Sports Massage: Being active and staying active

Sports Massage: Being active and staying active

If you have ever been a spectator or participated in any of our numerous athletic activities here in Bend, Oregon, then you will know and can attest that we take our sports and athletics seriously.  How do the athletes stay in top performance while reducing the chance for injury? Two words: Sports Massage.

Sports Massage Bend OR entails having the experience and knowledge necessary to effectively treat the athlete or participant.  Whereas the techniques used in sports massage are not unique, the application of specific techniques used at specific times are.  As well as the knowledge of specific techniques depending on the athletic sport, age of athlete, and treatment goal, are unique to each session and individual.  The ultimate goal being to contribute to your health and well-being so you can achieve your athletic goals.

Injuries: What can go wrong and how does sports massage help?

Injuries are either acute, subacute or chronic and can be a result of accidents, poor training practices, using improper equipment, lack of conditioning or insufficient warm up. Usually sports massage bend or specifically treats the musculoskeletal system which includes the muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and joints all helping to keep our frame held together. “Because their composition varies, different types of tissues are damaged differently, heal differently, and respond to treatment differently.  All tissues, however, require adequate blood supply and nutrients for effective healing.” (1)

Sports massage can be used to effectively treat all the above mentioned anatomical components, using the knowledge to distinguish which techniques are appropriate during injury or getting you ready for your race or next competition.  Treatment techniques vary greatly and I won’t get too much into that here, but will focus more on the types of sports massage to get you ready, recover, or maintain your level of performance.

Types of Sports Massage

Maintenance massage is typically more of a full-body massage, but could also be region-specific, targeting only the muscles involved in the sport.  The intent of this massage is to keep the athlete training and competing at the highest level. (2)

Recovery massage is used to help an athlete recover from a strenuous workout of competition and return to homeostasis.  This type of massage also help the athlete continue training, and help prevent injury and/or fatigue. (3)

Pre-event massage is designed to prepare the athlete for competition, and is fast-paced and superficial. This massage should emphasize preparation for competition and should focus on readying the muscles to be used during the event.  Pre-event massage does not replace a proper warm-up, however, and should be pain-free. (4)

Intra-event massage is given between competitions, such as between track or swimming races, or between innings for baseball or softball.  Techniques should be short, light and relaxing.  Intra-event massage should focus on maintaining the athlete for the next event. (5)

Post-event massage is designed to help the body return to homeostasis following competition. Post-event massage can:

• Reduce muscle tension and soreness
• Encourage relaxation 
• Encourage circulation 

Depending on your sport and specific goal for massage, sports massage has a wide array of techniques and benefits that can be applied before, during, or after your event or competition to keep you feeling and performing at the best of your abilities.

Contact me now for a free quote!