Sports
Sporting activities involve muscle activity as the primary motive force and many sporting injuries are directly muscle injuries or originate from muscle dysfunction. Sports Massage is applied to advantage Pre-Event, Inter Event, Post Event and during Rehabilitation.
| Sports massage is the massage of foundation tissues directed specifically at the muscles used in athletic activities. This is a deep muscle massage often used around the joints. It combines classical Swedish style with trigger points, compression and electro-neuromuscular techniques to reduce soreness.
This form of massage also utilises specific strokes and stretches to help obtain maximum performance and physical conditioning with less chance of injury or pain. It increases power, endurance, and flexibility both before and after an event or workout The treatments focus on muscles relevant to the event. For athletes who train continuously, the goal is to enhance endurance, lessen the chance of injury and shorten the time needed to recover from an event. |
Regular sports massage is instrumental in maintaining good physical condition and health, through mobilising and improving muscle tone, promoting relaxation, stimulating circulation, and producing therapeutic effects on all systems of the body. It can extend both the good health and overall life of a sporting “career”.
A person does not need to be a top flight athlete to gain from sports massage. Anyone who exercises or seeks to improve their general physical fitness may benefit from treatment - in particular those who do so less regularly.
Physically, the pressures of massage along the flow of the lymphatic and venous systems encourages blood with oxygen and other substances (which are essential for repair and rowth) to be pumped more effectively through the body. This aids the restoration of normal tissue condition.
The process also facilitates the exchange of fluids and helps in the removal of waste products, such as lactic acid. Massage will also stretch muscle fibres and the fascia surrounding muscles, breaking down scar tissue and adhesions.
Physiologically, massage aids in the reduction of muscle pain and enhances relaxation.
Psychologically, the client will feel stimulated with a feeling of warmth and readiness to perform. Anxiety may also be relieved.
Conditions that generally respond well to sports massage include:-
• muscle pain and stiffness
• muscle strain
• oedema
• muscle soreness
• muscle sprains• muscle tension
• sore spots
• repetitive strain injuries
• tendonitis
Pre-event sports massage is given shortly before an athlete competes. It consists mainly of brisk effleurage to stimulate and warm the muscles and petrissage to help muscles move fluidly and to reduce muscle tension. Effleurage is generally a relaxing stroke, but when done briskly it is stimulating. As the massage progresses, the pressure increases as the massage therapist uses percussive strokes and cupping to stimulate the muscles to contract and flex. The part of the body being massaged varies from sport to sport, although leg and back muscles are common targets for this type of massage.
Post-event sports massage is usually given 1-2 hours after the competition is over in order to give dilated blood vessels a chance to return to heir normal condition. Post-event massage is light and gentle in order not to damage already stressed muscles. The goal is to speed up removal of toxic waste products and reduce swelling. Very light effleurage will decrease swelling while light petrissage will help clear away toxins and relieve tense, stiff muscles. Post-event massage can be self-administered on some parts of the body such as the legs.
Maintenance sports massage is performed at least once a weekwhile the athlete is in training. It is frequently administered to the back and legs. Deep effleurage and petrissage are used to relax and tone knotted muscles.
Rehabilitation sports massage is often given in conjunction with physiotherapist’s or G.P’s instruction and guidance. The massage therapist will, with the client’s permission, liaise with other health care practitioners to ensure that maximum benefit is obtained from the various treatments.