Massage Therapy for Athletes
When it comes to total relief of mind, body and spirit, athletes are able to benefit from massage therapy in unique ways due to the strenuous nature of their work. Massage therapy can be a great benefit to athletes during both their physical training as well as recovery. It can help to maintain healthy muscles and flexibility while also helping to prevent injuries. Massage may also alleviate pain and also assist in relaxation for an athlete.
Between the physical health benefits for muscles and joints that are constantly pushed to their limits and a quiet reprieve from the stress of competition, athletes of all levels can easily enjoy all that massage therapy has to offer. Our massage therapists are specialized in sports massage, giving them a unique understanding of the human body to help athletes reach their peak performance. Unlike other massages, which are typically performed across the whole body, sports massage pinpoints specific areas or muscle groups that tend to be problematic for athletes. These problem areas are the muscles that become tight or stressed from repetitive movements. Some of the most common muscle groups that need to be addressed are the hamstrings, calves, shoulders, back and the neck.
Read on to learn the different uses for sports massage, and the top ways that sports massage benefits athletes of all levels.
ATHLETIC ROUTINE
PRE-EVENT SPORTS MASSAGE
For athletes, receiving a sports massage before major events and competitions can be highly beneficial. A pre-event sports massage prepares the muscles for the heightened activity levels associated with intense training and competition. Scheduling a light massage up to 72 hours prior to the event helps to prime the muscles for strenuous activity and supports optimal performance.
POST-EVENT SPORTS MASSAGE
Post-event muscle recovery is crucial for athletes. A targeted sports massage within 72 hours after a competition aids in recuperation by facilitating muscle relaxation and reducing overall pain and soreness. This treatment also assists in the efficient removal of lactic acid, contributing to a faster recovery.
MAINTENANCE SPORTS MASSAGE
Regular maintenance sports massages are also helpful for athletes between events. These sessions help keep the muscles relaxed, diminish inflammation, and accelerate recovery during training. Additionally, maintenance massages play a key role in injury prevention by addressing potential risk areas. Many athletes also find that sports massage enhances mental focus and alleviates emotional stress.
KEY BENEFITS
STRETCH AND RELAX MUSCLES
Any athlete knows that stretching is key. Without stretching appropriately before and after any workout, practice or competition as part of your warmup and cooldown routines, you put yourself at risk for soreness, muscle tightness and injury. That said, even the best stretching routines aren’t 100% effective for all muscle groups—an experienced massage therapist can help you stretch and relax muscles you may have missed.
As we’ve discussed previously in our blog, continued exercise that pushes your muscles can lead to the development of DOMS, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, which results in the stiff and jelly-like feelings most people experience after exercise. Numerous studies have shown that massage therapy helps reduce muscle tension and hypertonicity, while improving range of motion.
SUPPORT CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
A well-rounded fitness routine can’t just be weight exercises—cardio is critical for peak endurance and metabolic performance. Making cardio as effective as possible requires you to keep your blood pressure at healthy levels and ensure that your circulation is as effective as possible.
Athletic massage therapy has been proven to help treat and prevent heart conditions by helping lower resting heart rate, improve circulation and regulate blood pressure. Circulation, in particular, is important for athletes because regular high-intensity exercise can cause the buildup of lactic acid and other toxins in the muscles—and improving the circulation in both the lymphatic and cardiovascular systems is the best way to help the body naturally flush those toxins.
PROMOTE HEALING
Even the healthiest athlete can experience soreness and pain. In addition to stretching to strengthen muscles and joints and reduce pain, an expert massage therapist can help your muscles heal at the cellular level. This can help not only the long-term healing of old injuries, but also the prevention of future injuries. If an injury is recent, it is important that you see a doctor before coming in for a massage appointment so they can ensure you are on the best course to healing your injury.
In addition to being at greater risk for injuries, a long athletic career might put you at risk for chronic conditions later in life, such as arthritis. Long term inflammation and damage to the muscles and soft tissue can also cause conditions such as tendonitis, tenosynovitis, and muscle strain. Luckily, some benefits of sports massage therapy are the reduction of pain, swelling and discomfort from these conditions as well.
SUPPORTING YOUR BODY
Whether you’re a professional athlete whose livelihood depends on peak physical performance, or a casual athlete who enjoys playing sports occasionally, it’s important to nurture yourself so you can keep your head (and your body) in the game. Massage Studio’s expert therapists are well versed in sports massage and other techniques that can deeply benefit athletes. If you’d like to explore how an athletic massage can help you reach your peak performance, book an appointment to get started!