Different kinds of Sports Massage
Sports Massage
Sports therapy is a safe choice if you have constant muscle pain, like what you would get by playing sports. When you’re susceptible to injury it can be used to help avoid sports injuries. Sports massage can also be a solution to improve flexibility, efficiency, alleviate pain, anxiety, and muscular stress.
A sports massage may be done as a full-body massage, or the massage therapist can concentrate on the body parts that require ample attention. Deep pressure, based on your needs, may alternate with a variety of soothing strokes. When dressed or nude, you can get a sports massage. If you choose to wear clothing, make sure that they are loose and allow the therapist to reach your muscles.
The strokes used in sports massage are almost always directed towards the heart, a technique designed to increase blood and lymph flow. But you may find that your therapist sometimes massages you with shorter strokes in the opposite direction – this is designed to stretch your muscle fibres.
Your massage will begin with a variety of stroking movements (‘effleurage’) usually carried out with the whole palm of the hand and the fingers. This helps you become accustomed to your therapist’s touch, warm your body’s tissues and increase your blood flow. It will also help the therapist to identify any tender areas at the outset, so less pressure can be applied later on.
They will then use a massage technique called ‘petrissage’ – kneading designed to work on deeper tissues, to mobilise fluids, stretch muscle fibres and aid relaxation.
Sports massage is an effective treatment used:
To treat delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
Part of a training programme
Post Event
Pre Event
To relieve tight Muscles
Receiving a sports massage helps on many occasions. A sports massage helps reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), help as part of a training programme, post event, pre event and relieving tight muscles.
A sports massage helps to reduce DOMS. DOMS can be caused by a number of factors. DOMS can be the result of minor muscle or connective tissue damage, local muscle spasm that reduces blood flow or a build-up of waste products from energy production. A sports massage helps treat DOMS by reducing muscles spasm, flushing out waste products and increasing blood flow to an area. Increased blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to an area to assist the repair of any damaged tissues.
Sports massages is an effective tool to integrate into a training programme. A sports massage helps the body recover from the stresses of exercise and facilitates the rebuilding phase of conditioning. A sports massage helps improve blood and lymph circulation, muscle relaxation and general relaxation. Sports massages also help to flush out waste products and better cell nutrition. The effects of sports massage adds up to the relief of soreness, stiffness, increased flexibility and less chance for future injury.
Hot tip!
A regular appointment with a sports massage therapist is a great idea if you’re always pushing your body with physical activity. How long you should go between treatments depends on the frequency and intensity of your training sessions – have an initial consultation with a qualified sports therapist if you’re unsure. But don’t leave it too long between massages, otherwise progress will be very slow.
Afterwards
You may feel a bit sore, tired or achy after a sports massage, so give yourself plenty of time to lie down or have a shower before you dash off anywhere.
Massage can have a dehydrating effect on the body, but you can combat this by drinking plenty of water before and afterwards.
Different kinds of sports massage
The various types of sports massage are tailored to specific injuries or types of exercise. You might also have a different kind of treatment before, during or after exercise or injury. The different kinds include:
- Maintenance or training massage
- Pre-event massage
- Inter- or Intra-event massage
- Post-event massage
- Rehabilitation massage
- A focused treatment area
- Multiple massage methods
- Muscle tenderness – A sports massage is a no-nonsense treatment that can involve stimulating trigger points or stretching tight areas.