By Remedial Massage Therapist
Do I need a sports massage?
Yes, you do! You invest so much of your time and energy into your training program, coaching and sporting equipment. Why wouldn’t you invest in the one thing that makes you move - your muscles….? One of the biggest reasons to get a sports massage is to help your muscles, tendons and joints move through their optimal range of motion and subsequently leading you perform at your best!
What is a sports massage?
Sports massage is the application of goal orientated soft tissue techniques for athletes or for everyday sporting people. Sports massage is tailored to the person’s sporting needs, and targets muscle groups that are used most frequently throughout their activity. This massage is applied using specific techniques in a number of circumstances such as pre-event or post event, for maintenance as well as for injury rehabilitation. Sports massage may assist with the following:
- Enhanced performance
- Injury prevention
- Faster recovery
- Injury care
When should I get a sports massage?
People respond to massage in different ways and have individual needs, so if you have the opportunity to try one at different times in your training program, that can then determine what is right for you.
Most sports people will tend to favour just the maintenance massages in between training sessions. However, obtaining a pre-event massage will stimulate your muscles whereas the post event massage is more of a cool down and aids in the recovery process. These additions could give you the edge over your competitors.
Let’s just take for instance someone who is competing in a triathlon in a months’ time. A triathlete should get one maintenance massage per week in the lead up to the event and then one 24 hours after the event at a minimum. That may seem extreme, but these massages should go a long way to prevent injury and help an individual to perform at their optimum.
What are the types of sports massages available and what are the benefits?
Pre-event sports massages are completed before sporting event and it should not last longer the 20mins. This massage is provided to simulate the persons muscular system and is generally done with lighter pressure.
Benefits:
- Improves circulation
- Stimulates maximal physical awareness
- Produces psychological assistance
Post event or a recovery sports massages restore physical and mental states that have been excessively used or altered throughout a person’s sporting activity. The workload usually determines the pressure of the massage. The lighter the workload, the firmer the massage and vice versa.
Benefits:
- 2 to 3 times more effective then rest
- Reduces muscle tension by promoting optimal resting muscle length
- Assists in the removal of lactic acid build up, which contributes to soreness, stiffness, cramps and fatigue
Training or maintenance sports massages are used to relieve any body movement stresses in muscles before they become problematic. These massages can be carried out on targeted areas with firmer pressure.
Benefits:
- Removes muscle tightness
- Helps maintain relaxed and efficient muscles
- Enhances muscle endurance
Rehabilitation massages assist with treating existing injuries for a sports person. This type of sports massage usually works in conjunction with a sports physiotherapist.
Benefits:
- Assists with removal of fluid and swelling in surrounding tissues
- Improves circulation and assists with healing process
- Remobilises tissues which have been affected by scarring or adhesions following injury
In conclusion sports massage could be a great way to improve your overall performance, reduce muscle aches and pains and to aid recovery. There are so many benefits for sports massage, so you should consider incorporating it into your sporting routine!
How can we help you?
At Melbourne Sports Physiotherapy our goal is to get you moving pain free as soon as possible.
But, we also want you to actually move better and live a healthier, more active and fulfilling life!
If your sports, fitness training or work has been wearing your body down, book in with one of our expert massage therapists so we can help you reduce your pain or stiffness.
If you are showing some signs of this condition or simply want help prevent this from happening in the future then book in with one of our highly experienced Remedial Massage Therapists today!
You can make an appointment by calling or booking online.
BOOK ONLINE NOW TO FIX YOUR PAIN