Sports and remedial massage can help reduce fatigue, alleviate swelling, reduce tension from heavily worked muscles, promote flexibility, prevent injuries and prepare an athlete for optimal performance.
Benefits of Sports and Remedial Massage
- lymphatic and blood flow improved
- nerve endings sedated or stimulated
- muscle length and tone decreased or increased
- mental preparation
- faster removal of metabolic waste
- quicker recovery from hard training or injury
- micro scarring identified
- scar tissue remodelled
- muscle tension decreased and flexibility improved
- delayed onset muscle soreness reduced
- Reduces the Chance of Injury
Relaxed muscles are less likely to be injured than tight muscles. You reduce the risk of injury by receiving a sports massage as it relaxes your muscles. Reduction of the severity and frequency of aches, pulls and strains is also a benefit of sports massage.
- Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion
Muscles become rigid when trained too heavily. This is counteracted by Sports massage as it makes them more flexible and more relaxed. Performance can be increased by a pre-event sports massage which reduces excessive tension allowing the muscles to function more efficiently.
- Recovery Time is Reduced
Strain or injury can be the result of strenuous exercise. The relaxation of sports massages can reduce or prevent this. The flow of blood and lymph is also increased by sports massage. The massage causes the muscles to be more relaxed resulting in blood and lymph flowing more freely. This brings more nutrients to organs and tissues and removes waste more efficiently - inflammation, swelling and recovery time are reduced and injuries heal faster with massage. Also, scar tissue from injury can be broken up by sports massage if massage treatment starts immediately after the injury. Adhesions and scar tissue from old, untreated injuries can be kept pliable by regular massage so the muscle can still retain its flexibility and strength.
- Oxygen and Nutrients Supply is Improved
Muscles can build up new tissue to repair wear and tear more quickly as more nutrients and oxygen are carried to the muscles by an increased blood flow due to the sports massage.
- Helps Eliminate By-Products of Exercise
Metabolic waste accumulates in the muscles when blood and lymph flow is restricted by muscles tightened from being heavily worked. These wastes from exercise are eliminated faster when receiving sports and remedial massage as it relaxes the muscle which increases lymph and blood flow.
- Psychological Benefits
Mood and self-confidence are improved and anxiety reduced by the relaxing effects of sports massage. Stressed athletes compete at a disadvantage so being relaxed and confident gives you the edge.
- Improves Motor Control
Precision and coordination are improved with massage as you are better connected to your body when free of unnecessary tension.
- Reduces Pain
Due to massage, you have a higher pain threshold as well as less cramps and spasms. Also, as nutrient supply is improved by massage, injury damaged nerves heal faster, reducing pain.
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