Conditions and Injuries that Benefit from Sports Massage
Sports massage is a massage therapy style involving deep tissue techniques to help alleviate muscle tension, discomfort, and pain. It is extremely popular among athletes but is not limited to athletic injuries alone, as deep massage techniques can be used to treat various issues.
What is sports massage?
Stretching and compression movements are usually followed in sports massage. A sports massage therapist will use a wide range of friction techniques, energy techniques, dynamic movement, and trigger point compression techniques during the session.
What conditions or injuries benefit from sports massage?
Numerous issues can be treated with sports massage, including but not limited to:
- Headaches: Deep-tissue massage, which uses firm pressure and slow strokes to massage deeper muscle layers, can help relax strained muscles that may be the source of headache pain.
- Tennis Elbow: This can be relieved and treated far more effectively with the forearm’s deep tissue massage. Friction therapy breaks up scar tissue, reduces pain, releases muscle spasms, and improves flexibility,
- Muscular injuries and joint strains: Massage therapy helps to loosen tight muscles and increase blood flow, which aids in the healing of damaged tissues. Applying pressure to the injured muscle tissue also assists in the removal of excess fluid and waste products.
- Whiplash: To reduce muscle tension and restore full range of motion, the physiotherapist will use various strokes and stretches in areas adjacent to the primary site of injury.
- Back ailments: Back pain may also benefit from massage. It can help you feel better and get back on your feet faster, as a flare-up of low back pain can take anywhere from several weeks to a few months to recover.
- Chronic pain related to poor posture: Deep tissue massage will soothe overworked and strained muscles, as well as help your body return to its correct and natural alignment.
How often do I need to have massage therapy?
This depends entirely on the demands you place on your body and how your body responds to them. The majority of elite athletes receive at least one massage per week. Most amateurs who take their sport seriously or those who want to improve their workouts will, on average, see their physiotherapist twice a month. For most people who attend the gym regularly, once every three to four weeks is sufficient.
How does sports massage prevent injury?
Blood flow improves significantly during a massage. Elevated blood flow provides the muscles with more oxygen to work with, and increased oxygen keeps muscles healthy, supple and strong, therefore preventing injuries.
Is sports massage supposed to hurt?
Certain areas may feel a little tender, but it shouldn’t hurt. If the pressure or technique becomes too much for you, always feel free to let your physiotherapist know. Drink plenty of water to flush out the lactic acid in the muscle tissues and assist the lymphatic system.
Finally, whether it’s taking time out for yourself or relieving physical pain and muscle tension, massage therapy has been shown to lower daily stress and anxiety levels. As a result, your quality and quantity of sleep, which is necessary for everyday life, will most definitely improve.