What You Should Understand About Sports Massage Therapy

Sports massage therapy has become a popular form of therapy for athletes and active individuals alike. This specialized form of massage therapy targets specific areas of the body that are stressed from repetitive movements and high-intensity activities. Whether you are a professional athlete or simply someone who enjoys working out, sports massage therapy can help you recover faster and perform at your best.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about sports massage therapy, including its benefits, different types of sports massage, when to get a sports massage, and much more.

 

How it Benefits Athletic Types

Sports massage therapy has numerous benefits, making it a great choice for athletes and active individuals. Some of the most notable benefits of sports massage therapy include:

  • Improved Circulation: Sports massage therapy helps to increase blood flow to the muscles, delivering more oxygenated blood and nutrients to the tissues. This increased circulation brings more oxygen to the muscles allowing them to perform better and have greater endurance.   It can also help speed up recovery time after a workout or injury. 

  • Reduced Muscle Soreness and Stiffness: Sports massage therapy can help to reduce muscle soreness and stiffness, during and the day after a competition. Getting a sports massage right after competition allows you to move more freely and perform better in your next workout or activity and recover a lot faster, so you could get back into the game or training sooner than without getting sports massage.

  • Improved Flexibility and Range of Motion: Sports massage therapy can help to improve flexibility and range of motion by stretching and relaxing tight muscles. This can lead to better performance and reduced risk of injury.

  • Increased Elasticity: Sports massage will help to increase elasticity which is different from flexibility. Optimizing your body’s elasticity as an athlete allows you to perform explosively while allowing your body to efficiently return to its original resting state.  When you do not have the proper elasticity your body can suffer from weak performance or become injured. 

  • Reduced Stress and Anxiety: In addition to its physical benefits, sports massage therapy can also help to reduce stress and anxiety levels, allowing you to perform at your best both physically and mentally. This will even help you to go from being very active in the day to being at ease when you are supposed to be winding down for the day. Also if muscle aches cause you to get up at night, then a sport massage could calm down your muscles enough where you’ll reduce the likelihood of getting woken up by sore and stiff muscles. 

The Different Categories

There are several different types of sports massage, each designed to target specific areas of the body and address specific needs. Some of the most common types of sports massage include:

  • Pre-Event Massage: This type of sports massage is performed before an event or competition to help warm up the muscles and prepare the body for physical activity.

  • Post-Event Massage: This type of sports massage is performed after an event or competition to help cool down the muscles and reduce muscle soreness.

  • Restorative Massage: This type of sports massage is designed to help the body recover from injury or surgery, and to promote healing and restoration of the affected area. This is similar to a Medical Massage but with focus really on the athlete and the specificity of their sport. 

  • Deep Tissue Massage: This type of sports massage focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue, helping to relieve muscle tension and pain. Usually only done during the off-season because the depth of this massage could cause the athlete to have to take a few days off after the massage which is something that shouldn’t really be done during the season. 

When to Get a Sports Massage Treatment

The best time to get a sports massage depends on your individual needs and goals. Some people prefer to get a pre-event massage before a competition or workout, while others prefer a post-event massage to help reduce muscle soreness. Here are a few situations when it might be beneficial to get a sports massage:

  • Before a competition or workout: A pre-event massage can help warm up the muscles and prepare the body for physical activity.

  • After a competition or workout: A post-event massage can help cool down the muscles and reduce muscle soreness.

  • After an injury: A restorative massage can help the body recover from injury or surgery, and promote healing and restoration of the affected area.

  • Regular maintenance: Regular sports massage therapy can help to improve flexibility, reduce muscle soreness, and promote overall well-being.

Choosing the Right Sports Massage Therapist

When choosing a sports massage therapist, it is important to find someone who is experienced and knowledgeable about the specific needs for you as an athlete. They should also understand your sport and the movements required to perform optimally at that sport. 

Now when seeking a sports massage therapist you can search online for “Sports Massage Near Me” if you are some where outside of New York City, but when in NYC, don’t search “Sports Massage NYC”  instead schedule your sports massage appointment with Elite Healers Sports Massage and work with any one of our knowledgeable Sports Massage Therapists.