Sports Massage: The Best way to Recover Quickly and Keep Training Plans on Track

Many athletes put a lot of effort and time each day into training their bodies and skills. Unfortunately, not many of them take care of their bodies in the downtime. If you let your body and mind rest appropriately, you’ll see more benefits from your training and be less prone to injury.

One of the best ways to optimize the resting period is by scheduling regular sports massages. This type of massage is ever-present and gaining popularity amongst athletes. The intended advantage of a sports massage is enhanced recovery – prevent injuries and increase performance level. The massage can also help improve flexibility and mobility, reduce muscle tension, increase muscle blood flow, and reduce muscle soreness.

How is Sports Massage different from Other Massages?

Although sports massage and regular massage do employ some similar techniques, there are many noticeable differences. The most significant one is that traditional massage has a fixed set of routine strokes intended to relax a group of muscles like hamstrings, quadriceps, etc. That isn’t the case in sports massage, which addresses and treats every athlete for their own particular issue.

Here’s how sports massage can help athletes perform at their peak:

  1. Prevention and Maintenance

Therapists perform this massage when the athletes can recover from soreness. The therapist helps remove any restrictions in the tissues and make adjustments to the body without interrupting the preparation cycle. It can:

  • Normalize tissue
  • Improve tissue healing
  • Improve range of motion
  • Reduce muscle stiffness
  • Remove trigger points
  • Improve scar mobility
  1. Injury Treatment

Sports massage is often performed when an athlete suffers an injury while performing or playing. The massage may help the athlete recover and get back to the track or field right away. The massage can also:

  • Prepare tissue to improve treatments
  • Improve tissue healing
  • Remove trigger points
  • Improve scar mobility
  1. Recovery

The recovery period is a time where an athlete can receive sports massage therapy. The phase may include a post-event massage and a thorough recovery massage. This massage is ideally performed after the completion of the competition. The massage can:

  • Reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness
  • Help with muscle endurance and power output
  • Increase neutrophil count
  • Decrease pain-causing substances in the muscle
  • Improve blood flow
  • Calm the nervous system and help effect relaxation]
  • Increase the pain threshold after a workout
  • Reduce muscle fatigue
  1. Event Preparation

Sometimes athletes need a massage before the event. Many athletes include massage therapy in their overall warm-up routine. This massage is quicker, lighter, and doesn’t last more than 10 minutes. It helps:

  • Warm the muscles
  • Excite the nervous system
  • Increase blood flow
  • Delay the feel of exertion
  • Reduce injury

Some people might experience soreness during and after sports massage; however, a reputable and skilled therapist can reduce such excruciating experiences through constant feedback.

Why Is It Imperative To Work With A Licensed Massage Therapist In Philadelphia?

In this crazy yet authentic world, you can easily see tons of massage therapy studios in the United States of America. Isn’t it? Of course! Moreover, you can even hire therapists in the mall to unwind yourself. With so many choices available, you might be wondering about- what is the difference between establishments. A crucial distinction to make is the name of licensed massage therapists vs. practitioners.

Who exactly is the licensed massage therapist?

A licensed massage therapist is the one who can be identified via his obtainment of a state license. For your better understanding, in some states of America, therapists must have met certain requirements as per the state in the education. Some imperative requirements are mentioned underneath.

  1. Must have finished at least 500 credit hours of hours. For example, 200 hours in theory, techniques, and practice of soft tissue manipulations. 125 hours on Swedish massage therapy techniques, 50 hours on anatomy, 50 hours on kinesiology, 45 hours on laws and rules, ethics, and business practice, 40 hours on pathology, 25 hours on physiology, 20 hours on Hydrotherapy, 20 hours on hygiene, health, universal precautions, first aid, and CPR, and lastly 50 hours on internship.
  2. Clear state and national exams with flying colors.
  3. Apply and pass a background test.
  4. Renew license when essential and complete any additional needed coursework.

The perks of deciding to work with Licensed Massage therapists- 

In Philadelphia, if you are planning to get any kind of massage therapy routinely, then it would be a brainer to choose a licensed massage therapist. For example, Justin Massage Therapist in Philadelphia! Trust us; by doing this, you will be able to reap tons of perks as they have immense knowledge of ligaments, muscles, joints, as well as bone. There is no denying; massage therapy establishments in the US have to keep up with public health and safety standards. Moreover, alike any other business, they also hold liability insurance. Also, when it is about service quality, licensed massage therapists (Justin Massage Therapists) offer top-notch quality therapies. All you need to do is to choose which services you want, for example- deep tissue therapy, hot tissue therapy, and Swedish massage, and so on.

Furthermore, another benefit of choosing a licensed massage therapist is- you can get customized therapy services. Licensed massage therapists always want their clients to be at peace and comfortable. They are open for dialogue meaning you can freely ask them whatever queries you have or even tell them if you are not comfortable enough.

Drawbacks of not working with Licensed Massage Therapist- 

In today’s era, anyone can promise to offer the best massage therapy services, but if they do not have a license then, they aren’t professional at all. Moreover, if you choose to work with an establishment, who doesn’t hire licensed/ professional massage therapists, chances are, they are not legitimate either. Who knows what is happening behind the doors! There is no way to check whether unlicensed massage parlors are not involved in any illegal work. Also, unlicensed ones could be inexperienced, lacks knowledge, and so on.

Now, you know why you should only work with licensed massage therapists, right? So, go and book your appointment today!

What are the Benefits of Massage Therapy for Athletes and Sportspersons?

Are you a professional athlete that wants to keep improving and perform at the highest level? Or are you someone who becomes an athlete or sportsperson in the weekends in your local ground? Regardless of which category you fall under, you would be motivated to be better than everyone else on the field.

A majority of the people are not fully aware of what their body is capable of doing. This is true in the case of athletes and sportspersons who don’t incorporate massage therapy sessions in their wellness routine. Massage Therapy is known to have multiple benefits to the body, especially for those who indulge in sports and other competitive physical activities.

There are different kinds of massages that people can indulge in, depending upon what they want to gain from the session. Some athletes might want to recover from their muscle injury quickly, while others might just want to recover from the fatigue and get ready for the next match on the field. No matter which massage therapy you choose, you are likely to get many benefits. Some of these benefits are as follows.

  • Increases flexibility and range of motion:
    If you are an athlete, or even someone who exercises on a regular basis, an increase in the range of motion and flexibility can go a long way for improving your performance in the gym or on the field, make you less prone to injuries and make your recovery rate much faster. By getting regular massages from a Licensed Massage Therapist in Philadelphia or anywhere you reside, you are likely to notice an increase in the range of motion and flexibility as it improves the blood flow to various muscle tissues.
  • Reduces pain from an injury:
    When you indulge in sports, you are bound to injure yourself sooner or later. Many injuries cause inflammation in the body, which also tends to cause pain in the injured area. So, by getting rid of the inflammation caused by the injury, we also reduce the pain. When we get massage therapy done, our cells tend to create more mitochondria, which supply the body with more energy to accelerate the healing process.
  • Enhances performance on the field:
     With an increased range of motion and flexibility, a focused mind and body, totally recovered pain and inflammation in the body, and reduced risk of getting injured, you are bound to perform at the highest level and better than you were able to ever before. Apart from this, after a session of massage therapy from a Licensed Massage Therapist at a reliable place, you would feel great about how you and your body feel after the session is over.

These were just some of the many numerous benefits associated with massage therapy for athletes and sportspersons. So, if you indulge in sports professionally, or even casually, you would want to avail all the benefits and be the best player on the field.

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