Sports Massage

brian kennedy sports massageSports massage is a form of bodywork geared toward participants in athletics. It is used to help prevent injuries, to prepare the body for athletic activity and maintain it in optimal condition, and to help athletes recover from workouts and injuries. Sports massage has three basic forms: pre-event massage, post-event massage, and maintenance massage.

Sports massage is a generic term for three different types of massage associated with athletic performance. Each type of massage has its own benefits and uses different techniques.

Pre-event sports massage is done to help prevent serious athletic injury. It helps to warm up the muscles, stretching them and making them flexible for optimal athletic performance. A pre-event massage stimulates the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscles, reduces muscle tension, loosens the muscles, and produces a feeling of psychological readiness.

Whenever athletes exercise heavily, their muscles suffer microtraumas. Small amounts of swelling occur in the muscle because of tiny tears. Post-event sports massage helps reduce the swelling caused by microtraumas; loosens tired, stiff muscles; helps maintain flexibility; promotes blood flow to the muscle to remove lactic acid and waste build-up; and reduces cramping. In addition, post-event massage helps speed the athlete’s recovery time and alleviates pulls, strains, and soreness.

Maintenance sports massage

Maintenance sports massage is done at least once a week as a regular part of athletic training programs, although professional athletes who have their own massage therapists may have maintenance massage daily. Maintenance massage increases the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscles. It also keeps the tissues loose so that different layers of muscle slide easily over each other. Maintenance sports massage also helps reduce the development of scar tissue while increasing flexibility and range of motion.

The goal of all sports massage is to maximize athletic performance. Athletes in different sports will concentrate the massage on different parts of the body.

Benefits of Sports MASSAGE
  • Releases muscle tension
  • Break down scar tissue – scar tissue is the result of previous injuries and can affect the muscle, tendons and ligaments. This can lead to inflexible tissues that are prone to injuries and pain.
  • Removes waste products – massage helps remove waste products such as lactic acid and encourages the muscle to take up oxygen and nutrients which help them recover quicker.
  • Increase the range of motion and flexibility
  • Stretching – massage can stretch tissues that could not be stretched in usual methods. So releasing any tension or pressure build up.
  • Pain reduction – tension in muscles often cause pain. Massage helps to relieve pain by releasing the body’s endorphins.
  • Improves circulation – Massage increases blood flow to tissues
  • Boost performance.
  • Relaxes the whole body.

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