How Can Sports Massage Benefit an Athlete? – Complete Guide
The earliest records of massage are found in China and Egypt, but now the therapy is used all over. In the second century, massage was used to treat many illnesses. The first known book published about massage is “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic Book of Internal Medicine”. It was published in England in 1949 and is used by those who are learning about massage and during massage training in institutes. If we watch the ancient Egyptian tombs, we can see the history of massage there that shows massage was used as a medical approach for treatment, and mostly royals were getting this medication.
A Swedish doctor named Per Henrik developed a way of massage called the Swedish Movement System back in the 1080s. This makes the foundation of what we call the Swedish massage nowadays. Massage can create good results for your physical and mental health, which are accepted worldwide. From ancient times till today, many kinds of massage have been introduced, each benefit in its way.
Sports massage is a specialised technique. Sports massage is a branch of sports massage that prevents and manages injury resulting from engaging in sports. It also encourages safe participation, establishment, and training intervention to prevent injuries and enhance performance in athletes of all ages.
Sports massage Kent is so popular that we can’t imagine. Many work in clinic settings and training centres and even fuse their services in sporting organisations.
Now let’s have a look at the benefits of sports massage for an athlete to perform better.
Benefits of Sports Massage Therapy:
Some people visit their massage therapist once in a while, but some visit them more regularly, especially athletes, sportspeople and bodybuilders. They use massage to keep their muscles relaxed and improve blood flow.
Normally, the benefits of massage therapy are included:
- More blood flow and better circulation.
- Lower the stress
- Reduce muscle soreness and tension
- Muscle relaxation improves the range of motion.
- Increased endorphin levels.
- Better sleep and lessened bouts of insomnia.
Recovery of Speed:
sports massage greatly contributes to sports injury recovery. This is because therapists tailor recovery programs according to an athlete’s goals. They usually spend quality time with patients during one-on-one sessions and carefully monitor their progress. From their vast knowledge and experience, they will use specific techniques that encourage the muscles of a patient to repair faster, increase circulation, and also reduce inflammation.
Improvement in Flexibility:
There is a certain level of flexibility needed for each type of sport. A good range of motion is usually essential for the ease of movement, making some physical activities less exacting. To achieve this level, athletes usually need to work with a physiotherapist for stretching and some range of motion exercises.
The therapist will assimilate a specific set of exercises to boost the muscles and joints of concern. Over time, it must be able to improve our range of motion.
Chronic Health Issues Will Be Treated and Addressed:
One of the fantastic benefits of sports massage is that it cannot only help to deal with injuries, pain, and discomfort caused by exercise and physical activity, but it usually helps to treat and address a number of other health issues, such as chronic ones.
Cardiovascular conditions, circulatory conditions, respiratory conditions, and many more all benefit from regular massage sessions, and it is another reason why so many people opt to visit a physiotherapist regularly.
Massage Is Great for the Mind:
When someone talks about sports and athletics, many people find themselves focusing solely on the body rather than the mind. The body does obviously play a crucial role in physical exercise and activity, and similarly makes the mind, too; that’s why it’s important to look after mental health and well-being in the process. Strenuous exercise and physical activity can take their toll on a person’s mental health and well-being, especially in the event of a painful and debilitating injury.
Professional physiotherapists know exactly what you’re going through, and they can teach you various techniques and procedures on how to deal with the mental side of things. They will also provide a positive environment and outlook on things, thus helping to better deal with what we are going through at that moment in time. They will be in the right frame of a sportsperson’s mind. Find a physiotherapist who will know that and will help us get to where we need to be, both physically and emotionally.
Benefits for Full Body:
Instead of focusing on some parts of the sports person, physiotherapy and sports massage usually focus solely on one area, focus on multiple areas of the body and allow multiple overall benefits in the human body. The highly skilled and highly trained physical therapist will also encourage us to perform a number of exercises designed to stretch and strengthen our muscles, which in turn, will also help improve flexibility, it will also help promote healthy circulation, blood flow, and oxygen transportation, and it will again ensure that you are far less susceptible and vulnerable to common injuries when you participate in your chosen sports. Because of this, our body will become more acrobatic and fitter and benefit in numerous ways all over the body.