Sports massage has many health benefits on our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being. It is widely used as a recovery tool amoungst many athletes. Some of the benefits of regular massage athletes have experienced include:
- Increases range of movement and flexibility. Massage lengths muscle fibers which promotes flexibility. . If a muscle doesn’t have full range of movement for a long time the fibers bind together and create knots in the muscle. This restricts range of movement and if muscle fibers build up the muscle can’t do its job and the muscle becomes less flexible.
- Reduces pain associated with muscle soreness. When training intensely muscle pain and tightness will occur. Your muscles are responding to the increased workload with increased toxins such as lactic acid. If left untreated the tissue can become damaged over time. This muscle damange will cause a decrease in ciruclation which leads to tightness and shortening of the muscle tissue. If an athlete has muscle stiffness they will not be performing at their peak. Regular massage helps muscle pain by removing lactic acid and releasing the muscle of any other toxins. The result is less muscle pain.
- Relaxes the mind and body. Massage helps to relax the muscles and bring your body back to a state of homeostatis. Human homeostatis is the process that maintains the stability of the body’s internal environment as a result of external conditions. Your body is constantly trying to correct imbalances in an attempt to create homeostatis. Massage can help to relax and rejuvenate the whole body including the mind, which can then lead to a calm mind to lower stress levels, bring a sense of mindfullness, this is particularly beneficial before race day. A relaxed body will generalally have a better quality of sleep which will then heal the body even further.
- Removes toxins and reduces inflammation.
During strenuous exercise the body releases toxins into the muscles and massage can help to promote recovery by releasing these toxins from the tissue. Massage increases circulation by dilating the blood vessels which allows fresh nutrients to be supplied to the muscle tissue and speeds up the elimination of waste from the body. Increased circulation can improve oxygenation which will help athletes improve performance.
During strenuous exercise your muscles experience induced trauma and inflammation. To heal this trauma and inflammation the body needs energy and massage can provide this energy.Massage activates the release of energy by creating mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell. Therefore, the body has enough energy to repair the trauma that is done during a strenuous work out, and reduces inflammation in the body.
- Prevent injury. Massage can help to prevent injury by reducing inflammation and increase the range of motion and flexibility. Many athletes experience injuries due to tense muscles and imbalances in the body and massage can help to relax the muscles in the body which can also help to prevent injury.
- Enhanced performance. Many clients have reported an improved range of movement after masssage, as well as being more relaxed and an increase in mindfullness, this can help the athletes body to be in balance and to master the mental focus needed for optimal performance.
Massage has many performance enhancing benefits to the mind and body. Sports massage can help your performance by helping to increase range of motion and flexibility, reducing pain and inflammation, relaxing the body and mind, and preventing injury.
An important thing to remember when you start adding massage to your fitness program, is that the results won’t happen after just one session. The true benefits of a massage come with regular appointments. Just as if you were training for a marathon, you wouldn’t expect to be able to run the full 42km after one day of training. Massage should be an added part of your program whether it’s fortnightly or monthly. I would recommend finding a massage therapist that you like, and finding a massage program that works with your financial budget.