Sports Massage

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Sports Massage

The goal of any sportsperson is to attain excellent performance on the field. That is why sports massage is essential for athletes because it works on their soft muscles which are necessary for an excellent performance. Additionally, athletic massage helps the athlete to build strong immunity against injuries and speeds up healing. In a sports massage session, several techniques are used to achieve maximum results. The methods include kneading, rhythmic stroking, effleurage ( circular stroking movement), petrologist (kneading the body), deep stroking, among others.

With regular sports massage in Wollongong or Sutherland, you can be guaranteed that you will have an extensive sports career because of the fitness that your body achieves. However, for you to enjoy the benefits of a sports massage, there are factors that you should consider. The factors are highlighted below.

Timing

Whether in Wollongong or Sutherland, to get the best results from sports massage, you should know when to have one and when not to. Sports massage has the most benefits to the body when applied, before the game, after the game, during training, and after suffering an injury. The pre-game massage therapy is essential in helping the muscles tolerate pressure and exertion during the game. Post-game massage is meant to relax the muscles after the game, therapeutic massage (administered during training) is important in maximizing the benefits of the training and building the muscles endurance, and finally, post-injury sports massage is meant to speed up the healing process of the injury.
It is important to note that each type of massage therapy around training, listed above, is done in a specific way, and that’s why it is important to know what type works at a given time.

Sport therapist massaging leg of an athlete

Location

Unlike a relaxation massage which focuses on the entire body, a sports massage should be focused on the muscles of a given part of the body depending on the type of sport you engage in. For example, a football player will benefit more a leg-focused sports massage rather than getting a massage that focuses on the arms. The set of muscles that you use the most should determine where the massage will be targeted.

knowledge of the massage therapist

Sports people are assigned different positions when participating in their games, and as such, their bodies have different demands. In a soccer team, the needs of the goalie cannot be the same as those of the striker and a good sports massage therapist should have this knowledge. This is because different roles have unique muscle usage, which determines the kind of massage therapy the players receive.

Technique

It is important to note that sports massage applies mainly to two techniques, the shiatsu, and the Swedish massage techniques. These techniques are divided into five types of movements: suffrage, frictions, percussion, and petrologist. Each type has its use in a sports massage with the suffrage mainly being used to start and end the session. Friction is used to correct the grain of different muscles, and petrologist is applied to relax the muscles. Vibration and percussion can be used differently depending on the therapist.

Importance of having a sports massage

It increases your flexibility

A sports massage can release tension from soft tissues, do away with muscle spasms, and align scar tissues. Once all this are done, muscles in the body can move at a greater range making you more flexible.

It can act as a fitness indicator

It is important to point out that some injuries are so minor and may not be realized until some pressure is exerted on them. During a sports massage, you become aware of sore areas, and you can now find a way to manage them. You may also find out that your training is causing tension on some of the parts; hence, you will be able to adjust how you train.

Boosts the nervous system

Your body relaxes during a massage session putting your body in a good physiological position. At this stage, your body can produce more endorphin, which helps in alleviating the pain the body and improving your general mood.

It boosts circulation

The constant circulation of blood is important to you as a sportsperson. Through a sports massage, your blood circulation is increased, which increases the transmission of nutrients and oxygen in the body. Increased blood circulation also helps in the removal of waste products, enhancing the functioning of your muscles.

Stimulates pain-reducing hormones

Sports massage stimulates receptors in the body, which result in the production of endorphins which are natural painkillers in the body.

Improved immune system

It is important to point out that sports massage boosts the movement of fluids in tissues which helps in the elimination of toxins. You will also have an increased number of white blood cells by having regular remedial massage sessions as a sportsperson.

Come see us for your next sports massage in Wollongong. We also have sport massage in Sutherland. Our expert massage therapists are only a call away.

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