Looking at it from the perspective of a massage therapist, there are four main areas massage can benefit an athlete during training:
Event Preparation
Prior to competing in an event an athlete can benefit from traditional massage as part of the overall warm-up. Ideally, massage should take place within 90 minutes of the event. It is a quicker, lighter and more general massage and should not last more than 10 to 15 minutes. Some benefits of event preparation massage are that it:
- Warms the muscles
- Excites the nervous system
- Increases blood flow
- Helps delay the feeling of exertion
- Can help reduce injury
Prevention and Maintenance
This type of massage is best done when the athlete recovers from any soreness. This is the time to work a bit deeper to remove any restrictions in tissues and make corrections to the body without disrupting the training site. Some benefits of prevention and maintenance massage are:
- Normalizes tissue
- Improves tissue healing
- Improves range of motion
- Reduces muscle stiffness
- Removes trigger points
- Improves scar mobility
Injury Treatment
This phase of sports massage therapy can occur while the athlete is still in competition, or, if the injury is bad enough, when out of training and in recuperation Techniques can range from lymphatic drainage to scar massage. Some of the benefits of injury treatment massage are:
- Prepares tissue to enhance treatments
- Improves tissue healing
- Normalizes tissue
- Removes trigger points
- Improves scar mobility
Recovery
During the recovery phase it’s a very important time for the athlete to receive sports massage therapy. This phase can include the traditional post-event massage and the more thorough recovery massage. This type of massage is ideally done one to three hours after competition. The benefits of recovery massage are:
- Reduces the delay-onset of muscle soreness
- Improves the feeling of recovery
- Can help with muscle endurance and power output
- Can reduce muscle fatigue for repeated bouts
- Decreases pain causing substances in the muscles
- Increases the pain threshold after exercise
- Improves blood flow
- Calms the nervous system and helps effect relaxation
If you feel this type of massage program may benefit you as an athlete, develop an ongoing relationship with an experienced massage therapist who understands the body and how exercise effects it. Jodi at Inner Focus Massage has years of experience working with athletes at many levels – children and adults. For an appointment, or just a conversation, call Jodi at 701-238-8257.