It is a common misconception that sports massage is only for athletes, but anyone who exercises regularly can benefit from it. Regular exercise creates tension and stiffness in the muscles, resulting in injury if not managed properly.
Amateur athletes put their bodies through the same strain as professional athletes and would benefit from sports massage pre and post events. This will help them recover quickly and prevent injuries. Visit their Website for more information.
The Pre-event phase of sports massage is generally undertaken shortly before a workout or competition to prepare the soft tissue and encourage optimum performance. This type of massage will generally involve a full body massage but focuses on the muscles that will be most active during your event. This is to help loosen the muscles and increase their flexibility, as well as to stimulate feel good hormones in preparation for the activity.
Pre-event massage is different to normal deep tissue massage as the treatment is designed to be done before an exercise or competition, to complement not replace the athlete’s warm up routine. Pre-event massage is typically a short, oil less, specific treatment lasting 10-15 minutes and involves techniques such as effleurage, friction (cross fibre strokes that help to increase muscle elasticity), kneading, compression (deep, short, firm pressure), resistance stretching, counterstrain, light vibration and joint mobilisations.
Having a massage prior to an event will warm the muscles, increase muscle elasticity and encourage feel good hormones, which in turn will enhance performance. It will also help to reduce the body’s natural stress response by reducing cortisol levels which can lead to a decrease in performance.
A pre-event massage can help to identify any problem areas before they become a serious injury, which can be beneficial to the athlete as it will allow them to focus on what’s important and not worry about their injury. This may also give them a confidence boost which can be vital in achieving their goal.
It is important to remember that a pre-event massage should not be performed until the athlete has fully warmed up, and should only take place once the athlete is ready to start their exercise. This is to prevent the body from warming up too quickly, causing it to lose its elasticity and reduce the effectiveness of the massage.
Having a short, post-event massage within two days after an event will also help the recovery process by stimulating fresh blood flow to the area and helping to reduce the likelihood of delayed onset muscle soreness. This can be particularly useful for athletes who are training or competing at the same venue on a regular basis.
Post-event
For those involved in intense athletic activities, a post-event massage is often recommended. These sessions are designed to encourage relaxation by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps the body to return to a state of rest, which is important to allow muscles and soft tissue to recover from the stress of intense exercise and competition. In addition, these sessions are designed to help increase vascular and lymph flow. This facilitates the body’s removal of waste products from the muscles, such as lactic acid. This can help prevent delayed onset muscle soreness.
After exercising, the muscles are full of toxins and waste. This waste can lead to pain, fatigue, and stiffness. A post-event sports massage can aid the body’s recovery process by flushing these toxins and waste away. It can also decrease swelling and pain, and encourage flexibility in the muscles. These sessions are usually shorter than pre-event massages and can be done right after the event or a day or two later.
The pre-event phase of sports massage is designed to prepare the athlete for an athletic activity. This phase can include a variety of techniques, including friction, vibration, and tapping. A good pre-event session will loosen the muscles and help them relax, which will improve performance.
During this phase, the massage therapist will apply pressure to the muscle groups that are most affected by the activity. The therapist will also focus on the joints of the involved area, especially those that will be moving during the event. A good pre-event massage should take place about a hour before the event begins.
While it may seem that pre and post-event massage is reserved for elite athletes, it’s important to note that the benefits of this type of massage are applicable to all types of athletic participants. Whether you’re a competitive athlete or simply a weekend warrior, proper athletic recovery can make all the difference in your performance. A pre and post-event sports massage can help you achieve your goals by preventing injury, improving endurance, and increasing the quality of your workouts.
Routine maintenance
Sports massage is a form of deep tissue massage that is specifically optimized for athletes, using techniques tailored to the particular sport they participate in. It is designed to improve range of motion and flexibility, decrease muscle stiffness and enhance performance. It can also help with a variety of problems that are associated with participating in sporting activities including reducing stress, increasing the body’s ability to relax and sleep and lowering the risk of injury.
This type of massage is used to prevent serious athletic injury by enhancing muscle flexibility, stimulating circulation, and improving the overall condition of the muscles. It is most effective when it is done between training sessions and not during an actual competition or event.
In order to achieve the best results, the massage must be targeted at specific areas of the body that have been stressed and overworked during the course of a workout or sporting activity. This can be accomplished by having a session scheduled at regular intervals, such as fortnightly or every six weeks. This allows the therapist to focus on different areas of the body, check in on any historic issues and address any new problems as they arise.
Pre-event Massage
A pre-event massage is a quick and light form of sports massage that should be done approximately an hour before the athlete’s event. This is a great way to stimulate the muscle tissue, increase blood flow, and get rid of any toxins. It is also very beneficial for reducing the symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which are caused by metabolic insufficiency and build up of lactic acid in the muscles.
It is important that athletes participate in a balanced fitness program, and this includes regular exercise, good nutrition and proper rest. It is recommended that all athletes consider adding sports massage to their routine. With the proper technique and timing, this form of massage can greatly enhance an athlete’s physical and mental performance. Athletes at any level can benefit from the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural mood elevators and pain killers, as well as reducing fatigue, muscle soreness and inflammation.
Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation phase of sports massage is geared around injuries and re-establishing muscle balance. It breaks down scar tissue, alleviates pain, reduces inflammation, speeds up recovery, and decreases the risk of re-injury. It also consists of techniques that help restore muscle flexibility and improve range of motion. This type of massage therapy is important for anyone who exercises. Aside from the obvious physical benefits, it reduces anxiety and improves moods and sleep as well.
The first step of a rehabilitation session involves relieving the muscles from stiffness and tightness by applying different massage techniques such as effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, vibration, and wringing. These techniques increase blood flow to the muscles and improve the removal of waste products such as lactic acid and pyruvic acids that build up in the muscle after exercise. It also improves the movement of nutrient rich blood and helps relieve pain caused by exercise.
In the next stage, the therapist will begin working on deep layers of the muscles that are causing tension and tightness to release the tensed up muscles. The therapist will use their hands and fingers as well as their knuckles to work on the soft tissues. They may also knead the area using the palm of their hand and the heel of their foot to work on the tight areas. This can cause some tenderness after the massage but this should disappear within a few days.
The rehabilitative phase is an integral part of any sports injury treatment. Without it, the injured athlete will take longer to recover and will not be able to perform at their peak. It is recommended that athletes undergo rehabilitative massage on a regular basis to avoid re-injury and to perform at their best.
Aside from reducing the risk of injuries, sports massage can boost performance and improve athletic training. It is especially helpful for professional athletes between training sessions. It can help prevent injuries, prepare the body for competition, and increase muscle movement. It also increases stamina and endurance, improves coordination, and psychologically prepares the athlete to perform their best.