A sports massage is a form of therapy intended to help prevent injury and aid recovery from physically demanding training.
Sports massage technique can also be used to treat an existing injury by increasing blood flow to allow for tissue repair. Sports massage can help a person in many ways to treat chronic pain, injury prevention, tight muscles recovery, treat injuries, scar tissue treatment, prevent injuries such as sporting injuries and pre-event massage therapy to help relax your nervous system and muscle groups by relaxing trigger points. The treatment usually involves the application of massage oils (lotion) before using the hands, elbows or even feet in order to manipulate muscles and other tissues for relaxation or pain relief purposes. Professional athletes have a rewarding career but they are more prone to injuries during a sporting activity and repetitive movements of connective tissues. A sports massage therapist helps to improve posture and increase flexibility of an athlete. Mental preparation is also one of the most important sports massage therapy techniques prior to a session; these sports massage techniques might include performing some physical 'warming up' exercises such as jogging on the spot, deep breathing exercises and extending limbs gently both before and during treatment (known as passive stretching). As athletic events are often strenuous activities requiring great stamina it goes without saying that a relaxing sports massage therapy using massage techniques will have a positive effect on the athlete, both during and after physical exertion. Massage has been used as a treatment for thousands of years, as far back as ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. In early cultures, it is believed that spiritual healers or priests were responsible for massages in order to heal the sick by driving out evil spirits from their bodies using touch therapy. Egyptian wall paintings show massage being performed by those practising spiritual healing.
A full body sports massage therapy can include any or all of the following techniques.
Petrissage (the kneading and rolling movements used to stimulate circulation).
Friction (a form of petrissage that involves small circular movements which encourage lymphatic drainage. Friction is usually applied with less pressure than petrissage).
Trigger points therapy (applied to sooth sensitive, taut muscles fibres located in the deeper layers of muscle tissue using deep, slow circular movements).
Effleurage (used to relax tense muscles or before applying active stretching exercises; effleurage comprises long gliding strokes, starting at the top of the limb and moving towards the heart). Typically performed without oil - many athletes prefer this technique as they feel less sticky after treatment.
There are different types of sports massage therapists who do such as deep tissue massage, remedial massage, soft tissue massage, targeted remedial massage, and therapeutic massage to relieve pain, physical stress, sports injuries, delayed onset muscle soreness, relieving muscle tension.
Sports massage therapists also help in reducing pain in tight muscles, soft tissues, and muscle fibres, and muscle tension by doing soft tissue massage therapy. This also helps in muscle recovery
Different massage techniques such as deep tissue massage, sports massage therapy, and remedial massage are used depending on the individual's needs, e.g. if there is an existing sports injury then more focus may be applied to a sports massage therapy or a deep tissue massage area in order to help speed up recovery, or when preparing for peak performance then more attention would be paid towards warming up specific muscles etc.In addition, a massage therapist might opt to use no oil during a session but apply it at the end of a treatment in order to give greater smoothing effect.
Sports massage can be used to treat a wide range of ailments and conditions such as sore muscles or injured tendons. The pressure applied during sports massage helps increase circulation which transports oxygen and nutrients around the body while removing waste products. This encourages healing and speeds up recovery time after injury (or strenuous activity) whether it's in the form of a pulled muscle or tendonitis. Furthermore, this increased blood flow may also help ease existing pain such as that felt from arthritis.
Sports massage is a really great way for an athlete to cool off after a sporting event and benefits clients. It is beneficial because great massage techniques are used for the benefits of clients. Remedial massage is great to get rid of chronic pain and is beneficial for the body and helps to prevent injury.Remedial massage is used to relax the body and deep tissue massage helps to treat headaches, neck pain and shoulder pain in the body due to exercise or sports training.
Receiving regular massages is not only good for your physical health but also your mental health too. The sensation of being massaged releases endorphins in the brain which works to boost one's mood and relieve tension/stress. This can help to alleviate mental exhaustion after a hard day at work or help increase energy levels if you are generally feeling lethargic.
The lymphatic system consists of tissues and organs which work together to remove waste products from the body. The skin, kidneys, lungs and liver are among some of the main components of this body system; sports massage helps keep these organs healthy by improving lymph fluid movement around them.
It is believed that regular sports massage may have a detoxifying effect on both muscles and joints because it flushes away metabolic wastes including uric acid crystals which build-up due to strenuous activity.
Sports massage therapies also help to remove the lactic acid built up in your muscles post-event and benefit clients in a great way.
Sports massage is suitable for everyone. Regular massages are recommended by medical experts as it keeps your body functioning at its best, whether you're an athlete or not. Some people find that they feel calmer and more relaxed after receiving a treatment; others may discover that they sleep better too.
If you do participate in sport then it makes sense to treat yourself to regular sports massages, especially if you engage in strenuous activity such as running. A sports massage allows your muscles to relax, promoting increased circulation of blood and oxygen around the body which encourages faster recovery time of soft tissue damage (e.g. ligaments) during training or competition. Furthermore, this increase in blood flow may also help ease existing pain such as that felt from arthritis. Hot stones may be used initially during a sports massage.The reason why sports massage might cause some pain is that it targets an area of tight muscle fibres and works on breaking up adhesions that build up within these muscles when they are exerted too much during exercise or physical activity.