Sports Massage
Sports Massage
Sports Massage for strength, healing and balance
Sports massage should play an important role in the life of any sportsperson, whether theyare injured or not. Massage has a number of physical, physiological and psychological benefits.
Massage Benefits and effects
- Massage can maintain the body and keep in good condition
- Prevent injury and loss of mobility
- Cure and restore mobility to injured muscle tissue
- Boost performance
- Extend the life of sporting career
- Increases tissue permeability
- Stretching
- Breaking down scar tissue
- Improving tissue elasticity
- Pain reduction
- Invigorating
- Stimulating - encourages circulation, aids digestion and waste removal, invigorates and relaxes muscles
- Massage reduces stress and anxiety
- Relaxing
Massage Conta-actions
A contra-action is the body's normal reaction to massage, especially when extremely stressed or new to treatment.
Contra-actions may include
- Tiredness
- Muscular aches
- Headaches
- Heighten emotional state
- Frequency in urination
- Change in sleep pattern
- Active bowels
- Spots
Any possible contra-actions you may experience are absolutely normal and will subsidewithin 12 hours of treatment.
Massage Aftercare Advice
To get maximum benefit from the treatment received and to reduce contra-actions, please follow the advice below.
- Drink plenty of water to help flush toxins from the system.
- Avoid alcohol and excessive tea or coffee drinking for up to 24 hours after treatment. Due to dehydration the effects of alcohol may be increased.
- The detoxifying process can cause feelings of nausea. If this is the case, drink plenty of water.
- Rest after the treatment to allow the body to heal and get the full therapeutic benefits of the massage.
- Only eat light meals to help the body focus on natural healing.
Your therapist may have given you some stretches and after care advice. Make sure you follow the advice carefully.
The American College of Sports Medicine (1995) recommends the following exercise guidelines to help promote and maintain flexibility in healthy adults
- Frequency; 3 days per week
- Intensity; to a position of mild discomfort
- Duration; 10 to 20 seconds each stretch
- Repetition; 3 to 5 each stretch
- Type; Static - Particularly lower back and thigh
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