Whether you are a seasoned athlete looking to achieve a new personal best or just getting started on your fitness journey, sports massage can help you stay injury free.
Studies support the use of massage to promote relaxation, increase blood flow and improve flexibility. This in turn may help prevent and treat sports injuries.
Increased Lymphatic Drainage
A key physiological effect of sports massage is increased lymphatic drainage. Techniques like deep effleurage are used to increase lymph flow towards the heart, which can help to reduce edema and fluid retention. Lymphatic drainage also helps to stimulate and improve the function of the immune system, which is important in fighting off infections.
Incorporating regular therapeutic massage into a runner’s training program can significantly decrease injuries that occur from overuse and/or muscle imbalance. This allows runners to train at a higher intensity without increasing the risk of injury, and it also helps them to recover more quickly between runs.
Additionally, sports massage can help to break down and improve the flexibility of tight or inflexible scar tissue. Scar tissue can prevent muscles and ligaments from moving freely, which can lead to decreased range of motion and pain. Scar tissue can also restrict circulation, limiting blood flow and causing tissue damage. Massage can help to soften and break down scar tissue, thereby improving flexibility and enhancing circulation.
Breakdown of Adhesions
The muscle fibres of a healthy muscle are designed to slide freely across each other. When they become stuck together in knots (adhesions), they can’t work properly and can cause pain. Sports massage uses techniques to break down and realign these collagen fibres.
This helps to reduce adhesions and improve the function of the muscle, reducing pain, tightness and stiffness. It also helps to reduce DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and encourages a faster recovery after exercise.
If you’re serious about preventing injuries, it’s important to find a therapist who has experience and training in this area. They should be able to assess your specific needs and tailor the treatment based on your goals. They should also be able to offer advice and exercises to help maintain the benefits of the massage between sessions. Look for a therapist who offers effleurage (stroking) and petrissage (kneading). Both of these techniques are excellent for preparing muscles for further massage and increasing circulation and flexibility.
Increased Flexibility
Athletes who incorporate regular sports massages into their routines can often experience increased flexibility. This can be due to the aforementioned breaking down of adhesions or from specific massage techniques, such as deep effleurage strokes that promote circulation and increase venous return. This increases the speed that blood carries waste products back to the heart, which in turn reduces the buildup of lactic acid and other metabolic waste and encourages oxygen delivery to the muscles.
This improved flexibility can also contribute to enhanced athletic performance by improving posture, movement efficiency, and power output. In addition, flexibility is important for daily activities such as reaching a high shelf or bending to tie a shoelace.
If you do sustain an injury, sports massage can expedite healing by reducing inflammation and encouraging the production of white blood cells, which are the body’s first line of defense against infection. In addition, sports massage can help to align collagen fibers, which facilitates muscle and tendon recovery.
Boosted Immune System
There are many ways to support your immune system – vitamins, minerals, supplements, daylight, greens, fruit, exercise, good sleep – but a sports massage is another powerful option. Research published in the Journal portable massage tables for sports therapy of Athletic Training found that massage decreases inflammatory markers and stress hormone levels, and also enhances lymphocyte activity – a type of white blood cell that plays a role in immune surveillance and defense against pathogens.
Massage also alleviates post-exercise suppression of immune function, allowing the body to recover more quickly and reduces the risk for infection.
Olympians like Michael Phelps and Lindsey Vonn have credited massage with helping them recover from workouts and competitions, as well as staying injury-free. Incorporate regular sessions into your wellness routine this fall, and enjoy the benefits that come along with balanced immunity!
