A Sports Massage is a style of massage designed to improve athletic performance and prevent injuries.
If you’re an athlete who trains for competitions, whether for fun or as a professional career, you may prefer working with Certified Sports Massage Therapists. They have specialized knowledge, experience, and training on and off the playing field.
Because sports massages are for enhancing performance and preventing injury, they’re typically used on event days, and regularly throughout training programs. Event-day sports massages take place right before an event, between same-day events, and after an event.
You don’t have to be an Olympian to enjoy the benefits of a Sports Massage. If you’re physically active for fun, stress relief, or to maintain your muscle mass and bone density, you likely don’t need the same specialized treatment as a competitive athlete. However, you’ll still feel better by treating aches, pains, knots, and muscle tightness—which is what Registered Massage Therapists (or other qualified Massage Therapists) are trained to do. Your Massage Therapist will take a Sports-Massage approach to your treatment, so you can maintain your active lifestyle, injury-free. This may include stretching tight muscles, stimulating inactive muscles, and reducing muscle tension. (Hand and Stone Massage)
In Canada, there’s a specialized training program called the National Sport Massage Certification (NSMCP) that allows Massage Therapists to become Certified Sport Massage Therapists. Massage Therapists with this designation help athletes at all levels prepare for training, competition, and recovery.
Sport Massage helps athletes or other physically active people to:
Sport Massage Therapy is the application of specific Massage techniques to an athlete with the purpose of enhancing the athlete’s preparation for, or recovery from, the physical demands of training or competition. This Massage is applied through specific pre-event, inter-event, post-event, and restorative/training massage techniques. It can be delivered on-site at an event, at a host or team health care clinic, or in a clinic setting. (Canadian Sport Massage Therapy Association, CSMTA)
Sports play an important part in our lives today. From as early as kindergarten, children are involved in some type of sports whether it’s baseball, football, basketball, soccer, or many others. It’s a good thing to start sports at a young age. Kids are able to learn the game much earlier and develop their skills.
However, this also puts them at risk of sports injuries at a much younger age. Many of those injuries require therapy. Sports massage therapy is not only recommended by schools and sporting industries but also by medical professionals.
Sports Massage Therapy (also known as Athletic Massage Therapy or Sports Medicine Massage) is a type of Therapy aimed at decreasing the tension and stress that can develop in the soft tissues of the body during sports and various exercises. Unlike some types of Therapeutic Massage that are performed after an activity, Sports Massage Therapy is also performed before and during the training or activity.
A Sports Therapy Massage can help reduce stress on the body. It can also improve athletic performance and increases endurance. Sports Massage Therapy is very similar to Deep Tissue Massage and Therapeutic Massage. A Sports Therapist Massage focuses on the muscles and tissues within your body. It may cover your entire body or a specific part of your body.
A Sport Massage Therapist helps to condition the muscles of athletes of all skill levels. These trained health and wellness Practitioners identify the frequency and types of physical activities of their clients. They use this information to apply the proper Massage techniques to various muscle groups.
Athletes employ a Sports Medicine Massage Therapist to:
Sports Medicine Massage Therapy is helpful for athletes of all abilities including:
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