Simple Reasons to book yourself regular Sports Massage

Massage in general has been used by many for years as a luxurious treat, I understand this but why not use it as a regular treatment to optimise your bodies physical and mental state. Look after you!
Sports massage improves performance, reduces pain, prevents injuries, encourages focus and shortens recovery time. There are two forms of responses, a mechanical response as a result of the pressure and the movement and a reflex response where the nerves respond to the stimulation of a massage.

10 Reasons to have regular Sports Massage –

1. It improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system. Massage dilates blood vessels which helps them work more efficiently to promote circulation. The manual assistance of encouraging venous blood flow back to the heart enhances blood flow, which delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients to the tissue and promotes the removal of waste products and toxins. Therefore because of the relaxed state you’re in during and after the massage, your heart rate lowers.
2. The improved blood flow also benefits the musculoskeletal system. The enhanced blood circulation helps to relieve muscle tension, reduce soreness and make for a faster recovery. This enables more range of motion and mobility at each joint!
3. Better athletic performance as your muscles can perform to their optimal potential.
4. Massage can also help to reduce inflammation. It promotes the growth of mitochondria (the energy producing units in the cells) following strenuous exercise. This therefore means that massage can help with pain relief, encourage good recovery and help to build muscle mass.
5. Mental strength is also important – massage can reduce stress, tension and anxiety through promoting relaxation by activating your parasympathetic nervous system. This results in increased dopamine and serotonin levels and a decrease in cortisol levels which are directly linked to stress.
6. Injury prevention – if you look at your body as a car, look at massage as the regular MOT or service. The more you care for your muscles and joints the healthier they stay and injuries can be prevented. Don’t wait for pain.
7. Improved sleep. Getting a massage will increase your delta brainwaves, these kind of waves occur when we are in a deep sleep. So if you have trouble sleeping, you are almost guaranteed a good night’s sleep after a sports massage.
8. Improves your immune system – massage increases the amount of lymphocytes in your body; this is a white blood cell that constitutes the major part in your adaptive immune system. The improved blood circulation around the musculoskeletal system, the more white blood cells being transported.
9. Headache relief – certain muscles around our neck can withstand a lot of load however when we carry stress, experience trauma or postural load increases too much our muscles can overwork. The structures shorten and the attachment of the muscles at the base of the cranium can refer alot of pressure over to the front of the skull and create a headache pain. The soft tissue structures also restrict the amount of blood flow (therefore oxygen) getting to the brain. Massage can help to release these muscles, offload the pressure, improve blood flow and transportation of oxygen towards the brain.
10. Massage was effective in alleviating DOMS by approximately 30% and reducing swelling, but it had no effects on muscle function.

A long side sports massage it is advised for you to give yourself some TLC in between appointments for the optimal results.
What to do in between appointments and sports massages with your Sports Therapist…

• Follow a strength and conditioning/postural correction program
• Follow a mobility program
• Stretch
• Use your foam roller and trigger point release ball
• Hydrate
• Sleep
• Eat

Elizabeth Thomson

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