As its name implies, sports massages are suitable for athletes or people with regular physical activity who need to relieve tension and muscle aches.
Is that your case? Search today for “Sports Massage” and find a center where you can improve your performance.
What is a Sports Massage?
It is a massage that promotes well-being by relieving the discomfort of the most affected body regions with muscle aches. This technique uses firm and gentle movements on the body that stimulate the production of relaxing hormones such as oxytocin.
What are the main benefits of Sports Massage?
- Awareness of your own body.
- Improved elasticity of muscles.
- Increased blood circulation
- Decreased physical and mental tiredness
- Prevention of muscle problems.
Variables to consider before the massage
Before starting a sport massage, it is necessary to take into account several factors, such as:
- Common areas of tension – shoulders and back. Depending on the sports, also legs and / or arms.
- Schedule and intensity of training and competitions – Compete in the Lisbon Marathon or in the Olympic Games implies an intensity of different training
- Athlete’s Physical Conditions – Weight, height, last resistance tests, speed, flexibility, medical exams, etc.
- State of the muscle tissue where the massage will be applied
- Athlete's medical history – medications, medical examinations, diseases, performed surgeries, etc.
- Sports practiced – the muscles used in football are not the same as those used to practice handball, for example.
Categories of Sports Massage
- Event: These massages are marked according to the calendar of sporting events. They can be carried out pre-event (preparation for the effort); Inter-event (between training and competitions) and post-event (effort recovery). Usually massages with a lot of rhythm, duration and focused on the large muscle groups
- Maintenance: the objectives are to prevent future injuries, minimize negative effects that may result from physical exercise and work on the muscle’s flexibility.
- Treatment: Occur after a muscle or tendon injury or due to a decreased performance.