Whether you are an elite athlete or just starting out on your fitness journey, sports massage can help you reach your goals. However, many people believe some common misconceptions about this powerful practice that can prevent them from achieving the full potential of this invaluable tool.
For instance, just like a diet cannot change your body’s fat levels, a single massage session can’t make you loose weight. It takes a series of treatments to see results.
1. It’s for elite athletes only
Many elite athletes consider sports massage an integral part of their training and recovery regime, relying on it to help them train more effectively, improve performance and prevent injury. However, this treatment isn’t just for professional athletes; it can benefit anyone who regularly participates in physical exercise.
A pre-event massage can take place up to 48 hours before an event and is generally light in pressure as the aim is to help warm the muscles and encourage blood flow. It also helps to mentally prepare the athlete for their performance by lowering stress and increasing focus.
A post-event massage is typically given shortly after an event, aiming to normalise the tissues and speed up the recovery process. It can also help to relieve any muscle tightness, such as trigger points, caused by the exercise.
2. It’s only for relaxation
It’s not just about relaxing muscles; sports massage is also about preventing injuries. A pre-training session massage can help loosen up tight muscles, helping you avoid the kind of strains and sprains that could keep you on the sidelines.
A post-training session massage can reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time. By reducing inflammation, the massage can speed up the recovery of microscopic muscle tears that cause post-exercise soreness and can bolster the immune system, allowing the body to respond more quickly to injury.
Another common massage myth is that the manipulation of soft tissue can cause toxins to be released into the bloodstream. However, this is a myth. While drinking water is a good idea to maintain hydration, the body can flush out toxins quite efficiently on its own.
3. It’s only for men
While sports massage does play an important role in enhancing athletic performance and aiding injury recovery, its benefits extend far beyond the world of sport. Non-athletes experience the same aches, knots, and injuries as athletes, so can benefit from the techniques used in sports massage, such as effleurage and petrissage.
By enhancing flexibility and improving range of motion, sports massage reduces the likelihood of injury by checking ‘firing patterns’ and improving muscle elasticity. It also helps prevent injury by correcting imbalances in muscle function and reducing chronic stressors that cause pain.
A common myth is that a good sports massage will eliminate cellulite, but cellulite is simply a natural part of the body’s fat cells. Despite this, a massage can help alleviate post-workout stiffness, which can reduce the appearance of cellulite over time.
4. It’s only for serious athletes
Athletes who are invested in pushing their limits are increasingly taking a holistic approach to health and wellness, and that’s where sports massage comes in. It’s a key component to enhancing athletic performance and expediting injury recovery, enabling athletes to reach their full potential.
By reducing muscle stiffness, it enhances range of motion and flexibility. The increase in endorphins released during a massage also helps to promote deeper, more restful sleep. And by facilitating optimal circulation, it ensures that muscles receive an optimal supply of oxygen to optimise their function and aid recovery.
Whether you’re a seasoned competitor, a newbie trying to eke out a PB or just someone who wants to get the most out of their training and ward off injuries, a regular sports massage should be a part of your routine!
5. It’s only for women
Whether you’re an elite athlete pushing your limits or just looking to add a holistic approach to your health impact of sports massage on performance routine, sports massage is for everyone. It’s a great way to prevent injuries, speed up injury recovery and boost the overall well-being of your body.
If you’re scheduled to get a sports massage before your next marathon or game, don’t schedule it too close to the event day! It’s best to schedule your sports massage a few weeks prior to the big day. It will help to improve flexibility and allow your muscles to heal faster, reducing the risk of future injuries. In addition, a good massage will flush the lymphatic system, removing any toxins that may have built up over time. The result will be a more effective and streamlined performance.
