What is Sports Massage Therapy & Do You Need It?
As an athlete, you know that injury is part and parcel of what you do. Then again, so is recovery!
One of the most effective ways to recover after intense physical activity is through a sports massage.
In this article, we will look at what sports massage is, its various benefits to your athletic career, and why you should frequently get one.
What Is Sports Massage Therapy?
Let’s get a little technical here. Sports massage therapy is the manual and systematic manipulation of soft tissues to correct problems and imbalances caused by repetitive and strenuous use.
Sports massage therapy takes into consideration the impact that sports and other physically demanding activities have on specific muscle groups, tendons, joints, ligaments, and soft tissues.
By getting a sports massage, you’re setting yourself up for better and faster muscle recovery and improved muscle flexibility. Also, it can help with muscle injuries caused by overuse.
Your massage therapist will give you an individual assessment to implement techniques and massage specific areas most conducive to your recovery.
So, as the name suggests, sports massage therapy is not just for people who play sports. Whether you’re a full-fledged athlete, amateur, office worker, or anyone who suffers from a muscle tissue-related issue, you may visit a sports massage therapist — provided you’ve consulted a physician.
How Often Should You Get a Sports Massage?
Let’s assume you’re Usain Bolt. Okay, maybe not, but just imagine. You’re more likely than not going for at least one sports massage per week. Most professional athletes go for at least one sports massage per week.
Doing this makes sense because your recovery should be quick so you can get back to training as soon as possible. You’ll also want to decrease your chances of injury because any setback for you becomes an advantage to your opponent
Now, if you’re an amateur athlete or a regular gym bro (or gym sis, we don’t discriminate), and you’d like to make strides in your performance, then get a sports massage every fortnight to recover and get stronger.
This even applies to those of you who do manual labor daily. Remember that you don’t need to be an athlete to get a sports massage.
For those who love to exercise and stay in shape, we recommend that you get a sports massage once or twice a month.
How Do You Know if You Need a Sports Massage?
Here are some signs your body may need a sports massage.
Stiffness After Physical Activity
If you find yourself feeling pretty stiff after a game time after time, it could be a sign that your body has not recovered well from previous activity.
And that means you need a sports massage to loosen things up. By doing so, you will see the difference after your next round of physical activity.
Deep Muscle Aches
If you play a specific sport, chances are you are using the same muscles repeatedly.
Both your joints and muscles tend to ache deeply after continuous and strenuous usage.
Getting a deep tissue sports massage gets to the core of this problem by helping your muscles recover more efficiently.
Decrease in Performance
As an athlete, you want to always perform at your peak, especially during competitions.
Your body will only perform at its peak when it has fully recovered.
A consistent trend in decreased performance could be a sign that you NEED a sports massage ASAP. A sports massage stimulates healthy blood flow to the muscles massaged, which is key for recovery.
Frequent Headaches
One of the many reasons for a headache is a stressed-out body — yes, that includes your muscles
When you push your body to its limits — something that every top athlete does — you tend to stress your body to the point where you might experience headaches.
The muscle relaxation from a sports massage will have a carryover effect on alleviating your headaches.
What Are the Types of Sports Massage?
Pre-Event
A pre-event massage is done before a workout, game, or event — usually 24 hours before the event.
It is short and specific to the muscles that will be used in your upcoming physical activity and aims to increase blood flow, improve flexibility, and mentally prepare you.
Post-Event
This is done 48 hours after an event. The goal of a post-event massage is to speed recovery time, relax your most intensely used muscles, and treat injuries.
Injury Rehabilitation
The techniques used in this kind of sports massage increase blood flow, relax your muscles and deliver nutrients and oxygen to your organs and soft tissues.
An increased flow of oxygen and nutrients to damaged tissue leads to better and faster recovery.
Injury Prevention
This kind of massage aims to relax your body after intense physical activity, especially in those areas that are overused and prone to injuries.
It gives your muscles a good breather before they’re put to work again.
Training/Maintenance
Lasting between thirty minutes to an hour, this massage is done between training sessions to work on shortened, tight, or painful tissues.
It involves stretching and strengthening work, deep tissue massage, Trigger Point therapy, and mobilizing joints.
What Are the Effects of Sports Massage on Performance and Recovery?
Increased Range of Motion and Flexibility
When you train hard, your muscles tend to become hard and less ‘elastic,’ resulting in a lack of mobility and range of motion.
A sports massage helps relax and stretch the muscles, break down scar tissue, and stretch the myofascial sheath surrounding the muscle, all of which leads to improved muscle mobility and recovery.
Pain Reduction
No pain, no gain, right?
But not all the time.
Pain can be a sign of tension and waste products in your muscles.
A sports massage improves muscle permeability enabling nutrients to pass through and waste to make its way out. It also releases endorphins in the body, reducing muscular pain due to training.
Injury Prevention
One of the many benefits of a sports massage is injury prevention. The massage techniques used will break down adhesions in your muscles, thereby increasing muscle movement and decreasing muscle tightness, both of which are crucial to preventing injuries.
Performance Boost
With the many other benefits of a sports massage, it’s a no-brainer that it will boost your performance in your next session.
As I mentioned earlier, a better recovery means better performance.
So, Should You Get a Sports Massage?
If you’re a professional athlete, the answer is a loud, resounding YES! Get that sports massage every week.
If you’re an amateur sportsman or someone who lifts weights frequently, get it done once a fortnight to see improved results in what you do.
Keep in mind that to improve, you need to recover. Bad recoveries increase the chances of injury, which means an unnecessary obstacle to doing what you love to do. Sports massages are not optional. They are a necessity.
Get a sports massage in Dallas today!