Different Types of Sports Massage

Maintenance Massage

An effective maintenance program is based on the massage therapist's understanding of anatomy and kinesiology, combined with an expert knowledge, of which muscles are used in a given sport, and which are likely candidates for trouble.

By zeroing in on particular muscle groups and working specific tissues, the sports massage therapist can help the athlete maintain, or improve range of motion and muscle flexibility. The overall objective of a maintenance program is to help the athlete reach optimal performance through injury-free training.

Event Massage

1. Pre-event: Pre-event sports massage is given within the four hours preceding an event to improve performance and help decrease injuries. It is used as a supplement to an athlete's warm-up to enhance circulation and reduce excess muscle and mental tension prior to competition.
   It is normally shorter (10-15 minutes) than a regular conditioning massage, and focuses on warming-up the major muscles to be used, and getting the athlete in a good mental state for competition. It also improves tissue pliability, readying the athlete for top performance. Certain massage techniques can help calm a nervous athlete, and others can be stimulating.
2. Inter/Intra-event: Inter and intra-event massage is given between events, or in time-outs to help athletes recover from the preceding activity, and prepare for the activity coming up. It is also short, and focuses on the major muscles stressed in the activity.
3. Post-event: Post-event sports massage is given after a competition and is mainly concerned with recovery. It is geared toward reducing the muscle spasms and metabolic build-up that occur with vigorous exercise. Recovery after competition involves not only tissue normalization and repair, but also general relaxation and mental calming.
   A recovery session might be 15 minutes to 1-1/2 hours in length.

Medical Massage

Although massage is not thought of in conjunction with Western medicine, Europeans have employed this time tested practice for centuries. Medical massage can be used to prevent muscular atrophy in cases of broken bones, to reduce inflammation in strains and sprains, to reduce inflammation of sciatica and lumbago, to increase circulation of varicose ulcers, to stimulate normal bowel movements and much more.

Although massage may create positive changes in many ailments, there are indications for not giving massage. The trained therapist is well informed as to contraindications. Active and passive exercise is the key to good health. The informed therapist may evaluate your range of motion and make recommendations for simple exercises to maintain, or improve your health.

Rehabilitation Massage

Even with preventive maintenance, muscles cramp, tear, bruise, and ache can occur in most athletes. Sports massage can speed healing and reduce discomfort during the rehabilitation process.

Soft tissue techniques employed by sports massage therapists are effective in the management of both acute and chronic injuries. For example, adding lymphatic massage to the "standard care" procedure in the acute stage of injury will improve control of secondary, hypoxic injury and enhance oedemous fluid removal throughout the healing cycle.

Trigger point techniques reduce the spasms and pain that occur both in the injured and "compensation" muscles. Cross-fibre friction techniques applied during the sub-acute and maturation phases of healing improve the formation of strong and flexible repair tissue, which is vital in maintaining full pain-free range of motion during rehabilitation.

In all cases, such massage techniques are employed in collaboration with other appropriate medical care. For example, encouraging circulation around a bruise, but not directly on it, through the use of compression, cross-fibre techniques, or even long, deep strokes is only used after appropriate medical referral and diagnostics indicate that there are no clots formed in the area, which may embolise (blockage of a vein or artery caused by a clot).

Benefits of Sports Massage

• Relaxes muscles and improves joint mobility.
• Increases range of motion.
• Flushes out lactic acid in the muscles.
• Double, or triple faster recovery rate of muscles after a massage.
• Increases circulation.
• Stimulates lymphatic system, hence improves immune system.
• Relieves muscle aches and stiffness.
• Breaks up scar tissue.
• Prevents injuries that might be caused by stressing unbalanced muscle groups, or by favouring or forcing a painful, restricted area.
• Reduces the" chance of injury, through proper stretching and event preparation, and through deep tissue massage.
• Improves range of motion and muscle flexibility, resulting in improved power and performance.
• Maximize the supply of nutrients and oxygen through increased blood flow.
• Enhances elimination of metabolic by-products of exercise.