by It doesn’t matter whether you are a professional athlete or someone who works out for a few hours each week at the gym, you will find that deep tissue massages can improve your performance, stamina and reduce injuries.
Deep Tissue Massage for Athletes
When having a deep tissue massage, massage therapists apply focused acupressure and trigger-point to melt all those stubborn muscle knots. They will also use deep, transverse friction where they move back and forth over the muscle to break down muscle adhesions also referred to as scar tissue.
Massages for athletes can often leave you in more pain than usual, but it’s worth it because of the long-term benefits. Just don’t expect this type of massage to leave you all floaty, relaxed, and smelling essential oils!
In this article, we are going to look at five top benefits of adding deep tissue massage into your wellness routine:
1. Reduced pain
The journal Science Translational Medicine recently published a study where they asked eleven men to exercise until they were exhausted. The men were given deep tissue massages on their legs for ten minutes afterward.
Muscle biopsies were taken before, during, and after the workout and were then analyzed. From these records, the scientists established that the massage had triggered mitochondria to be produced, which helped build muscles and reduce overall pain levels.
2. Quicker Recovery Time
As any athlete will know, a challenging workout will leave you feeling achy and sore the next day. While rest does play an essential role in recovery, muscle soreness can start to dictate your workout schedule if not managed, which can be frustrating. This is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or D.O.M.S., which occurs 48 hours after exercise.
Studies have now found that having a deep tissue massage immediately after a heavy workout reduces the risk of sore muscles suffering the next day. Massage is thought to lower cytokines’ production, which is a compound that plays a significant role in inflammation.
3. Improved Flexibility and Reduced Injuries
Regular deep tissue sports massages are a great addition to an athlete’s post-workout recovery as it increases their range of motion. Studies suggest that this increased flexibility is dues to the therapist actively breaking down muscle adhesions.
Over time, intense training builds up the scar tissue and adhesions to develop where the muscle, fascia, and tissues bind together, causing stiffness and opening the athlete up to injury. When the muscle is massaged, these muscle fibers are stretched, and the scar tissue is broken down, increasing flexibility.
A study on female field hockey players discovered that flexibility was improved so much by massage that the players had a much greater leg motion range afterward. The improved range of motion helps to prevent injuries during exercise.
4. Increased Blood Circulation
Any healthy detox regime should include a regular tissue massage. Because a deep tissue massage is intense, studies suggest that blood circulation is actually increased afterward. When the circulation increases, the muscle becomes more effective at removing toxins and absorbing new blood and oxygen.
This results in the athlete having suppler muscles and being able to breathe more deeply during their workout. Deeper breathing, in turn, promotes a calmer state of mind and reduces anxiety and stress.
Deep tissue massage for athletes increases blood flow to the muscles, which improves overall athletic performance. How long the benefits last are still unknown, though, and the muscles certainly have a short rejuvenation burst. Regular sports massages could improve the blood flow to muscles for days after a workout.
5. Better sleep patterns
There have been a lot of studies that have revealed the benefits of massage therapy for improved sleep.
One problem that athletes often encounter is muscle tension and pain that can stop them from getting a good night’s sleep. Having a deep tissue massage will alleviate this tension, improve relaxation, and help the athlete sleep. Over time, improved sleep then has an impact on recovery rates and better performance.
Ashley Halsey works as a writer at Luckyassignments.com and she has worked on several writing projects across the country. As a mother of two children, she loves traveling, reading, and learning at business training courses.
