A Therapists Guide to Sports Massage

Sports massage is similar to Swedish massage, and sports massage refers to “a collection of massage techniques performed on athletes or active individuals for the purpose of aiding recovery or treating pathology.” Simply, it is massage designed to help active people prevent and address injuries while engaging in their favorite sport. Let’s help you with a guide for supports massage, if you are a therapist.

1. Effleurage:

Uses slow and smooth strokes with the flat of the hand that are directed along the contour of the body. The strokes vary in depth and pressure and are meant to provide relaxation, warm the nerves and in the tissues, stimulate blood circulation,stretch muscles, and relieve painful or tense areas. Some sports massage therapists also incorporate proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)stretching to improve flexibility and mobility.

2. Petrissage and Friction:

This kneading technique can be used to either relax or stimulate the athlete’s muscle, but it also provides additional benefits, such as those related to improved circulation and enhanced removal of metabolic waste. Meanwhile, Friction massage is the type of sports massage in which strokes are applied in circular or linear motion, is intended to help the athlete by creating an inflammatory response, thus breaking down and separating scar or adhered tissues.

3. Pre-Event, Inter-Event and Post-Event Sports Massage:

The pre-event massage can be administered from 48 up to 72 hours before an event. Athletes should have tapered their training at this point. Getting a deep tissue massage before an event is a good way to release any tension from all the intense training. The closer it is to the event itself, the less intense the massage should be. Sports Massage Therapy in Ashford provides best massage and covers all treatments in health insurance.

Athletes of sporting events that require a set of relaxed muscles, like boxing, would benefit from alight massage beforehand. This will help warm up the body, increase blood supply, enhance mobility, and help the athlete relax. Just be careful not to goover board on the relaxation.

·        Inter-Event Sports Massage:

A quick massage during breaks in a sporting event can relieve cramps or muscle pains and provide an energy boost. Only a few minutes is required for an inter-event sports massage. The therapist should be careful not to apply vigorous massage techniques at this point.

·        Post-Event Sports Massage:

A post-event massage administered within the next 72 hours will help tremendously with the athlete’s recovery. The athlete needs to cool down and rehydrate before the massage is administered. She or he should then spend 10-15 minutes cooling down,stretching, and rehydrating before commencing with the post-event massage.

4. Levels of Sports Massage:

Providing sports massage services offers the therapist the ability to work with people of all ages and skill levels. For instance, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), there are almost eight million high school students currently playing sports.

Combine these with the 4,146 active players in all teams and all of the “weekend warriors” who play sports on a more sporadic basis and this represents a huge number of individuals who rely on their bodies to consistently perform at higher levels.

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