You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to benefit from Sports Massage Tulsa. This type of treatment helps anyone who trains and exercises regularly.
A pre-event sports massage warms up muscle tissues increases elasticity and flexibility and reduces the risk of injury. It also removes cellular waste and speeds up recovery after exercise.
In addition to helping the body heal itself, a sports massage improves blood flow to the muscles. This increased circulation helps to carry oxygen and nutrients to the muscle tissues and to remove waste products, such as lactic acid.
This form of massage also breaks down adhesions that develop within the muscles during and after exercise. These adhesions are stiff bands of tissue that restrict movement and increase tension. The deep friction massage techniques of this type of massage help to loosen and free these adhesions allowing the muscles, ligaments and tendons to function normally.
Pain is a major problem for many people, especially after strenuous exercise. The touch of a massage decreases the intensity of pain by blocking nerve impulses from reaching the spinal cord and up to the brain. Massage also stimulates the production of morphine-like substances that can be released by the body to further reduce pain sensations.
During exercise, muscles undergo stress and micro-tears that can lead to inflammation and the accumulation of metabolic waste products such as lactic acid. A pre-event sports massage stimulates the flow of blood to the muscles, reduces tension and increases flexibility, and also produces a feeling of psychological readiness.
Post-event sports massage decreases muscle soreness; reduces swelling in the affected tissues; restores flexibility; promotes the removal of lactic acid; and enhances recovery time. Research shows that the use of a sports massage can significantly speed up the return to normal muscle function after intense physical activity.
Studies examining the effect of massage on muscle hemodynamic properties have produced conflicting results, most likely due to variations in measurement techniques. A study published in 2005 indicated that massage can indeed increase muscle blood flow, but the exact mechanism remains unclear.
Regular sports massages can be a great way to prevent injuries by identifying potential areas of tension or weakness. This can be particularly useful for runners, as running places significant demands on the musculoskeletal system.
Reduced Stress
If you are an athlete or simply physically active for exercise, health, or to maintain your physical condition, sports massage is a powerful tool for reducing stress, improving your performance, and helping to prevent injury. While many people associate sports massage with athletes and their training programs, you don’t need to be a professional athlete to get the benefits of this unique therapy.
The stretching manipulations of a sports massage help to increase tissue elasticity and improve flexibility. This allows muscles to move more easily during activity and reduces the risk of injury. In addition, the kneading techniques used in a sports massage work to pump the tissue and increase circulation by lifting and moving the fascia compartments and muscle bundles that are attached to them. This helps to speed up the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues while also removing waste products.
Another benefit of sports massage is a reduction in stress hormones like cortisol which can constrict blood vessels, slowing healing, and increasing inflammation at the site of an injury. The calming effect of a sports massage helps to reduce these hormones, allowing blood flow and promoting the production of healthy cells that can heal quickly.
Sports massage can also improve body awareness and enhance the performance of an athlete by helping them to become more aware of their bodies. This can assist them in identifying any problem areas that may be restricting their movement or causing pain and enabling them to take action before the situation escalates.
There is a wide range of sport massage techniques that can be used, depending on the needs of the individual client, including effleurage, friction, tapotement, vibration and myofascial release (also known as cross-friction massage). Pre-event massage is used to warm up the body before a sporting event or training session. This helps to improve flexibility and prevent injuries while also preparing the body for the event or training session. It involves light massage like effleurage and petrissage, and can include the use of a heat pack to warm the muscles.
Relieves Pain
When you push your body to its limits during a workout, you can develop overworked muscles that result in pain and discomfort. Massage helps alleviate this pain by increasing blood flow to the muscles and removing waste products such as lactic acid. The increased blood flow also carries more oxygen to the muscles, which helps prevent muscle soreness and speeds up recovery time.
Studies have shown that sports massage increases flexibility and decreases the tightness of muscles. This allows muscles to move through their full range of motion which can help avoid injuries and improve performance.
It is also a great way to prepare the body for a sporting event or competition. This type of massage is usually given 24 hours prior to the activity and targets the areas that will be most exerted. This session removes cellular waste, alleviates achy muscles and speeds up recovery time, allowing the muscles to return to their pre-activity condition.
When a muscle is sore, it is typically caused by damage and inflammation from micro-tears to the muscle tissues. During a massage, the deep friction techniques used by the therapist can break down these adhesions and increase muscle mobility. This allows the muscle to heal faster and reduces the chances of injury as a result of these adhesions.
Another physiological effect of a massage is the release of endorphins which acts as a natural painkiller. The aforementioned endorphins race around the body to locate the area of pain and block its signals from reaching the brain. This is why many people describe the feeling as a tingling sensation rather than pain.
In addition to helping relieve soreness, massage can prevent future injuries by improving the elasticity of the muscle fibres, fascia tissue, ligaments and tendons. This is especially important for those who are new to exercise and are prone to developing overworked muscles or strains.
Prevents Injuries
Massage is one of the oldest and simplest forms of healing. It has been used for centuries to improve circulation, relieve pain and promote relaxation. It has also been shown to help prevent injuries in those who participate in sports and other vigorous activities. Massage can help break up small muscle tears and reduce swelling and inflammation. It also helps increase flexibility and range of motion. This is especially important for those who are injured because it can decrease the likelihood of re-injury and improve proprioception, the ability to sense position and movement.
While there are times when injuries cannot be prevented, regular massage can greatly lessen the number of sprains and strains that occur. It can also help prevent chronic problems such as muscle spasms, sciatica, or a lack of joint mobility and range of motion due to scar tissue.
A sports massage can be performed pre event, post-event or as a maintenance technique during training. Pre-event massage helps to warm up the muscles and psychologically prepare the athlete for the event. It can also help to relieve any tightness or build-up of tension in the muscles prior to an event, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
Post-event massage is designed to speed up the recovery process from exercise and competition. It can also help to recondition the athlete and return them to full training capacity faster. It can also help to prevent injury by decreasing the accumulation of toxins in the tissues and by promoting the re-alignment of joints and soft tissues.
Maintenance massage is performed weekly or more often during a training cycle to keep the muscles and soft tissues in a healthy condition. It may include techniques such as deep effleurage, petrissage, friction and wringing movements. This type of massage helps to maintain flexibility and range of motion, as well as increase muscle tone and improve blood circulation.
Injuries can be a major setback to athletic performance and a serious hindrance to the fitness goals of many people. However, with the use of sports massage, the athlete can be prevented from injury and will be able to achieve their goals more quickly and effectively.
