How Athletes Benefit From Sports Massage

You are an athlete looking for a way to better your performance and recover faster from training? Then sports massage is the right treatment for you: It can not only boost your physical performance, but also speed up muscle repair and help you recover from injuries. For many professional Muay Thai fighters and soccer players sports massage is already part of their regular routine. We show you what makes sports massage such a great addition to your training.

What Is Sports Massage?

This type of massage is designed specifically to help athletes and very active individuals to recover after training, ward off muscle fatigue and prevent injuries. One of the first athletes to use sports massage to better their performance was the Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi: Legend has it he got it regularly during the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, where he won 5 gold medals.

Sports massage consists of many techniques, such as Swedish massage and it’s 5 basic movements effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, friction and vibration. It has not only a lot of physical, but also mental and emotional benefits. It also helps reduce stress and improves blood flow.

If you are an athlete then sports massage is a great way to relieve mental tension after a strenuous workout. Besides that, it restores mobility to injured muscle tissue, reduces fatigue and on the long run will better your performance and help you work out more efficiently.

The Benefits Of Sports Massage

Professional athletes already know and make use of the many benefits that sports massage offers them. If you work out regularly and want to better your performance, you should add sports massage to your routine. Your massage therapist can use a variety of techniques designed to your individual needs. 

Stroking movements stimulate lymph flow, reduce lactic acid build-up and help remove metabolic waste while increasing the flow of oxygenated, fresh blood to your muscles and tissues. This fastens your recovery from strenuous training.

During a sports massage, your therapist focuses on your muscles and tissues that are overused and stressed. The goal is aimed at improving muscle function and exercise performance. Moreover, it reduces stress and helps you relax and sleep better. 

A huge benefit of sports massage is the increased flexibility and range of motion: According to research even 30-seconds of massage can already improve the range of motion of the hip-flexor. Athletes also experience greater endurance and relief of muscle pain after a massage session. But there are even more health benefits:

• Reduced recovery time after training
• Energy boost and stamina
• Pain relief
• Muscular relaxation
• Improved mobility and flexibility
• Increased blood flow
• Reduced inflammation
• Enhanced sports performance
• Stress and anxiety relief
• Improved mood
• Stronger immune system
• Lower risk of injury
• Breakdown of scar tissue
• Better tissue elasticity
• Better sleep

Sports massage not only helps your body recover but also your mind: Studies show that it increases endorphin levels, which are hormones that promote mental well-being by lifting your mood, decreasing anxiety and lowering stress levels.

After only one massage session, you will see how good it is for your brain and emotional well-being: You will feel more relaxed, invigorated and focused. Sports massage can really help declutter your brain, relieve stress and boost concentration, which is important for better performance. In the end, you not only need a strong body but also a strong mind if you want to succeed.

In addition, sports massage can increase tissue permeability: This helps fluid and nutrients to pass through your tissues more quickly and easily. It also decreases delayed onset muscle soreness, so if you feel like it takes you forever to recover from training, you should book a massage and see, how it helps you recover faster and more efficiently.

How Often Should You Get Sports Massage

You probably ask yourself, how often you should get sports massage to really get all the benefits. If you have an active lifestyle, we recommend getting it at least once a week. Especially on your most strenuous training days it can be a preventive measure to take. 

If you only work out a few times a week and have a busy schedule, we still recommend getting sports massage at least twice a month. This way you still get all the gains from it. If you just recently had surgery or broken a bone, you should wait until you get a massage therapy. An experienced massage therapist is able to tell you, if and when massage is safe for you or not. 

You want to try it straight away and get a relaxing massage? RLAX offers massage on demand. Our fully trained and friendly therapists come directly to your office or condo. RLAX delivers the perfect massage straight to your door. Treat yourself and book a relaxing massage right away.