The Importance of Pre- and Post-Event Sports Massage

It’s that time of year. Well, actually all times of the year are great for receiving a soothing sports massage. Whether you love summer or winter sports, there’s no better way to properly prepare and relax you muscles before and after an important event.

Incorrect or overuse of your muscles and joints can often create problems and imbalances in the soft tissues. If injuries are ignored and allowed to become chronic, they can hinder your performance and ultimately you may be susceptible to developing more serious conditions.

If you are unable to perform at your best, you may be more at risk from other more serious injuries.

Why Sports Massage?

Sports massage is designed to help you prepare your body for optimal performance, recover after a big event, or function well during training. It aims to improve the suppleness and flexibility of your muscles and joints, improve blood circulation, speed up the healing of damaged or stressed muscles, tissues and joints, and prevent future muscle and tendon injuries.

Massage is one of the most effective therapies for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the muscular-skeletal system. Received regularly this may help you prevent injuries, which might otherwise be caused by overuse. A constant build up of tension in the muscles from regular activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as well as the muscles themselves.

Undiagnosed muscle imbalances may develop and become serious enough to cause you discomfort or impede your performance. A skilled massage therapist can help you detect variations in soft tissues and by using the correct techniques, help you to maintain a much healthier physical balance.

How is Sports Massage Different?

Sports massage is a type of Swedish massage that stimulates circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids, by focusing on sectional therapy to break release knotted muscles and increase range of motion. There are two different types of sports massage; one therapy focuses on preventative maintenance and the other focuses on rehabilitation.

Preventative Pre-Event Sports Massage:

Generally pre-event therapy is a short, stimulating massage given 15 - 45 minutes before your event. Focusing on the major parts of the body that will be exerted during the event, a sports massage can be carried out prior to a sports event, when it will stimulate circulation, calm nervous tension and prepare you for optimal performance while reducing the risk of injury.

Rehabilitating Post-Event Sports Massage:

Post-event therapy is most effective when given within an hour or two of the event, to normalize the body’s tissues. It can be carried out after a sports event, when it will relieve soreness and assist with the removal of lactic acid and other waste products. It is often used during training, when the practitioner will focus on speeding up the healing of existing injuries and preventing the development of future injuries.

Using Sports Massage to Maintain Health

A sports massage is a good choice if you have a specific sports-related injury - a tender knee from running, for instance. The therapy is generally focused on the problem area – pulled muscles and over-used joints - rather than giving you a thorough full body massage. I focus on treating soft tissue aches, pain and injuries that are associated with recreational activities. Massage can reduce muscle stiffness and improve relaxation by reducing heart rate and blood pressure.

However, for most athletes, both professional and amateur, enjoying less muscle pain and stiffness and improving sense of relaxation and well-being is reason enough to enjoy regular massage.

For more information about how Sports Massage can help you, contact Anita at info (at) anitaverigin.com