What is a Sports Massage?

Sports massage therapy is a much more intense sort of massage than the usual type of everyday massage. It incorporates manipulation of the soft tissue fibers and targeting of a number of pressure points. The design of this type of massage is to have the effect of speeding up the patient’s rate of recovery after physical activity. Sports massage has been developed to assist all types of athletes, whether you are an Olympic marathon runner, or merely a local five-a-side player, or even if you play no sport at all and suffer from some muscle spasm, then sports massage is for you. So, depending on the type of physical activity you do or problem that you have, the massage will be focussed on that particular area of the body, the area which needs the attention or gets used the most. This type of targeted massage can often help minimize the appearance of ailments, such as repetitive strain injury, and it can help soothe those overused muscles.

Why is it suitable for sports training?

It is now a commonly held belief among athletes and their personal trainers that sports massage is just as vital to the athlete’s training program as the physical activity itself. This is due to the fact that sports massage is not only useful in assisting the body into going into the recovery mode after activity, but, if used prior to a sporting event, it can enhance the athlete’s performance. Sports massage has been discovered to increase the athlete’s flexibility and reduce muscle fatigue. It increases blood circulation, sending oxygen to the muscles, and therefore, it can improve endurance at a peak level. It helps prevent further injury by making the muscles more pliant. Another critical factor to remember is that sports massage also has a physiological effect. This is meant in the sense that the massage transports the mind and body of the athlete into a fight fit zone, and they become more mentally ready for ultimate performance. This is such a beneficial tool when it comes to competing at the highest level. Personal trainers incorporate sports massage into the daily regimen of the athlete, as it is a much-needed balance. It helps the body stay in peak physical condition. If the activity is carried out by a suitably qualified sports massage therapist, they will be able to tailor the massage to the key areas of the muscular and skeletal system, ready to go again at the top level.

Benefits of Sports Massage

Sports massage is particularly effective because of its targeted approach to the muscle-tendon junctions. There are many benefits to this sort of therapy, which include:

• Increasing the blood flow around the body, which means you have better circulation of oxygen and vital minerals to the specific areas, and it aids the flow within the lymphatic system too.
• The immune system is improved, and that means that the body recovers from strenuous exercise much faster, and illness is fought off more easily.
• Flexibility is improved, and the attention of the massage around certain areas increases the range of motion around joints.
• It relaxes the muscles and means that there is less tension in the body. This means that it is more difficult to damage the muscles during high-performance activity and any activity in general.
• There is a reduction in muscle spasms due to the deep work into the muscle fibers.
• Swelling around joints is lessened.
• It reduces pain.
• It can help soothe headaches.
• It improves the body’s overall strength and endurance capabilities and reduces the heart rate and blood pressure.
• It is said to give the patient an increased sense of personal well-being, as it can decrease stress and anxiety. Meaning it can have euphoric qualities.
• It can help the body remove lactic acid, for example, which is a by-product of exercise.
• It causes the nerves of the body to relax, and this can have a neurological benefit.
• It induces better sleep pattern and helps fight fatigue.

How does Sports Massage work

Sports massage causes physiological changes in the body because it induces the relaxation response. This means that the whole body seems to deflate, and all the stresses and strains, mentally and physically, of not only exercise but of everyday life can be worked out. It stimulates the brain into creating more serotonin, the happiness hormone, which regulates mood. A combination of this chemical effect on the brain and the physical effect on the body means that nerves relax, and the whole body decompresses. There is, therefore, less pressure upon you. With this lightened load, the electrical signals within the body begin firing correctly again, and the entire body benefits, from muscles, organs, to the brain.

Possible side effects

Most of the possible side-effects associated with intense sports massage are eliminated by having your work done by a professional, such as someone in Provo. If you do not have a sports massage done in Provo, for example, you could suffer with:

• Your tissue fibers being torn by accident.
• Blood clots appearing and clogging up arteries
• Cancer – if done incorrectly, it is rumored that deep tissue massage pushes cancerous cells into the bloodstream and spreads cancer around the body.
• However, done wrong, the most common side effect is more pain.

Sports massage is for everyone

Anyone can benefit from a sports massage. Due to the intensity of the massage, it is far more likely to relieve you of that muscle tension than a regular massage. It also supports the frame and means that you will have a better posture subsequently. So, anyone can benefit from this treatment, from those who work in front of a computer, to Olympic athletes.

Book an appointment

There are so many benefits to having a sports massage, even if you are not an athlete. Sports massage conducted by a professional of a caliber of at Provo could be just the thing you are looking for to clear up those aches and pains. So please contact Hands Massage Spa with any questions or queries you may have and get your first appointment booked now.