The benefits of sports massage

Lots of runners swear by it – and lots of runners swear during it: can sports massage help you as a runner?

Sports massage is an umbrella term for soft tissue work that will help to keep your muscles, joints and ligaments healthy for sports and activity.

From hands-on deep tissue massage to myofascial release and mobilising techniques, therapists vary in their treatment approach, but each will have the aim to keep your soft tissue as healthy as it can be for the sports you do.

Does it work?

Research to date does show it can help facilitate recovery from repetitive muscular contractions and help to beat DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness – the achey feeling you get after tough exercise).

There are plenty of anecdotal testimonials that show its benefits and many professional athletes see a therapist regularly to stay on form.

If you’re considering a treatment, gauge the thoughts of any other runners you know to see what techniques work for them.

 How it works

Sports massage breaks down adhesions in the soft tissue, which often develop from overuse.

Overuse injuries are common in distance running from the repetitive motion of running.

Microtrauma can build in the muscle tissue, particularly in areas of weakness, which over time can develop into tightness and areas of tension.

Deep tissue massage techniques help to break down these areas of tension, bringing blood to the area and allowing the body to heal and repair.

When to have a sports massage

In an ideal world, we’d have massage every week to flush out all those microtraumas before they become niggles and keep the muscles in good condition.

In reality – often down to time and cost – most runners visit a therapist when something starts to worry them.

More often than not, it takes a lot longer to treat a full-blown injury than an early niggle, so if you feel a problem brewing, see a therapist sooner rather than later.

Pre-event massage

Pre-event massage is just as you’d expect – a massage in the lead up to a big race. Usually, this is a few days to a few hours ahead.

Typically pre-event massage will be energising and not too deep to prepare your muscles and joints for the race ahead.

It’s sometimes available at races – get in contact with race organisers to ask.

Post-event

Sports massage is often available after races to help you on the road to recovery.

As well as treating niggles that may have flared up in the race, post-event massage will soothe and ease tired muscles and help to prevent DOMS.

Maintenance massage

If you’re training for an endurance event such as a half or full marathon, or just run a lot, maintenance massage is something to consider factoring into a training week.

This type of massage helps to treat tissue structures that have become shortened, tight and painful and will help to improve performance and prevent injury.

Injury treatment

Sports massage can also be used to treat specific soft tissue injuries and help to reduce recovery time.

Sports massage therapists have lots of tools in their armoury to treat injury, from trigger point therapy to muscle energy technique to tissue release.

Some also offer taping to help rehabilitate soft tissue injury.

If an injury is outside their remit, a therapist may refer you to a physiotherapist or osteopath.

What to expect

On your first visit, the therapist should take your medical history and enquire about how you have injured yourself and/or what you hope to gain from the visit.

Usually, they will examine the problematic area and do a basic postural analysis.

During a treatment, remember:

• Keep your expectations real – miracles won’t happen in one treatment!
• Ask for follow up exercises you can do at home – these could be stretches to promote flexibility or moves to help strengthen weak muscles.
• Techniques can be painful in areas of tension – this is normal, and over time the pain usually eases. If you feel the pressure is too much or too painful, tell your therapist.
• Monitor if improvements are taking place and report back to your therapist.
• You have a part to play in rehabilitating an injury as well as a therapist. Try to keep a positive attitude and do any rehab exercises they advise.
• If there is no improvement over time, consider a re-evaluation. A good therapist will refer you to other specialists if the problem is out of their remit.

Source : Sweatshop.

Sports Massage Therapist Mayo Ireland

Contact Priscilla Fair 

0871323486 

www.priscillafair.com/

www.twitter.com/priscillafair

www.facebook.com/Priscilla.fair.massage2/