Sports Massage

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The use of the word massage is perhaps misleading. As although you will feel relaxed and invigorated after a Sports Massage, it can be really quite uncomfortable at the time.

The definition of Sports Massage

“Sports massage is a form of bodywork geared toward participants in athletics. It is used to help prevent injuries, to prepare the body for athletic activity and maintain it in optimal condition, and to help athletes recover from workouts and injuries. “The scientific manipulation and assessment of soft tissue for the prevention of injuries and therapeutic purposes, involving the restoration to normal functional activity of the various structures of the body, while maintaining good physical condition and health, through mobilizing and improving muscle tone, promoting relaxation, stimulating circulation, and producing therapeutic effects on all systems of the body.

Sports massage has three basic forms:

  1. PRE EVENT MASSAGE
  2. POST EVENT MASSAGE
  3. MAINTENANCE MASSAGE

Sports massage can also give valuable information about the athlete’s condition and the effects of their training program. Regular sports massage can help to avoid problems associated with overuse, so allowing for extra training sessions without the risk of injury or trauma.

Sports massage is not necessarily an hour, but is specific to a particular muscle group or for the speedier rehabilitation of a muscle injury. A person does not need to be a top flight athlete to gain from sports massage. Anyone who exercises or seeks to improve their general physical fitness may benefit from treatment – in particular those who do so less regularly.

Spots massage has 5 main benefits

  • It helps to maintain the entire body in a better physical condition.
  • It reduces the possibility of injury and the loss of mobility, especially in high-risk areas and potential trouble-spots.
  • It can aid in the cure of injured muscle tissue and restore mobility.
  • It can boost athletic performance and enhance endurance.
  • It can extend both the good health and overall life of a sporting “career”.

Main effects to be drawn from a sports massage

Physically, the pressures of massage along the flow of the lymphatic and venous systems
encourages blood with oxygen and other substances (which are essential for repair and growth) to be pumped more effectively through the body. This aids the restoration of normal tissue condition. The process also facilitates the exchange of fluids and helps in the removal of waste products, such as lactic acid. Massage will also stretch muscle fibres and the fascia surrounding muscles, breaking down scar tissue and adhesions. Physiologically, massage aids in the reduction of muscle pain and enhances relaxation. Psychologically, the client will feel stimulated with a feeling of warmth and readiness to perform. Anxiety may also be relieved.

  • Massage can help these conditions, but it should never be used to replace skilled medical care.
  • Muscle pain and stiffness
  • Muscle strain
  • Edema (swelling)
  • Muscle soreness
  • Muscle sprains
  • Muscle tension
  • Sore spots
  • Repetitive strain injuries
  • Tendinitis

Precautions

Massage may be an appropriate technique for helping certain sports injuries, especially muscle injuries, to heal. When treating an injury, however, it is best to seek advice from a qualified sports therapist or a specialist in sports medicine before performing any massage. Certain ligament and joint injuries that need immobilization and expert attention may be aggravated by massage.
People who suffer from the following conditions or disorders should consult a physician before participating in a sports massage: acute infectious disease; aneurysm; heavy bruising;cancer; hernia; high blood pressure; inflammation due to tissue damage; osteoporosis; phlebitis;varicose veins; and certain skin conditions. Individuals who are intoxicated are not good candidates for sports massage.

Each type of sports massage uses different massage techniques

PRE EVENT MASSAGE : is given shortly before an athlete competes.
It consists mainly of brisk effleurage to stimulate and warm the muscles and petrissage to help muscles move fluidly and to reduce muscle tension. Effleurage is generally a relaxing stroke, but when done briskly it is stimulating. As the massage progresses, the pressure increases as the massage therapist uses percussive strokes and cupping to stimulate the muscles to contract and flex. The part of the body being massaged varies from sport to sport, although leg and back muscles are common targets for this type of massage.

POST EVENT MASSAGE: is usually given 1-2 hours after the competition is over in order to give dilated blood vessels a chance to return to heir normal condition. Post-event assage is light and gentle in order not to damage already stressed muscles. The goal is to speed up removal of toxic waste products and reduce swelling. Very light effleurage will decrease swelling while light petrissage will help clear away toxins and relieve tense, stiff muscles. Post-event massage can be self-administered on some parts of the body such as the legs.

MAINTENANCE MASSAGE: is performed at least once a week, or every other week
while the athlete is in training. It is frequently administered to the back and legs. Deep effleurage and petrissage are used to relax and tone knotted muscles.