Sport is a physically demanding pastime for amateur and professional sportsmen alike, with joint, ligament and muscle pain common side effects. Sports massage was initially developed in order to help relieve the pain caused by injuries that had been sustained during physical exertion, but it is now routinely used in professional sport to prevent injuries by preparing the body for activity. Furthermore, sports massage can have powerful psychological benefits for athletes, irrespective of their level of aptitude.
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) describes the pain that sportsmen sometimes experience, occurring from around six hours after exercise and lasting up to several days. It is quite different to the acute pain that may be felt in muscles during a match and tends to be more chronic and debilitating in nature. Sports massage can be an effective method of preventing DOMS or reducing its intensity, by stimulating blood flow to key muscles, thereby helping to avert muscle fatigue. It also helps to prevent minor injuries, such as soft tissue lesions, which can affect a sportsman’s mobility,flexibility and reaction times.
Playing sport, despite the common misconception, can actually be quite stressful, especially in terms of sustaining intense, focused concentration for long periods of time. Also, managing one’s emotions in the build-up to key fixtures and afterwards in a climate of victory or defeat can be intensely challenging. Sports massage can help individuals to effectively manage their stress levels by encouraging the release of endorphins, the so-called ‘feel good hormones’. Elevated levels of endorphins are proven to instil a sense of calm and self-worth, both of which are essential to any successful sporting campaign. Furthermore, endorphins can help to naturally relieve pain, which in another valuable asset when participating in a demanding sport.
Sports massage is most effective as part of a programme of therapy, not only before physical activity, but afterwards and between events. Therapy before a game helps to prepare the body for the stresses under which it will be placed, while massage afterwards is focused on supporting and encouraging a rapid recovery, as well as resolving any minor injuries that may have occurred. Maintenance sports massage, taking place between fixtures, is ideal for looking after athletes’ mental state, helping them have a positive frame of mind and thus increasing the likelihood of enjoying success in their sporting field.
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