Sports massages are not just for athletes, despite its name. Compared to other massages, sports massages focus on your soft tissue and muscles to release tension and improve blood circulation around your body.
Who Benefits from a Sports Massage?
Although commonly associated with sporting professionals, anybody with muscles will benefit from a sports massage. Whether you are a high-level athlete or walk to the local shops daily, we can offer massages for your lifestyle.
When Should I Have a Sports Massage?
Regular maintenance massages should be treated as part of your body’s MOT. If an area of your body is feeling particularly tight, your therapist can concentrate on that area to relieve the built-up tension. Always ask your therapist for stretches and exercises to complete in-between your massages to prolong its benefits.
For rehabilitation purposes, sports massages aid in the healing stages of an injury. Individuals may find a regular visit reduces muscular discomfort when recovering from acute and / or chronic injuries.
For training individuals, sports massages are often used as a tool in the preparation, training and recovery stages of any sport (1). Athletic performance may be hindered by Delayed Onset Muscular Soreness (DOMS) and a lack of range of motion (2). For weekend warriors, a regular maintenance massage will provide you with all the benefits of moving freely without stiffness or aches!
Pre-event preparation and training athletes use sports massages as part of a warm-up routine to help the athlete ‘get in the zone’. Not only does the athlete get a chance to mentally prepare, but their muscles are also getting an increased blood flow to encourage better sporting performance.
Post event massages help to break down lactic acid that builds up within your muscles under exercise. This encourages the body to relax and repair muscles by reducing delayed-onset-muscles-soreness (DOMS).
During the recovery stages of events or injuries, these massages speed up the recovery process by enhancing the blood flow to stimulate your body’s recovery processes. It also reduces the risk to injury too!
5 Reasons a Sports Massage Benefits You:
- Increased blood circulation to muscles – when oxygen flow to your muscles is greater, it enhances your range of motion, and increases exercise performance.
- Aids in removal of toxins and excess waste (lactic acid) – encourages your body to relax and not work as hard to remove the toxins.
- Tackling muscular aches and pains – reduce tension and tightness by stimulating the muscles.
- Improved relaxation and sleep – massages relieve physical and mental stress (3).
- Prevent injuries – improved circulation and reducing muscular tension allows you to have quicker reaction times (so you don’t fall over every time).
Should I have one?
Whether you’re looking for pre or post event maintenance or wanting an MOT, it’s worth considering your needs and expectations from a sports massage. If any of these benefits sounds good to you, get yourself booked in or get in touch!
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References:
1 – Galloway, S.D.R. (2004). Massage provision by physiotherapists at major athletics events between 1987 and 1998 * Commentary. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 38(2), pp.235–237. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2002.003145.
2 – Weerapong, P., Hume, P.A. and Kolt, G.S. (2005). The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), [online] 35(3), pp.235–56. doi:https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200535030-00004.
3 – Shen, C.-C., Tseng, Y.-H., Shen, M.-C.S. and Lin, H.-H. (2021). Effects of Sports Massage on the Physiological and Mental Health of College Students Participating in a 7-Week Intermittent Exercises Program. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), p.5013. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18095013.