Research has shown that a sports massage increases the flow of blood to the muscles and tissues. This increased flow delivers healthy oxygen and nutrients, which help the muscles heal faster.
Effleurage (stroking) and petrissage (kneading) are two of the main techniques used in a sports massage. Research shows these massage techniques reduce muscle tightness, remove metabolic waste (like lactic acid), and improve recovery from exercise and competition.
Increased Tissue Elasticity
Athletes who regularly receive sports massage are less likely to suffer injuries. This is because myofascial release techniques relax tight muscle fibres and stretch out the fascia that surrounds them. This increases tissue elasticity which decreases restriction and allows for greater range of movement. This prevents injury such as pulls and strains from occurring.
An increase in oxygenation during a massage also helps to prevent injury. A lack of oxygen causes muscle fatigue and weakness making them more susceptible to injury. An improvement in oxygen levels during a massage increases the supply of nutrient rich blood to muscles and tissues which energises them.
In addition, a good massage stimulates the lymphatic system which increases the rate at which waste products are removed from the body. These waste products include lactic acid and other metabolic wastes. They can build up within the muscles causing tightness, fatigue and pain, decreasing range of movement and increasing injury risk.
Increased Blood Flow
The stroking movements of sports massage help pump blood through the blood vessels, enhancing circulation and thus improving delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. It also flushes out metabolic waste such as lactic acid, removing it from the tissues and freeing up more room for fresh nutrients.
This can reduce the accumulated toxins that can cause muscle soreness, particularly in high-intensity workouts like long runs or strength training sessions. It can also prevent the delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that usually sets in between 12 and 24 hours after these types of exercise.
Regular massage may increase an athlete’s proprioception, which is the ability to sense body position and movement. This may help improve their reaction times, especially in competitive sports where split seconds can make all the difference between victory and defeat. In addition, regular massage can improve the flexibility of tight muscles and tendons. This can enable more efficient running mechanics and better recovery from strenuous workouts.
Increased Tissue Temperature
Athletes seek to push themselves, but this often comes with the risk of muscle strains and sprains. Sports massage aims to prevent these injuries by promoting tissue repair and increasing blood flow. This helps remove toxins like lactic acid and allows muscles to become more flexible.
In addition to improving flexibility and reducing tension, sports massage also increases the temperature of muscle tissues. This increase in temperature decreases muscle inelasticity and increases range of motion, thereby preventing injury during activity.
Athletes who undergo regular sports massage can maintain balanced muscles and improve their proprioceptive awareness, which is the body’s ability to effects of sports massage on muscle recovery sense its position in space. This is important because poor proprioceptive awareness can lead to injuries, such as ligament sprains and muscle strains. In addition, regular sports massage can help reduce tightness and fatigue in muscles, which can lead to injury.
Increased Lymphatic System Stimulation
Sports massage encourages the movement of lymph fluid, which removes waste products and toxins from body tissues. This process helps to reduce muscle fatigue, decrease inflammation, increase circulation and enhance flexibility.
When used as a part of an overall training programme, sports massage is very effective at preventing injuries. It can be used before an event to warm up the muscles and boost circulation, or after a workout to aid in recovery and reduce post-exercise soreness.
To receive the full benefits of sports massage, it is important to make it a regular part of your routine. A therapist can recommend the appropriate massage techniques for your needs and can combine it with other therapeutic modalities such as stretching, strength training and physical therapy. It is also crucial to schedule your sessions on rest days, hydrate well before and after and incorporate gentle stretching to maximize the impact of your treatments. Ideally, this will allow you to reap the benefits of increased flexibility and enhanced athletic performance while decreasing your risk for injury.
