The Quick And Easy Guide To Finding A Great Sports Massage Therapist
The Quick And Easy Guide To Finding A Great Sports Massage Therapist
Blog Article
Pre-Event Vs Post-Event Massage Benefits
As the name implies, a pre-event massage occurs before an event and focuses on warming up the muscles. It also facilitates removal of metabolic waste (e.g. lactic acid) to avoid delayed muscle soreness.
These sessions also improve flexibility, a key to improving athletic performance. And they increase circulation, which provides the muscles with more fresh oxygen and nutrients to reduce muscle soreness and stiffness.
Prevents Injuries
During exercise, over-exertion causes microscopic tears in the muscle fibres which results in a build up of metabolic waste products and a lack of oxygen. Massage speeds up the removal of these wastes and reduces tightness to minimise the risk of delayed onset muscle soreness, fatigue and weakness, and allows for quicker return to training and improved performance.
Pre-event massage is performed a few hours or days before an event to prepare the muscles and improve flexibility. A massage therapist uses different techniques such as tapping (effleurage), friction and kneading to increase the movement of the blood around the muscles, warm them up and promote relaxation. This type of massage helps prevent injuries by reducing muscle soreness, stiffness and increasing range of motion, while improving flexibility and the mind-muscle connection. Regular pre-event massages also reduce overuse injuries, such as sprains and strains.
Increases Flexibility
A massage before a sports event helps the athlete warm up and limber up. The friction of the massage techniques (effleurage, friction, tapotement and vibration) increases the temperature around the muscles which loosens up the muscle fibres and increases their flexibility. This improves joint mobility and enhances performance.
Increasing flexibility can also help reduce injuries. Being able to move the body in a variety of positions is essential for an athlete, particularly when making quick and precise movements.
Having good flexibility also allows the muscles to absorb oxygen and nutrients and remove waste products, which are key elements in boosting performance. Getting a pre-event massage can help with flexibility and recovery by promoting good blood circulation. This allows fresh oxygen to get into the muscles and help flush out metabolic wastes, such as lactic acid, after an exertion. This allows the body to regain its optimal range of motion and decreases tightness after training or an event.
Reduces Muscle Soreness
Pre event massages are lighter in pressure and designed to warm the muscles up and loosen up any well-known tight areas without overly stressing them. This type of massage can also help reduce fatigue by increasing the flow of fresh blood to the area delivering oxygen and nutrients that aid in repair and recovery.
It can also help in identifying and treating minor injuries before they develop into serious issues that could hinder performance. This can include addressing any tight muscles that are not firing correctly, or that have accumulated micro traumas over time.
A post-event massage can also help improve recovery by flushing out metabolic waste products such as lactic acid that accumulates during vigorous exercise. Using massage techniques such as effleurage to transport lymph flow is helpful in clearing away these unwanted toxins. It can also help in reducing muscle soreness and stiffness by decreasing inflammation and stimulating the body’s healing process. This helps with the removal of lactic acid which can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness and cost of sports massage for runners fatigue.
Promotes Recovery
Many athletes rely on sports massage to keep them at the top of their game. These tailored treatments are designed to increase flexibility, reduce tightness, and improve range of motion. In addition, they enhance recovery and minimize the risk of injuries by promoting blood circulation and eliminating metabolic waste like lactic acid.
Pre event massage is conducted before a competition or training session and utilizes techniques such as effleurage, friction, tapotement, and vibration (but not petrissage). This type of massage complements a normal warm-up routine, increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and activating them for optimal performance.
Post-event massage promotes the body’s natural healing process by removing toxins and eliminating metabolic waste, such as lactic acid, from the muscles. It also helps prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness by flushing out the buildup of metabolites that causes stiffness. Additionally, it stimulates the lymphatic system to speed up the removal of toxins from the muscle tissue.