Massage is an effective therapy that has been followed from past many decades. It can help reduce muscle and joint pain, muscle aches, discomfort, stress, and anxiety. Nowadays, people take massage therapies to get relaxation and comfort, but some have serious medical conditions that require an effective massage treatment. Various massage and spa centers provide different types of massage, and each type has its significance and benefits.
Some of the effective types of massage include:
- Swedish Massage
- Hot Stone Massage
- Deep Tissue Massage
- Sports Massage
- Effleurage Massage
- Parental Massage
These are some of the effective massage types that have numerous health benefits. In this article, you will get to know about what is sports massage? What does it involve? What are the benefits of sports massage? So, let’s get started to see the further detail about sports massage therapy.
What is Sports Massage?
An effective massage can help to reduce stress, injuries, and discomfort and also expedite the process of recovery. Sports persons playing games are more prone to injuries that affect their performance and goal achievement. But due to its effective benefits, not only sports persons can take sports massage but the other peoples do as well.
Moreover, sports massage doesn’t have any specific technique. It only depends on the nature of the injury or physical condition. This massage involves a combination of kneading, effleurage, trigging specific points, or long and deep strokes to release muscle tension and pain.
Furthermore, a sports person can take this effective massage therapy as a regular treatment before and after their sports. This will increase endurance, strength, and stamina to achieve your desired fitness and perform well in your games.
HOW EFFECTIVE IS SPORTS MASSAGE FOR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE?
An effective sports massage can boost athletic performance, speed up the healing process, help to reduce swelling, and expedite recovery. It is also an effective way to relieve muscle tension and pain and reduce stress and fatigue. After sports massage, you can work more efficiently and gain numerous physical, mental, and emotional benefits.
A lesser-known benefit of an effective sports massage lies in its ability to stabilize muscles and increase the elasticity of tissue and muscles. This normalizes the flow of nutrients and fluid and makes it easy to pass through your tissues. Some studies have found that after a sports massage, people may feel improved breathing patterns and lower serum creatine kinase post-exercise. It also improves the overall functionality of your muscles and boosts muscle recovery. For instance, try sports massage if you don’t see effective recovery results from training.
Massage improves your mental health, concentration, and focus. This will help the athletes focus on their performance and achieve their goals. Because when your mind is stressed out, you cannot focus on your games and can lose your stability, strength, and balance. So, sports massage treatment activates the parasympathetic nervous system, relaxing your mind and body.
In addition, taking massage therapy from certified sports massage therapists and other healthcare practitioners is vital. Research conducted on 16 subjects showed that people who received a 30-minute massage reported improved cycling performance and reduced mental tension.
What Are The 04 Effective Benefits Of Sports Massage?
An effective sports massage can increase performance and have numerous health benefits that are;
- Reduces muscle pain and tension
- Expedite the recovery process
- Boost stamina and energy
- Improve muscle and joints flexibility and movement
- Reduce muscle tightness and provide relaxation
- Relief from stress, depression, and anxiety
- Improve overall blood circulation and immune system
- Improve sleep routine.
1. Muscle Flexibility:
Effective sports massage can improve muscle flexibility, and trained therapists help stretch muscle fibers. A regular massage will increase flexibility and the range of motion. This way, the athletes can move freely and effortlessly during training and competition.
Furthermore, lack of flexibility and tightened muscles cause the fibers to adhere together, creating muscle knots that restrict the range of motion and movement. And when you don’t pay proper attention to these knots, it will result in painful and sore muscles that cause stress and restrict you from performing a job.
2. Reduced Muscle Fatigue:
Muscle tension and fatigue are the most common things during training, working out, or after the competition. Damaged tissues cause muscle tension, become tightened, and disturb the smooth blood flow within your muscles. So, when you do an intense workout, your body responds. However, it increases the level of toxins like lactic acid that can cause tissue damage if not considered on time. This will limit the range of motion, and you cannot perform efficiently and effectively.
So, a regular massage reduces lactic acid and other muscle toxins, alleviating muscle pain and tension.
3. Increased Blood Circulation:
A healthy and proper blood flow will help muscles repair and expedite recovery. When you have a healthy blood flow throughout your body, it helps to remove toxins and other stress hormones like cortisol. This will lower stress and anxiety and improve your mental and physical health. One must get an effective massage to improve vascular function after the games of strenuous workouts.
4. Improve Your Mental Health:
A healthy and active mind is vital and plays a vital role in athletic performance. You cannot get success only by just relying on your physical strength. It would help if you had a sound mind and an active, healthy body to achieve your game goals. So after getting a compelling massage, the level of your feel-good hormones increases in the brain, boosting your mood and reducing pain. A healthy mind and body keep you motivated and energetic, and you can also lead a happy lifestyle.
How Often Should You Get A Sports Massage?
Before massage therapy, the massage therapist will examine you and ask different questions from you regarding your medical conditions and injuries. The frequency of massage treatment only depends on your physical and game-related requirements.
Moreover, sports massage therapy is safe and has no side effects. So, it is better to take a healthy massage therapy before and after the games to keep the body aligned, active, and strong.
