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Introduction

Sports massage is the manipulation of the athlete’s soft muscle tissues to help the athlete achieve peak performance, to remain injury free, and to support the healing of injuries. This type of massage uses a combination of techniques including Swedish style, effleurage or stroking, petrissage, or kneading, tapotement, or rhythmic striking, compression, vibration, gliding, percussion, stretching, friction, deep strokes and trigger points.

Today, this type of massage will benefit everyone whether an athlete or not. Anyone who has a soft tissue condition, or wants to improve their general well-being or health can be helped.

Sports massage brings benefits, such as:

• Increased flexibility and range of joint motion. Massage helps to release soft tissue tension and stiffness, decrease muscle spasms, release restrictions, soften and realign scar tissue, and loosen-up adhesions. As a result, the range of motion will increase leading to greater flexibility.

• Increased awareness of the pain, tension or soreness in the body through the therapist’s massage of the damaged tissues. This will help you to understand how your muscles are performing, and as a result may require adjustment to your exercise or training routine.

• Greater psychological benefits by indirectly influencing your nervous system. Massage encourages relaxation, and increases the production of endorphins, a natural painkillers and mood enhancers, that create a sense of well-being. After receiving a massage, you become energetic, less anxious and your mood is improved.

• Reduced stress on joints. When tension and restrictions in soft tissue is released, the balance of muscle function is re-established. This results in increased mobility and flexibility.

• Increased blood flow, brings more oxygen and nutrients to tissues and removes waste products, such as the build up of lactic acid. As a result, your body’s muscular system works more efficiently.
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• Stimulates a variety of sensory receptions and soothes nerves. The massage releases the endorphins, resulting in a reduction of pain.

• Helps boost the immune system by promoting fluid movement through the tissue by assisting in the elimination of toxins. Additionally, sports massage increases white blood cell count, and helps the body to fight disease and infection.

• It promotes a healthy digestive system. When the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated, the digestive movement will increase through peristalsis, and this helps to relieve constipation, colic and gas.

• Improves recovery of the muscles and decreases muscle spasms caused by demanding exercise.

• Decreases or prevents injury as sports massage improves the condition of the muscle. If left untreated, scar tissue, tight muscles, or trigger points will be injured. It is essential to have the muscle imbalances corrected in order to prevent future injury.

• Faster recovery. Sports massage helps the muscles to recover from soreness or stiffness due to intensive exercise.

Conclusion

If you participate in strenuous physical activity, sports massage is beneficial to ensure you will have maximum performance as well as helps to restore optimal functioning of the muscular and skeletal system. Not only does sports massage boost your physical wellness, but it also promotes psychological well-being that leads to a healthy body and mind.