Sports massage helps you stay healthy and fit. It also helps you get ready for your next event. You can choose from different types of sports massage depending on what you need. Pre-event massage prepares your muscles for exercise and reduces muscle soreness after an intense workout. Post-event massage focuses on recovery and reducing inflammation. Maintenance massage keeps your muscles strong and flexible.
History of Sports Massage
In the United States, the first documented reference to sports massage was made by Dr. William J. McPhee in his book Sports Massage Therapy published in 1965. He described the benefits of sports massage as well as its application to athletes. Since then, sports massage has become an integral component of many professional teams’ training programs.
In the Soviet Union, sports psychologists were the first to have an athlete’s mental health checked regularly. Sports psychologists worked with athletes on a daily basis, helping them deal with stress and anxiety. This led to the creation of sports psychology departments at universities across the country.
Sports massage has been practiced for centuries, but its popularity grew after the Industrial Revolution when professional athletes began using it to prevent injuries and speed recovery.
Sports massage is still practiced today, but it is also used to treat many other conditions including;
- chronic pain,
- Arthritis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- & Lower back pain.
What are the benefits of Sports Massage?
Some of the Benefits of sports therapy include;
- Improving performance
- Reducing recovery time
- preventing injuries.
- produces a feeling of psychological readiness
- promotes blood flow
- reduces cramping
Sports massage aims to improve athletes’ recovery time after exercise. Massage may also help decrease muscle soreness caused by intense workouts and increase blood flow to muscles. Sports therapists often recommend massage before competitions to enhance performance.