Sports Massage - Techniques, Benefits, And Warnings

Sports massage techniques relieve musculo-skeletal stress and help bring back the muscles to a relaxed state. The various massage styles involve a complete conditioning program for sports persons, as they offer immense benefits to athletes. A sports massage includes not just the exercise, but also care for the injuries and corrosion that occurs due to strenuous performance.

The Three Main Types Of Techniques

The predominantly used sports massage techniques are effleurage, petrissage and friction, depending upon the requirement of the athlete. The pressure strokes are mainly directed towards the heart to increase lymphatic flow. Smaller strokes are given to stretch the muscle fibers.

1. Effleurage

Effleurage is the initiation of a sports massage and is carried out with increasing deep pressures using the whole palm. The strokes are directed towards the heart to improve lymphatic drainage and blood circulation. The return strokes are light and follow a different path. Effleurage is also used to finish a massage session, to remove waste and increase oxygen flow to the area. It is done with light strokes to completely relax the client.

Benefits include...

• Improved blood circulation
• Helps find out any tissue abnormalities
• Warming up tissues
• Muscle relaxation
• Stimulation of nerve endings

The strokes of petrissage include kneading and movements, such as lifting, skin rolling, wringing, knuckling, pressing, and freeing of the muscle tissue. This massage technique is mainly used on deep tissues to improve flow of fluids, break down any type of adhesions or nodules, stretch the muscle fibers, and finally relax the muscles.

The advantages include...

• Quick warm up of the major muscles
• Pain reduction
• Helps repair damaged tissue
• Improves muscle elasticity
• Preventative massage improves lymphatic drainage and blood circulation

Friction is mainly therapeutic in nature and is used for deeper movements so as to break down lesions and separate the muscle fibers. The process can be quite uncomfortable, if not painful. It helps reduce hypersensitivity and any type of muscle spasm on the tissue. Friction also helps stretch the tissue that cannot be stretched in normal course.

Benefits of A Sports Massage

This type of massage is normally used before, during, and after a performance. The purpose of such techniques is to prepare the sportsperson for peak performance, to eliminate fatigue and muscle stress, and also prevent injuries. It tones the body gradually for extreme overuse during a performance.

Other benefits include...

• Helps prevent injuries, caused by overuse and wear-and-tear.
• Helps get in good shape faster and maintains general body health.
• Ensures faster recovery from intense workouts.
• Improves muscle power and stamina.
• Helps release any kind of lactic acid build-up in the overworked muscles.
• Boosts performance.
• Helps lessen pain by increased release of the body's natural endorphins.

Athletes suffering from any of the following conditions should definitely consult a physician before undertaking any kind of sports massage technique:

• Infectious skin disease such as herpes
• Heavy bruising
• Hemophilia
• Cancer
• Hernia
• Inflammation due to tissue damage
• Osteoporosis
• Tumors
• Varicose veins
• High blood pressure
• Traumas such as open wounds, muscle tears, sprained ligaments, burns

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