The Sports Massage
Sports massage is a special type of massage is usually given before, during, and after a sporting event (a competition, for example) to help the athlete to achieve the performance it has set, to relax and to reduce the risk hurting themselves. Only a professional knowledgeable about the human body, especially the muscles and skeleton, is able to provide this type of massage.
Sports massage works deep in eliminating toxins in the muscles, separating the membranes that may bind together (adhesions), and minimizing the accumulation of dirt around the scars. The fact that the sports massage stretches the muscles allows the athlete to fully recover all of its capabilities. Moreover, this practice through blood circulation made more fluid, helps cells grow, relaxes muscles and reduces recovery time after exertion.
Sports massage, Swedish massage and mixing Shiatsu is particularly suited to the needs of top athletes. Based on these needs, using various techniques, such as the Swedish strokes, friction, pressure on specific points, and the mobilization of the tendons.
The different types of sports massage
Sports massage is performed before and after exercise, and allows, in addition to maintaining the athlete in shape, reduce the chances that he injures himself and increase his recovery speed.
Before exercise
A massage before playing sports is a good way to warm up and stretch his muscles, for optimum performance, but also stimulate blood circulation: the muscles are better fed, relax, and the athlete sees his mentally strengthened. The most effective is to provide this massage two days before the competition.
After exercise
After intense exercise, our bodies tired and tense needs a massage. This avoids swell, reducing the risk of cramps and aches, and to remove lactic acid from muscles. In addition, the body will take less time to recover through massage.
Prevention
Sports massage can be considered part of the training, if used regularly and as a precaution. Indeed, massage regularly promote blood circulation and help heal any tears or stretching due to heavy exertion. They also serve to keep the muscles relaxed, allowing different muscle layers of interwoven seamlessly into each other more.
Recovery
Sports massage is sometimes used as a last resort in case of injury: it facilitates the recovery of the athlete in minimizing the adverse effects that may have adhesions or scar tissue, and also helps to quickly regain strength and flexibility.
Techniques used
The stroking, kneading, and friction are the names of the three main techniques used for a sports massage. Most of these techniques generally involve exercise pressure towards the heart, to ensure that blood is flowing properly. To ensure that blood vessels are not damaged, caresses can "lighten" a massage may be too intense. These hugs are part of effleurage, which is a preparatory phase of the massage. Then comes the turn of the kneading and friction, which still allow them to work specifically on areas that are too tight.
The benefits of sports massage
Sports massage works on different levels: physical, physiological and psychological. Only in harmonizing and balancing these three aspects that one can feel a sense of well-being. Here is a list of the main benefits of sports massage:
From a physical point of view:
• A deep massage helps open pores of the tissue, thus facilitating both the movement of fluids and nutrients, and removal of undesirable substances such as lactic acid.
• It also helps the muscle to supply oxygen and nutrients for a faster recovery.
• Sports massage stretches and relaxes the muscles, often made after a grueling physical activity.
• It helps to get rid of scar tissue affecting muscles, tendons and ligaments, which may therefore interfere with athletic performance
• It makes the tissues softer (skin, muscles).
At physiological
• It reduces the pain sensation
• After the massage, the muscles are relaxed
At the psychological level:
• By relaxing the muscles, it significantly lowers the stress and anxiety.
• It helps you feel good and healthy.
Sports Physiotherapist
A sport physiotherapist must be specialized in this field. Optionally, a physiotherapist may also completed an additional training program. The masseurs are now becoming more numerous.
