What Is Sports Massage?

In its simplest form Sports massage is a systematic manipulation of the soft tissues of the body that focuses on muscles relevant to a particular sport. 

 

Many different movements and techniques are used in sports massage. Examples of these techniques include; Swedish style massage, effleurage (stroking), petrissage (kneading), compression, friction, tapotement (rhythmic striking), vibration, gliding, stretching, percussion, and trigger points. These movements and techniques are used to try to help the athlete's body achieve maximum performance and physical conditioning with a decreased chance of injury or pain and a quicker recovery.

 

Benefits

Many benefits from sports massage have been reported based on experience and observation. Some are beneficial to the mind (psychological) and some to the body (physiological).

Some of the reported benefits of sports massage include:

• Increased joint range of motion (ROM)

• Increased flexibility

• Increased sense of well-being

• Decreased muscle tension

• Decreased neurological excitability (nerves more relaxed)

• Decreased muscle spasms

• Better sleep

Purported benefits that are not supported by research include:

• Increased blood flow

• Increased elimination of exercise waste products (lactic acid)

• Decreased chance of injury

• Decreased recovery time between workouts