What’s a sports massage?
Sports massage is similar in style to Swedish massage. Research published by the North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy describes that sports massage refers “to a combination of massage techniques used on athletes or active people for the purpose of aiding rehabilitation or treating pathology.”
It is simply a massage that helps active people avoid and treat injuries while they are playing their favourite sport.
It can help athletes prepare for competitions and improve their performance. It is important to remember that every athlete has their own needs regarding sports massage in auckland.
Waslaski, a certified personal trainer at the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), teaches around 40 seminars annually across the globe.
Each technique offers different results, and each athlete will experience a unique benefit.
Sports massage
Waslaski says that the actual benefits that a sports massage technique can offer are dependent on the athlete’s stage. They can be divided into two types: pre- and post-event.
Benefits of a pre-event sports massage
Waslaski, a former supervisor at the Boston Marathon, says that pre-event massages can be used to “activate weak muscle and check firing patterns.”
These factors can increase the athlete’s performance by helping to prepare the body for the next physical activity.
Research shows that athletes can also benefit from pre-event massages. These include a decrease in blood pressure and increased strength and flexibility.
Jonny Pietrunti is the director of clinical services at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in New York. He shared firsthand that he has seen the last effect of increased flexibility with clients.
Pietrunti says that many clients experience limitations in their range of motion because of the repetitive nature of certain sports. Sports massage can help with aching and pains and a little bit of function tightness.
Multiple studies have confirmed this result. A systematic review and meta-analysis published by the Journal of Physical Therapy Science in February 2017 showed that massage therapy significantly increased the shoulder range of motion.
The best movements for this area were those that involved flexion and abduction.
Sports massages after an event
Waslaski says that sports massage can also be beneficial after an event because it promotes recovery. Studies found that massage can aid in recovery by helping to remove blood lactate. This is a form of lactic acid that forms in tissues when they don’t receive enough oxygen during anaerobic metabolism.