What Happens During Sports Massage?
Sports massage is a type of Swedish massage that stimulates circulation of blood and lymph fluids. Some sports massage movements use trigger point therapy to break down adhesions (knots in the muscles) and increase range of motion.
There are four types of sports massages:
* pre-event sports massage: a short, stimulating massage 15-45 minutes before the event. It is directed toward the parts of the body that will be involved in the exertion.
* post-event sports massage: given within an hour or two of the event, to normalize the body's tissues.
* restorative sports massage: given during training to allow the athelete to train harder and with less injury.
* rehabilitative sports massage: aimed at alleviating pain due to injury and returning the body to health.
When Should I Get A Sports Massage At The Spa?
A sports massage is a good choice if you have a specific problem -- a tender knee from running, for instance. It is also be a good idea to see a movement therapist, who can help you identify and correct the movement pattern that might be causing your injury in the first place.
The therapist generally focuses in on the problem area -- a frozen shoulder or pulled hamstring, for instance -- rather than giving you a thorough full body massage.
Sometimes men who are new to the spa are more comfortable getting a sports massage because it sounds more masculine. That's fine, even if they don't have an injury.
No matter what type of massage you choose, the therapist should check in with you about what your needs and expectations are for the massage.
Deep tissue massage is a technique that focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue to release chronic muscle tension, using slow strokes and direct deep pressure. This technique is also effective at breaking up and eliminating scar tissue. Deep tissue massage usually focuses on specific areas and may cause some soreness during or right after the massage. However, if the massage is done correctly, you should feel better than ever within a day or two.
Deep tissue feels good, and it is beneficial to your health. When muscles are stressed, they block the flow of oxygen and nutrients, leading to inflammation that builds up toxins in the muscle tissue. A deep tissue massage helps loosen muscle tissues, release toxins, and restores proper blood and oxygen circulation. It's important to drink plenty of water after a deep-tissue session to help flush the toxins out of the body that have been released.