SPORTS MASSAGE
By Cissie Pryor June 3, 2010
Sports massage is one of the top specialties in massage therapy. Sports massage is the application of specific techniques used at specific times. A good sports massage therapist will take into account the athlete’s training schedules, rehabilitation schedule, the goals of his exercise whether it is for recreation or professional, his over all health and bio-mechanics, and financial responsibilities. Repetitive movements are predictable, and in an athlete’s muscles are well defined textural patterns that will also affect their tendons and ligaments. If a client is finishing a race or preparing for a race, sports massage therapist understands when and when not to massage a sore muscle and specific techniques that can be used to treat tendinitis, adhesions, trigger points and how to prevent their return. Delayed muscle soreness, which can occur up to three days later, may be treated long before it develops and timing, again is important.
OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER
Sports massage also depends on the amount of massage an athlete has had. Very hard working athletes often fear massage because their initial relaxation response may have been too overwhelming. They feel sluggish, other athletes cramp or tense up, and muscle guard when first being touched. It’s a massage therapist’s responsibility to define an athlete’s previous experience and assist in transitioning the athletic from exertion to relaxation.
Trust of the massage therapist is also important. Athletes need to trust that they are not going to be hurt. Relaxing means, “letting go”, and this is important for the athlete to become fully restored. Most athletes will see the same therapist for months at a time and many will see the same therapist year after year. Working together weekly will allow the massage therapist to know the athlete’s preferences in massage techniques and will help in knowing trouble spots and potential problems. Familiarity between the athlete and the massage therapist creates an important bond that will often give an athlete the edge in their sport.
Training schedules for the professional athletes are governed by the trainers, coaches, and the sport itself. Massage therapy has to be scheduled and the best time is during the precious down time, which often competes with the athlete’s family time. It is not an easy schedule. Recreational athletes generally have less demanding schedules and there is more freedom to experiment with the “best time” for massage therapy.
The three stages in sports massage evolve around the competition or heavy workouts. Pre-event and Post-event massage can both can be done on-site at the sports competition and maintenance is done in a private facility. Most people are familiar with post-event. Massage is done thirty minutes to six hours after an athlete’s activity. People love the way massage feels after they have worked really hard and seeing a group of tables and well-trained therapists on-site is part of the fun. Pre-event massage is usually performed six to twenty-four hours before the training or competition and is done in a private clinic. Maintenance massage, the most importance to athletes, is timed forty-eight hours before or after the activity. In a clinic, a blend of general soreness reduction, and specific work, it addresses the problem areas and it is a time when the athlete can relax fully with no distractions. This is the time to bring full recovery and promote healthy muscles by reviewing chronic areas of soreness, pain, spasm and common tension patterns that could lead to injury. Sports massage therapy has many benefits, reducing muscle soreness, recovery time, preventing and treating athletic injuries and helping to enhance performance. For true care of the body the smallest amount of care can create a whole new, incredible possibility. Sports massage helps athletes learn about their bodies and they will notice the changes in their training and the effect the choices they make have on their bodies. Sports massage is about education and injury prevention.
