Can a sports massage therapist help to assess your needs? For example, runners and dancers will feel stress in the legs, for swimmers in the upper body, for tennis players in the arms. These areas are more likely to be tight, lose flexibility, develop trigger points and suffering a sports-related injury.
Combined positioning and specific finger or thumb pressure into trigger points in muscle and myofascial tissue, can reduce the hypersensitivity, muscle spasms and referred pain patterns that characterize the point.
Athletes and people who take regular exercise are susceptible to inflamed muscles and tendons. You may think of why? They are fit and surely regular exercise would make their bodies stronger. You would be right in thinking that, however overuse and without a proper warm up, warm down and not following safety guidelines means you are likely to weaken the muscles that you are trying so hard to strengthen.
So what sports injuries can occur that inhibit or reduce your performance? This all depends on your chosen sport; shoulder muscles are torn and dislocated when you are involved in contact sports such as rugby, any sport done to excess can also damage the shoulders for instance swimming. Joints are also prone to injury when overused and without an adequate warm up. This can make all the difference to your overall performance and will ensure that your chosen sport will be more pleasurable and painless.
Sports injuries
Coping with and avoiding damage to your body
Sport strengthens muscles, increase stamina, improve sleep patterns and help to control OBESITY. However, sports and EXERCISE are only part of good health and contribute to fitness only when taken regularly in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle. Practiced unwisely or to excess, sports, and other physical activity can result in injury.
Avoiding sports injuries
What have the following sports have in common; discus, golf and weight lifting?
They are sports in which the same movements are used in order to throw, swing and lift. Aggressive and continual use of these physical movements can cause repetitive strain injury (RSI)…the most common sports injury for any athlete. Yes, these movements are necessary for these particular sports and with many others, but there is a way of avoiding the pain that will undoubtedly occur if you are not mindful.
Joint and muscle strain can really stop you in your tracks! Trigger points in the muscle are on hand to offer advice and help with the recovery process but essentially, it is up to you to recognise when pain or feeling you have never felt before has suddenly appeared. Ask yourself questions; how can I improve my diet, am I warming up enough, am I exercising to excess? If you think about these questions and answer them honestly, you will admit to yourself that you could be doing a lot more to limit the pain that you feel.
Don’t Ignore And Carry On!
Patience is a key factor here, the longer you neglect an injury or ignore the signs that are muscles strains, back pain, joint pain, and stiffness the longer it will take you to recover and do the sport you have come to love. You are an athlete and it is likely that you push yourself to the limit; know your limit and know your body. The pain you feel is a sign for you to respond to its needs.
Sports massage will help and Massaggi provides the best sports massage in London to bring you back to peak fitness. Prevention, of course, is better than cure…warm up, warm down, eat nutritious meals, and practice safe sport.
Add regular sports massage therapy to your list
Regular manipulation of muscles in a relaxed and comfortable environment can make a difference in your performance and longevity in your chosen sport. For a more specific type of injury, the massage therapist may recommend seeking medical attention from one of their associates. We may refer you to see a doctor or a physiotherapist to ascertain the type of sports injury you have first. Your well-being is important; once you have the right information massage can certainly be your next step.
What can a sports massage therapist do that no other massage therapist can do? The sports massage therapist can help in 3 important and invaluable stages.
- RESTORE
- REHABILITATE
- PREVENT
Sports massage helps to prevent injuries
Never start playing a sport suddenly; rather go for regular, progressive training which gradually increases the strength and flexibility of your joint and muscles. This includes always allowing time for an adequate warm-up period before each session of sport. Learn to practice good technique so that you avoid unnecessary strain.
A well-balanced diet plus adequate fluid replacement during and after exercise will help; so will suitable clothing – especially footwear. Stop SMOKING, and avoid alcohol for at least 48 hours before playing any sports. Use appropriate protective clothing; for example, a helmet for cycling and horse riding.
Ask your doctor’s advice before taking up a new sport or gradually increasing the amount of exercise you take. Regular health checks will also help to identify problems before they become serious.
What the sports practitioner recommend
Sports therapy has been long recognised as a value in both the prevention and treatments of sports injuries. Many Olympic and international sports and athletics teams use trained remedial sports massage therapist for toning muscle and joint before events and for treating afterward. Muscles are relaxed, pain is significantly reduced and fatigue and stress are reduced to a minimum. Why beat yourself up when Massaggi can keep you fighting fit?
For aching muscle after overexertion at sports as, well as bruises and shock, sports therapist recommend Arnica. Pulled tendons and sprain should first be treated with Arnica and then with Rhus Tox or Ruta four time a day for a week.
Our well trained and experienced therapist in sports massage can asses your needs and apply the right treatment for you. Request an assessment today. Why wait?
