Sports massage is essentially manual manipulation of various muscle groups geared especially toward helping people who have physically demanding sports or activities. This type of therapeutic massage considers the effect of some physical actions on certain muscles, tendons, ligament, and tissue collections. It also considers the prevention and reduction of injury and pain associated with such activities. Its application and techniques are aiming at increasing range of motion, stretching and strengthening of muscles and tendons.

There are a lot of possible reasons why one would have to seek out sports massage. One reason for this is to relieve any muscular pain that might have been caused by overuse. Some common causes of this could be sports related injuries, injury to tendons or ligaments from overexertion, an event where immediate force is applied to muscles beyond the limit that can be sustained, repetitive overuse, muscle spasms, and inflammation of muscles. Sports massage may also be called post-event massage or post-game massage. It shouldn't be confused with athletic massage that's focused on relieving pain resulting from strenuous exercise, like running or jogging.

There are many benefits to athletes who use sports massage to relieve or prevent injuries. One of the benefits are better postures in the event of vigorous training or exercising. This promotes blood circulation to the muscle and thus reduces chances of cuts, bruises, and strains. Athletes who sustain injuries also experience quicker recovery and lesser cases of pain, swelling, and other discomfort. Recovery time for such injuries can be considerably reduced.

Another frequent reason an athlete would require sports massage is to enhance performance. For instance, an athlete experiencing post-game or pre-game warm ups may benefit from massage techniques aimed at reducing lactic acid build up, thus preventing muscle spasms and cramps during play. Moreover, an athlete experiencing any type of muscular injury will find massage techniques particularly beneficial to relieve pain, swelling, and decrease lactic acid build up. An athlete suffering from dehydration or a form of electrolyte imbalance may also benefit from this.

Using sports massage to relieve pain, speed recovery, reduce swelling, and speed muscle recovery after an injury is particularly beneficial to athletes engaged in rigorous physical activity. This is because it helps to decrease fatigue and increase endurance. Studies have shown that, with regular exercise, an athlete is about twice less likely to sustain an injury than an athlete who doesn't participate in regular exercise. This makes therapeutic massage a great adjunct to athletes' training patterns.

There are numerous mechanisms through which sports massage increases athlete performance and reduces the chance for sustaining an injury. First, sports massage increases blood flow to the targeted muscle group. Increased blood flow leads to more energy, improved posture, and increased flexibility, all of which may minimize the risk of injury and improve performance.

The second mechanism through which sports massage enhances athletic performance is by increasing muscle strength. Muscle strength is a result of muscle contraction and relaxation. That is why it is important for an athlete to concentrate on relaxation techniques when playing sports. Stimulating and relaxing tight muscles throughout the entire body through effleurage, or gliding movements, will optimize muscle function.


Finally, athletes need to understand that sports massage is best if done prior to and after a strenuous workout. This is because muscle repair and recovery are especially important following strenuous exercise. Therefore, it is important to allow the muscles a chance to"cool down" before and after exercise. If an athlete wants to maximize their recovery, regular sports massage sessions are recommended. In actuality, it has been shown that athletes who regularly attend massage sessions recover more quickly and experience less pain and soreness post-workout.