You may have heard of sports massage lately. It is different than a regular massage which aims to improve the muscle’s function. However, sports massage benefits are not limited to muscle functioning; it also heals soft tissue dysfunction and accelerates the tissue repairing process.
From the name, you may think that it is only for athletes. However, anyone can take it, but athletes take it mostly to keep their muscle functioning and improve joints related issues.
Throughout this article, you will get to know sports massage benefits for different issues.
Sports Massage Types
The sports massage is combining sessions of before and after sports events as well as during the events too. To get full sports massage benefits an athlete has to take pre-event, inter/ intra-event, and post-event sports massage.
Pre Event Sports Massage
Usually, a pre-event massage is done 48-72 hours before a sports event. By that time, athletes should reduce physical training. Getting a massage before an event is an excellent way to get relief from any tensions due to the training sessions. However, if the event is very near, the massage should be less intense. So, if you are taking your massage before 1-2 days of the event, you should take a light massage. Otherwise, hard massage will put you through soreness.
On the other hand, some athletes require light massage earlier the event, such as boxing events. Furthermore, it will warm up the body, increases muscle mobility, enhance blood supply and eventually helps the athletes relax.
Inter/ Intra-Event Sports Massage
You may have seen that athletes take a quick massage during breaks or middle of the sports event. The intention of inter-event massage is to boost the energy, relieve from cramps and muscle pains. This specialized massage takes only a few minutes. However, the therapist should be careful about any kind of hard, intense massage techniques during the event.
Post Event Sports Massage
It intends to recover the athlete after an event. Besides, post-event massage can also help to recover from any potential injury. Massage should be taken within the next 72 hours of the event. However, athletes need to rehydrate and cool down before attending the post-massage. At least 10-15 minutes cooling downtime is needed.
All these three sessions are necessary to get tremendous sports massage benefits.
Sports Massage Techniques
Sports massage requires varieties of techniques depending on the needs. However, there are some regular techniques.
> Effleurage: It includes light strokes through the palm of the hands and to the direction of the heart to increase the blood flow.
> Petrissage: It is done by kneading movements that help to recover muscles.
> Friction: Friction usually penetrates deep muscle tissues to make them ready from any injuries. However, Effleurage is needed to warm up the muscles before applying friction.
> Tapotement: It is a special technique used in Swedish massage. However, it is used in sports massage through the fingertips or cupped hands. Athletes usually take Tapotement before an event for the blood flow.
> Vibration: The rapid movements of vibrating hands makes relax and soothe the muscles.
As you have some ideas about techniques, now you should know the potential benefits you would get from those techniques.
Sports Massage Benefits
It is not necessary that only athletes can take sports massage. However, anyone can take sports massages it can treat soft tissue issues. Let’s get an idea about potential sports massage benefits.
> It boosts the muscle’s relaxation. Furthermore, the massage also activates the parasympathetic system that increases the inner working of the body.
> Sports massage works toward the stress relief process. It reduces the stress hormone’s production, which eventually reduces any unwanted injury or illness.
> The relaxation process through the massage can supply enough needed nutrients to the blood. It also helps to remove any unwanted muscle build-up.
> When you stress less, you will tension less. As a result, your blood pressure will be reduced.
> Sports massage is helpful in reducing muscle soreness and repairs them after workout or event.
> It increases the lymph system activity that collects excess fluid from our blood and continuously flushes out from our body.
> Post massage, you will feel good as it releases Endorphins, which is responsible for making you feel better.
> Through stretching out and lengthening, it increases the joint movements that also increase synovial fluid in the joints. The end result is the pain-free movement.
> Finally, sports massage improves the performances as you can run faster, jump higher or even swim further.
These are core benefits; however, you may get some unknown benefits too.
Sports Massage for Soft Tissue Dysfunction
Soft tissue dysfunction usually occurs when muscles are in tense abnormally or tensed for a longer time. In soft tissue dysfunction muscles usually don’t get to relax. Sports massage helps in releasing the soft tissue for ultimate relaxation. It is done through a specific application of pressure and movement to the associated joints. Furthermore, the massage helps to stretch the muscle fibres, ligaments, tendons and fascia, altogether these stretch the soft tissue areas. Hence, it improves soft tissue dysfunction.
Who can Perform Sports Massage?
To get ultimate sports massage benefits, you should take massage from a learned certified therapist. Anyone can take a sports massage course and become a therapist. However, to join a sports team, one needs to study more.
Although, if anyone wishes to learn sports massage, he/she can take a one-day diploma course anywhere.
However, if you are reading this from London, you can try D2D therapies.
We are London based IPHM accredited IPTI & Westminster approved 1-day Sports Massage Diploma course provider. Besides, you can learn other courses too from home or at our venue. We are just a phone call away! Call us at 07455045306 for more details, or you can email us to d2dtherapies@gmail.com.
So far, you know all the Sports Massage Benefits for your health. Whether you are an athlete or a regular health-conscious person, you can take sports massage for yourself. Do contact us if you want to take a massage or learn massage.