Many athletes, coaches and those involved in all aspects of sport, consider Sports Massage Therapy to be an essential component of an athlete’s training and, ultimately, performance. It can be used pre event to prepare the body for activity, and post event as part of the recovery and healing process. Ideally, those involved in regular sport should have regular treatment as this will help to rehabilitate micro-trauma or muscles that feel compromised before injuries develop. Sports massage therapy can enable an athlete to increase the quality and quantity of their training and can help tos achieve optimum performance.
Actions such as running requires repetitive muscle contractions. When the muscles contract the fibres shorten. Although these contractions translate into speed, endurance and power, the cumulative effect can mean shortened, ‘tight’ or fatigued muscles, joint range of motion losses, and decreased circulation to the compressed soft tissue. Soft tissue therapy, including deep tissue massage help to relieve the feeling of muscle tightness and it can restore joint range of motion.
Sports massage therapy is an essential part of any training programme as it reduces muscle soreness and fatigue; improves range of motion of joints and muscles; improves and helps in the recovery of all soft tissue and fascia; and improves posture and gait. Essentially it will speed up the rate of recovery and prepare the body for further training. It can also be the first assessment of post event injuries.
