Sports Massage - A Key Component of Health and Fitness
Sports massage can be an integral part of maintaining your health and fitness, whether you are a professional athlete, weekend warrior, or casual runner.
Studies have revealed that regular massage therapy has numerous advantages for athletes, from improving performance to preventing injuries. Learn when it's time for you to book a session and maximize the value of your next massage.
Pre-event
Massage can help reduce stress and anxiety before a sporting event, giving athletes motivation to train harder with an enhanced sense of well-being and readiness for whatever challenges lie ahead.
Sports massage should be received at least four hours before an event to flush out waste products and toxins in muscles, expediting recovery time and increasing muscle strength.
Pre-event sports massage should be provided by a skilled sports therapist and should not be overly invasive. It's best to avoid deep tissue work as this may be too much of an adjustment for athletes' bodies to handle, particularly in the days leading up to an event.
Post-event
Sports massage is an invaluable tool to assist athletes with recovery and preparation for the next event. Not only does it reduce the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness, but it can also expedite recovery time.
Athletic training can cause muscles to produce lactic acid and other waste products which accumulate in the body, leading to discomfort, fatigue, stiffness, and injury. A sports massage helps the muscles remove these waste products by encouraging them to contract more fully.
Additionally, exercise will improve circulation and flexibility in muscles, leading to less soreness and improved performance for athletes.
The length of a post-event massage is entirely up to each athlete but typically lasts 10-20 minutes. During this session, your therapist will focus on any sore areas that have been affected during the event.
Off-season
When athletes are training for an event, it is beneficial to receive a sports massage both before and after the competition to aid with performance and recovery. This type of massage can also be utilized during the off-season as a preventive maintenance treatment.
Athletes should receive a sports massage during the off-season to reduce muscle fatigue and tension, increase blood flow and soothe any injuries they may have. This is especially beneficial for runners, triathletes, Spartan racers, or any other endurance athletes that participate in long endurance events like marathons or Ragnar Relays.
However, the term "off-season" can be misleading. Athletes can actually benefit from a strong off-season in which they train hard to build strength, and improve mobility and power - essential for improving their overall body condition so they can perform better when competition season returns.
Underage
As a massage therapist, it is essential to be aware of the age requirements for clients. In some states, signing parental consent forms is required prior to beginning a session. Furthermore, there may be other legal implications when allowing an underage client into your facility.
When offering sports massage to young athletes, the ideal time is during the off-season when the focus should be on recovery rather than competition. A sports massage can help improve performance by relieving muscle tension, swelling, and fatigue; additionally, it helps prevent injuries by decreasing the risk of overuse or repetitive motion injuries.
One of the most rewarding parts of sports massage is massaging muscles. This provides therapists with a chance to showcase their skill and understanding of human anatomy, providing both you and your client with a humbling experience as they feel the positive effects of their work firsthand.