Sports Massage
Overview of Sports Massage:
Sports massage is massage performed on athletes before, during, or after an event. The impact of sports massage can range functionally from increased flexibility and range of motion, faster healing from injury, improved recovery from workouts, reduced soreness/pain from competition, breakdown of scar tissue and muscle adhesions, and increased pliability/explosiveness of muscle during an event. Sports massage combines techniques from Swedish and shiatsu massage therapy to create a type of massage that is specially suited to the needs of an athlete. This type of massage therapy can be used as part of a training regime, part of a warm-up before an event, or to aid in recovery.
Benefits of Sports Massage:
One of the most important benefits of sports massage is that it can help shorten your recovery time between workouts. When you are training, your gains in muscle strength come from placing more stress on your muscles than they are used to. This causes tiny tears in the muscle fibers, but as you recover they grow back stronger than before, and you get stronger, too. Massage increases circulation to your muscles and accelerates the removal of waste products such as lactic acid. This leads to less soreness and pain and allows muscles to heal faster. Massage can also be used as part of a rehabilitation program, to speed healing from an injury. Using sports massage during a warm-up may also help reduce your chance of injury while exercising.
How Sports Massage works:
Sports massage works its magic in a couple of different ways. First, improves circulation. This means muscles get more nutrient-rich blood, so they can recover faster. Also, massage stimulates the lymphatic system, which helps your body breakdown waste products from exercise, like lactic acid. Lactic acid is what makes your muscles “burn” during intense exercise. Trigger point massage, one of the techniques used in sports massage, applies pressure to trigger points to reduce pain that can lead to stiffness. Targeted areas of work can break down scar tissue and muscle adhesions and result in improved flexibility, range of motion, and muscle function. Massages can also be used to help you stretch your muscles before an event. Therefore, sports massage not only feels good, it also benefits the athlete in both training and recovery.
Specialized equipment for Sports Massage:
Padded and/or heated massage table
Sports-specific balms (ie Tiger balm)
Ice
Jacuzzi/Whirlpool
Keywords:
athlete, muscle, sports massage, competition, injury
History of Sports Massage:
Massage before and after athletic competition has been used since ancient times, when physicians from both Greek and Roman traditions were familiar with massage. The famous Roman physician Galen has been quoted as saying that massage removed the "residue of excretions, warmed and rendered thin by exercise"
Compare styles:
- A) Pressure applied: 3/5
- B) Fluidity of stroke-3/5
- C) % of body massaged: 3/5
Preparing for your Sports Massage visit:
Sports Massage can take place in both open and closed settings and may occur before or after an event. In public settings, it is suggested to wear loose clothing where a therapist can easily access the parts of the body requiring work: arms, legs, back. This work may occur using oils or through clothing. Bring water, especially after an event, to ensure appropriate hydration.
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