Sports Massage Techniques
Each sport and athletic event uses muscle groups in a different way. Sports massage therapists must be familiar with each muscle, the muscle groups and how they are affected by the specific movements and stresses of each sport. They also are trained in the appropriate uses of hydrotherapy and cryotherapy.
Traditional western (e.g. Swedish) massage is currently the most common approach used for conditioning programs. It is frequently supplemented by other massage therapy approaches including deep tissue, trigger point work, and acupressure. Some massage therapists have special training in sports massage and greater experience working with athletes. Sports massage therapy frequently includes the use of one, or more of the following techniques:
Deep Swedish Massage: In this massage the muscle-specific applications of the standard effleurage, petrissage, vibration, and tapotement techniques are used.
Compression Massage: Rhythmic compression into muscles is used to create a deep hyperaemia and softening effect in the tissues. It is generally used as a warm-up for deeper, more specific massage work.
Cross-fibre Massage: Friction techniques are applied in a general manner to create a stretching and broadening effect in large muscle groups, or on site-specific muscle and connective tissue.
Deep transverse friction is applied to reduce adhesions and to help create strong, flexible repair during the healing process.
Trigger Point/Tender Point Massage: Combined positioning and specific finger, or thumb pressure into trigger/tender points in muscle and connective tissue are used to reduce the hypersensitivity, muscle spasms and referred pain patterns that characterize the point.
Left untreated, such trigger/tender points often lead to restricted and painful movement of entire body regions:
Lymphatic Massage : During the lymphatic massage stimulation of specialized lymphatic-drainage pathways takes place. This improves the body's removal of oedemas and effusion.
How Does Massage Help?
Recovery: Therapeutic massage helps the body recover from the stresses of strenuous exercise, and facilitates the rebuilding phase of conditioning. The physiological benefits of massage include improved blood and lymph circulation, muscle relaxation, and general relaxation.
These, in turn, lead to removal of waste products and better cell nutrition, normalization and greater elasticity of tissues, deactivation of trigger points, and faster healing of injuries. It all adds up to relief from soreness and stiffness, better flexibility, and less potential for future injury.
In addition to general recovery, massage may also focus on specific muscles used in a sport, or fitness activity. For example, areas of greater stress for runners and dancers are in the legs, for swimmers in the upper body, for tennis players in the arms. These areas are more likely to be tight, lose flexibility, and develop trigger points.
Over-training: Adequate recovery is also a major factor in avoiding the over-training syndrome. Over-training is characterized by irritability, apathy, altered appetite, increased frequency of injury, increased resting heart rate, and/or insomnia. It occurs when the body is not allowed to recover adequately between bouts of heavy exercise. Therapeutic massage helps you avoid over-training by facilitating recovery through general relaxation, and its other physiological effects.
Trouble Spots: You may also have your own unique trouble spots, perhaps from past injuries, A massage therapist can pay special attention to these areas, monitor them for developing problems, and help keep them in good condition. An experienced massage therapist can also compliment treatment received from other health care professionals for various injuries.
Target Areas of Sports Massage
Sports massage may involve prevention and maintenance programs, on-site treatment before and after an athletic event, and rehabilitation programs for those who are injured during the program.