Sports Massage Techniques and Benefits

For an athlete to achieve and maintain optimum performance one of the key factors to consider is sports massage. This specific type of massage therapy is recommended not just for treating athletic injuries but as a pre-event preparation procedure and an effective preventive measure.

Sports massage is intended for everyone who partakes in athletic activities, from the career professional to the weekend golfer or casual jogger. The particulars of sports massage technique are determined by the athlete's preferred sport and focuses on those areas of the body that might be injured or suffer stress from repetitive and often aggressive or strenuous movements. During such physical activity muscle tension builds up in the body's soft tissues. Overuse, over-extension and injuries can occur in these tissues resulting in pain and compromising one's athletic performance.

Sports massage promotes blood and lymph flow throughout the body, alleviating pain and preventing muscle soreness and muscle fatigue that can affect flexibility, mobility, response time and overall athletic performance. It can also extend the life of your sporting career. The physical benefits of sports massage include:

• Pumping
• Stretching
• Increased tissue permeability
• Breaking down of scar tissue
• Improves tissue elasticity
• Opens micro-circulation
• Pain Reduction
• Relaxation

The psychological effects include:

• Anxiety Reduction
• Invigoration

Sports massage should be applied before and after athletic events, and should include regular "maintenance" sessions in-between.

One of the most common setbacks for athletes is DOMS, the acronym for delayed-onset muscle soreness. This is muscle pain that develops several hours following exercise, and is most common if the exercise is unfamiliar. Recent studies have shown that sports massage may help reduce and, if integrated into a weekly training regimen, even prevent the painful and often debilitating effects of DOMS in athletes.

There are different movements and techniques used in sports massage. These include Swedish style massage, stroking, kneading, compression, friction, rhythmic striking, vibration, gliding, stretching, percussion, and trigger points. Each of these movements and techniques aids in the physical conditioning of the athlete while decreasing the chance of injury or pain and assisting in a quicker recovery.

At Academy Massage our registered therapists are trained in sports massage and utilize the most proven and effective techniques in a three-way program. Our Sport Performance and Massage offers the deeper, more stimulating Swedish techniques for enhanced athletic performance. Maintenance Sports Massage is essential to an athlete's training and focuses on deep tissue work, intended to facilitate recovery and help maintain optimal range of motion. Post-Event Sports Massage focuses on recovery by flushing out muscles and restoring nervous system activity to normal pre-activity levels. This procedure should be performed one to three hours following an athletic activity as it aids healing time and decreases the risk of DOMS.

Sports massage therapy is gaining popularity as a valuable component in a balanced training regimen. Academy Massage recommends sports massage for anyone participating in regular physical activity to help keep you in the game.