A Massage is More than Just a Soothing Comfort after a Hard Day’s Work

Many Enjoy the Benefits of a Sports Massage

When you think of massage, you think of an afternoon at the spa, being pampered with a mud bath, feeling the heat of the sauna, and rejuvenating your skin with fresh peels and wraps.

But there’s another side of massage—an increasing trend called sports therapy massage. Athletes around the world are beginning to reap the benefits of the sports massage more than just for relaxing after the game.

Doctors have recently learned that a sports therapy massage for athletes before a game or match can limit injury and contribute to faster recovery when injuries do occur. This is because massages loosen muscles, allowing them to metabolize fuel and enhance performance.

This cuts down on sports-related injuries such as a pulled muscle, sprains and fractures. A sports massage benefits athletes because it:

• Improves range of motion
• Boosts energy during a workout or game
• Increases fluid flow throughout body and muscles
• Promotes the release of endorphins, which reduce pain

Sports therapy massage for athletes is like nourishment for muscles. It increases circulation, cuts down on pain, and allows for quicker rehabilitation after an injury.

The sports massage benefits are so important that the medical regime at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta made way for sports therapy massage for the athletes there.

Other added benefits of a sports massage are really no different than a typical massage: relaxation and tension reduction, especially before a big game.