Sports Therapy Massage
Sports therapy massage is used both for treating and preventing
sports-related injuries. Sports therapy massage increases flexibility and
range of motion, and may enhance mental clarity in an athlete. Enthusiasts
believe that massage improves athletic performance and shortens the time
needed to recover between workouts.
Several techniques are used in sports therapy
massage. Because each sport uses a different set of muscles and uses
muscles in different ways, the therapist must match the appropriate
technique to the client's needs.
An athlete may be given a deep Swedish massage
that specifically targets a set of muscles. An athlete may receive a
compression massage. This is a rhythmic compression of specific muscles to
create a softening effect on the muscles. This is generally used for a
warm-up or for work on a specific muscle group.
Cross-fiber massage is often used to reduce adhesions and improve
flexibility and muscle repair after an injury. This is a friction technique
and creates a stretching and broadening effect in large muscle group sets.
Trigger Point/Tender Point massage uses finger and thumb pressure at
specific pressure points to reduce pain and erase muscle spasms. This will
promote the easing of restricted movements in the body.
In general, therapeutic sports massage is thought to increase blood flow, to
enhance metabolic rate, and to help expel exercise by-products that can
accumulate in the body.
Read More About Massage Therapy
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