What is a sports massage?
Sports massage is a technique that promotes healing of the soft tissue. Soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments, surround almost every bone in our body, and they can be trained and rehabilitated to increase their elasticity, stress retention, and physical power. Sports Massage is exceptionally safe and effective, especially for runners, and this article will explore its benefits.
A sports massage therapy has many benefits, including:
- Elongation of muscles to reduce tightness, restore joint range of motion and flexibility
- Dilution of blood vessels leads to improved circulation, increased oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, and reduced blood pressure.
- Improves the pulmonary functions of the cells by loosening tight respiratory muscles and improving venous blood flow
- Increases endorphins, while decreasing cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine levels.
- Improved healing results in reduced muscle soreness and fatigue, the removal of lactic acid accumulation, and the restoration of posture, ultimately leading to enhanced connective tissue healing.
- According to a study at the University of Sheffield, U.K., sports massages have a positive effect on athletic performance, flexibility, strength, spirit, and muscle endurance.
Sports massage and running
To understand the effects of a sports massage, it’s essential to understand the impact of running, which involves repetitive muscular contractions against a certain degree of force. The higher the force, the longer the contractions and the higher the speed.
However, this can also result in shortened or tight muscles, as well as decreased circulation to compressed tissues.
A sports massage is fantastic not only for injured runners but also for those looking to prevent injury and speed up the healing process if one occurs.
Benefits of sports therapy for runners
A sports massage is good for just about any physical activity, but here’s a rundown of the benefits that a sports massage carries for runners:
Relieves muscular soreness
A sports massage stretches the targeted muscles and blood vessels by providing them with a deep massage. Massage increases blood flow to that area and helps relieve the soreness that often follows strenuous physical activity.
Improves the Flow of the Circulatory System
When talking about the flow of the circulatory system, we include:
- The heart pumps fresh, oxygenated blood throughout the body.
- The delivery of nutrients like glucose and electrolytes at a cellular and muscular level
- The body removes metabolic and muscular waste from the cells and tissues.
A sports massage affects all the mentioned areas by stretching the blood vessels, leading to improved blood circulation in the targeted areas. An effective circulatory system means faster healing, decreased fatigue, and quicker rejuvenation of injured muscles.
Increases flexibility
Running makes your muscular tissues rigid and inelastic. A sports massage stretches the tissues in a manner not typically achieved by conventional massage methods, i.e., longitudinally and laterally. This stretching also affects the fascia, the tissue surrounding the muscles. It helps to release tension, knots, and buildups by more effectively circulating nutrients and blood to the targeted areas.
Consequently, this can help not only undo the aftermath of a strenuous run but also increase your flexibility, range of motion, and improve joint mobility.
Breaks down scar tissue
A sports massage helps promote the linear, healthier growth of scar tissue, making the tissue supple and fully functional.
Lymphatic drainage and blood pumping
The gentle, targeted strokes of a sports massage help remove fluid through the blood and lymph vessels. MLD helps in:
- Reducing inflammation and swelling of the skin and muscles.
- Removing lactic acid and other waste in the muscle tissue.
- Promoting nutrient and blood circulation by opening the pores in the tissue membranes.
- Aiding the recovery of injured tissue.
Physiological effects
A sports massage stimulates the release of endorphins, also known as the human body’s natural pain killers. Massage can cause various psychological and physical effects, including:
- Reduced pain and anxiety associated with a run.
- Relaxed muscles -the warmth that comes after a good stretch affects the muscle reception of touch, pressure, length and warmth, producing a sensation of relaxation
Massages have a cumulative effect
Massages work best and last longer when supplemented with other healthy practices that help build tolerance and boost immunity, such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule and a varied diet.
