When you hear the term Sports Massage, if you think it doesn’t apply to you because you’re not a professional athlete; think again.
Sports Massage is a style of massage where the Massage Therapist works to either enhance your performance in your chosen activity, or helps you recover from your activity. Your activity could be running a marathon, it could also be gardening; it could be a round of golf or perhaps painting your living room. Any activities that take you out of your physical routine and cause an impact on your body can be helped with a Sports Massage.
The first step is to find a trained Sports Massage Therapist who is familiar with how bodies typically move and are impacted by your chosen sport or activity. You’ll want to find a Sports Massage Therapist who is experienced in working with a wide range of people over a long period of time who do the same activity so they have hands-on experience with similar situations.
Communication before and after your Sports Massage is critical. Be sure you identify your goals for the session and communicate them with your therapist. A skilled therapist will then customize the session to meet your needs.
During the massage, expect the therapist to focus much of their attention on the particular muscles or muscle groups most used during your activity. For example, runners tend to need most of the focus on their hips, legs and feet. A golfer usually needs the bulk of attention on the shoulder, and gardeners usually need a low back and knee focus. A Sports Massage usually isn’t as relaxing as other styles of massage; the therapist often asks for lots of feedback during the session and may end up pushing your edges a bit to get results.
Sports Massage can be done both before and after an event; but if you’re participating in a competitive event, be sure to give your body 48-72 hours to heal between the massage and the event. Sports Massage done after an event is particularly effective in helping the body to recover quickly and thoroughly.
Typically, athletes and active people set up a regular massage schedule of 1-4 times per month to help them keep their bodies in tip-top shape. Whether you’re a long-distance cyclist or just helped a friend move houses last weekend, Sports Massage will keep you feeling and performing at your best.
Schedule a Sports Massage today at Island Massage Therapy: www.myislandmassage.com
