“Sports massage therapy is a manual manipulation of the muscles tailored toward helping athletes and people who have physically demanding lifestyles.”
What is Sports Massage Therapy?
Sports massage therapy can help people move and perform pain free through a combination of different manual therapy techniques.
This kind of therapeutic massage focuses on the impact of certain activities on specific joints, muscle groups, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissue groups. Professional massage therapists assess an individual and create a specialized massage therapy plan to meet the individual’s specific needs.
With constant wear and tear and repetitive strain as well as overuse in the human body, we recommend therapeutic massages as part of your training program to keep you in shape. It is also beneficial to individuals in need of remedial or soft tissue mobilization, those suffering from everyday injuries, chronic pain, or restricted state of motion.
Benefits of Sports Massage Therapy
Provides pain relief: Sports massage is used to decrease pain. During massage sessions, morphine-like substances are stimulated; these substances signal the brain to override pain sensations in the body, making the body feel relaxed.
Helps loosen tight muscles: Massage techniques like wringing and skin rolling can help move the tissues transversely, stretch muscle fibers, and fascia compartments largely. Muscles are also lifted and moved over supporting structures. Muscle bundles are separated and stretched, which increases flexibility and extensibility. This will improve performance and reduce the risk of injury.
Maximizes performance: Sports massage therapy helps the body recover after exercise, it also helps prevent injury. It inwardly prepares the athlete ready for any event. Because of its calming and rejuvenation effects, an athlete can exercise more, making them fit and ready for any occasion.
Sports Massage Therapy Techniques
Soft Tissue Therapy: Is used to help treat several different musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction through a combination of techniques such as myofascial release, trigger point release, deep tissue massage along with joint mobilizations. Soft tissue therapy can also help with keeping different soft tissues such as muscles, tendons and ligaments healthy and mobile.
Cupping Therapy: Cupping therapy is a modality where local suction is created on the skin for a therapeutic effect. Cupping therapy can help with relieving muscle tension and tightness, but it can also help anyone with pain and stiffness. Cupping also helps increase local circulation to the affected areas and creating more space in between the different layers of tissues.
Scraping Therapy: Also known as Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization is a technique where the practitioner gently scrapes the tissue with different handheld instruments to help break down the scar tissue along with different fascial restrictions that may be adhered and stuck in the area. Scraping can also help with improving one’s mobility and tissue pliability.
Who is Sports Massage Therapy for?
When a professionally trained sports massage therapist regularly massages muscles, an athlete decreases their risk of injury. Massage provides the support that the body needs to perform safely and confidently.
This massage treatment is appropriate for all, it is not meant for only athletes as the name implies. If you engage in physical activities that leave you sore after the process, sports massage is for you. If you are in the sporting field and want to stay on top of your game, sports massage is a very beneficial therapy that should be included in your training sessions.
Whether you’re a desk job worker, fitness enthusiast or performance athlete, sports massage therapy can be beneficial for anybody wanting to optimize their health and promote longevity in their life and/or sport.
