When you think of getting a massage, it is usually considered a luxury — something that you are treating yourself to. But for many athletes, a sports massage is more of a necessity. Regular sports massages help keep athletes – and people who exercise often – in top condition. This means they can perform to their best abilities. For professionals, it can be the difference between a good performance and a record. For non-professionals, it means helping you reach your fitness goals and becoming the person you want to be. How do sports massages do this?
Physical benefits
Reduces tension and promotes healing The primary need for a sports massage is to reduce tension and stress which gathers in muscles during training. Sometimes strenuous exercise or excessive muscle use causes minor injuries and tears in muscles. These lead to pain. They reduce athletic performance by impeding flexibility, mobility and response times. A sports massage helps relieve pain from these minor injuries meaning you’ll be ready to train again in no time.
Flexibility Sports massages help improve flexibility. The massage expands the muscle tissue in multiple directions. When you have regular sports massages, they back up other flexibility exercises done during training. This speeds up the time it takes to become more flexible. Flexibility is important for athletes across a variety of sports. Being flexible increases your range of motion and reduces the likelihood of injury.
Improved blood flow Sports massages improve micro blood flow. You can even target the areas and muscles in which you want to better the circulation. This means there is an increased amount of nutrients and oxygen flowing to these areas. This helps the removal of waste materials like lactic acid, which causes pain, and allows faster recovery from exercise. This is why sports massages are an important part of injury recovery for athletes. They promote healing in targeted areas.
Psychological benefits
Releases endorphins Endorphins are a type of chemical in the brain that transmits electrical signals within the nervous system. Endorphins are considered natural painkillers because they stimulate opioid receptors in the brain. These reduce feelings of discomfort. Also, endorphins help to induce feelings of happiness, euphoria, and satisfaction. This is good for athletes who need to perform better as it can motivate you to train. It gives you more belief in your abilities and creates a positive connection between exercise and feeling good.
Relaxation Like most massages, a sports massage can make you feel more relaxed and less stressed. We know that trying to meet your athletic goals is difficult and this can cause stress in your life. This doesn’t mean your goals are bad, or that you should give up on them. Sports massages provide the relaxation and time you need to recover from your training. This puts you in the right frame of mind to continue your training and not become overwhelmed.
These are just some of the benefits of regular sports massages. A sports massage professional will contribute significantly to better recovery from training and improved performance. At ProBalance, we provide you with the best training and recovery techniques to ensure you reach peak performance. To start your fitness journey with our elite team, contact us today on 01618334777.