Sports Massage

 Massage has been found to be among the oldest practices of physical therapies known to man.

 It has been discovered that various cultures have practiced massage for more than 3000 years throughout human civilization.

 However, it is only rather recently that massage has been accepted in the modern world as an important part of treatment particularly in sports.

What are the objectives of sports massage?

  Just like in most kinds of massage, the sports massage practitioner was a particular goal in mind in terms of the general well being of the patient. In sports massage, the objectives gear towards the improvement of an athlete’s performance and the quick recovery of muscles used for the specific sports involved.  As more and more people get involved with sports and physical exercise, sports massage grows in popularity as well as it is becoming to be greatly recognized to help improve recovery and performance.

  Since sports massage is essentially a type of massage therapy, it follows similar principles, which involve a deep understanding of human physiology and anatomy, especially with regards to the skeletal and muscular systems. Such knowledge is essential in order for the practitioner to determine how massage therapy may benefit the athlete and how best to integrate the therapy into the particular training program.

  The aim of sports training is to enhance an athlete’s performance and create a competitive edge by subjecting their bodies to activities that develop speed, stamina, strength, skill, and agility. Depending on the particular sport, the athlete’s status, or the position in sports teams, the body may be subjected to different degrees of challenges. But no matter how systematic or efficient the training the body will probably be overused and over worked.

  The use and possibly the abuse of the body often lead to some problems with the bones or the muscles that could accumulate more ailments over time, hindering not only the rate of the athlete’s improvement, but disturbing the actual performance as well. Faced with such conditions, the athlete might not be able to perform in the best state, which could create the risk for injuries and traumas.

  While the body is capable of healing itself, the capacity of the body to recover may be jeopardized with the continuous use with sports training. The body needs a lot of time to heal but time is not a luxury for sports enthusiasts who require frequent training. This is where sports massage comes in as it greatly enhances the speed of athletes to recover from the rigors of their training as it speeds up the body’s ability to heal and recuperate.

What are the benefits of sports massage?

  When done by a skillful and certified practitioner, sports massage is greatly effective in easing the tension of muscles and restoring the muscular and skeletal systems’ balance. When athletes receive sports massage regularly, they could also prevent injuries, especially those that are related to muscle overuse. The continuous accumulation of tension in the bones and muscles due to frequent strenuous activity often leads to stress on the joints, the muscles themselves as well as the connective tissues such as the tendons and ligaments.

Oftentimes, these imbalances in the muscles are not diagnosed until they are grave enough to cause extreme discomfort for the athlete or until performance is severely disturbed. However, a very good sports massage practitioner would have the necessary knowledge and skill to be able to detect discrepancies in an athlete’s muscles and soft tissues at a very early stage. The massage therapist would also be knowledgeable enough to treat any disturbance early on.

What precautions should be taken with sports massage?

While sports massage is generally beneficial for athletes who are stressed and tensed, there are cases when sports massage is not advised because they may even make injuries worse. The following situations usually do not call for sports massage:

- Acute injuries and traumas such as brushings, sprained ligaments, burns, open wounds, contusions and chilblains.
- Fevers of over 100 degrees
- Abnormalities in blood vessels such as thrombosis, varicose veins, and phlebitis
- Hemophilia or extreme tendency to bleed
- Infectious diseases such as herpes, viral infection, bacterial infection, and fungal infection
- Tumors or cysts

For such cases mentioned and other serious disturbances, it is best to consult with a physician before undergoing sports massage.

Sports massage may greatly enhance an athlete’s general well being. To know more about sports massage, consult with a health practitioner or a sports specialist.