calendar; the principle is to scale massage to the load rather than running the same frequency year-round.
Is Kahuna bodywork suitable for athletes?
Yes, particularly for recovery and maintenance work. The flowing, full-body Kahuna approach suits athletes carrying load across multiple muscle groups; it covers everything in one session rather than focusing on a single spot. Many athletes use Kahuna for restoration sessions (after a heavy block or event) and remedial for targeted work between. The combination suits hard-training bodies better than either modality alone.
Book your session as an athlete.
Tailored remedial and Kahuna bodywork on the Sunshine Coast. ANTA-registered, claimable through extras cover. Clinic at Valdora or mobile to your home, gym, or training venue.